Gough & Perry Win Irish Open Titles

There were mixed fortunes for the defending champions in the Cannon Kirk Homes Irish Open when local heroine Madeline Perry clinched a hat-trick of successive crowns to keep the women's trophy in Irish hands - whereas Spaniard Borja Golan lost out in a 90-minute marathon when second-seeded Welshman Alex Gough prevailed to lift the men's trophy for the first time at the Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club in Dublin.

Banbridge-born Madeline Perry, the favourite, reached the final of the WISPA World Tour event without dropping a game - and faced fifth-seeded New Zealander Jaclyn Hawkes, who had upset England's fourth seed Dominique Lloyd-Walter to reach the biggest WISPA final of her short career.

In a one-sided final, Perry put in a rock solid display to take the match 9-3, 9-3, 9-5 in just 35 minutes. The 30-year-old world number ten was celebrating her 10th WISPA Tour final, in which she picked up her sixth title.

By contrast, the Irish crowd were treated to arguably the best contested final the Irish Open has seen. It was a dramatic five-game encounter in which Spanish champion Golan, for whom last year's Dublin win was just one of four PSA Tour titles the 24-year-old acquired, faced veteran Welshman Alex Gough, the indefatigable 36-year-old in his 16th Tour final after making his first back in 1993.

After sharing the first two games, the third proved to be pivotal, going to a tie break. With both players covering every inch of the court, the crowd witnessed an exhibition of inch-perfect lengths and pin-point drop shots. Gough, the world No23, eventually clinched the game 12-10 - but tired noticeably in the fourth as Golan, ranked three places higher, drew level for the second time in the match.

With the title in sight in the decider, both players produced amazing dives to retrieve seemingly impossible shots. But it was the wily Welshman who eventually prevailed, taking the match 11-6, 2-11, 11-10 (2-0), 8-11, 11-9.

The triumph marked the tenth PSA title of Gough's career - but his first since winning the Liechtenstein Open, exactly three years ago, in April 2004.

Men's final:
[2] Alex Gough (WAL) bt [1] Borja Golan (ESP) 11-6, 2-11, 11-10 (2-0), 8-11, 11-9 (90m)

Women's final:
[1] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt [5] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) 9-3, 9-3, 9-5 (35m)