Home Hero Rooney Wins Galway Title

Irishman John Rooney celebrated his comeback to the city of his birth in the best way possible when he beat Scotland's Stuart Crawford in the final of the Garavan's West of Ireland Open to win the inaugural PSA Tour title at Galway Tennis Club in Galway.

The pair traded points in the first game until eight-all, after which seventh seed Rooney established a lead which saw the 27-year-old from Galway take the first game.

The reigning Scottish National champion battled back in the second to level the match. Rooney opened up a four-point lead in the third game, then led 8-4 before finally clinching the game 11-8.

The local hero established a dream start in the fourth, going 6-0 up. Numerous unforced errors by a tired third seed Crawford helped the Irishman extend the lead until the ecstatic gallery erupted as Rooney ran out the winner after 52 minutes in an 11-5, 7-11, 11-8, 11-5 scoreline.

Afterward, the highly-appreciative audience cheered the victorious Rooney as he was presented with the memorial Paddy Whack Walsh by Leyton Walsh, son of the late Paddy Walsh.

The victory marked the second PSA Tour title of Rooney's career - following just a month after the first at the Salzburg Open in Austria.

Final:
[7] John Rooney (IRL) bt [3] Stuart Crawford (SCO) 11-5, 7-11, 11-8, 11-5 (52m)