Sullivan Fencing: Round 3 of the 2025/2026N Ireland Junior Foil Series

Last Saturday 13th December saw the 3rd round of the 2025/26 NI Junior Foil Series held in Shankill Leisure Centre in Belfast. Fifteen Sullivan Upper Fencing Club members took part and achieved a season high total of 10 podium finishes across U12, U14 and U16 age groups with 4 gold medals, 3 silver and 3 bronze.

U12s

After missing round 2, Ella Murphy returned to competition with a strong U12F performance and a dominant 10-1 victory over the round 2 winner to win gold and put herself back in championship points contention. Lydia Snoddy finished 3rd, which after adding to her points gained from rounds 1 and 2 takes her to the top of the points table. There were no SUFC U12M entrants.

U14s

William Penny had a perfect day’s fencing, going 5 wins from 5 in his poule, then fighting his way through to the final where he defeated the U14M points leader to take gold. Flynn Woolsey-Jensen, Mark Ross, Shion Suto-Murphy and Eric Hutchinson all made the last 8, finishing 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th respectively. In the U14F Grace Tsang and Olivia Morse again finished 1st and 2nd in the U14F.

U16s

Sam Snoddy, Ethan Dilworth and Adam Sugar were ranked 1, 3 and 4 after the poules in the U16M. Adam went out in the quarters, while Ethan and Sam went through to fence each other in the semis. Ethan won this nail-biting fight 15-14 to progress to the final, but lost there 10-15 to the winner of last week’s Pembroke Christmas Cup U17M in Dublin. Sam finished 3rd, Adam 5th. Sullivan girls dominated the U16F category, with Erin Keogh taking gold, Lydian Hamilton silver and Amy Walker bronze.

This was a superb set of results for SUFC, well done all 15 SU fencers. Round 4 of the NIJFS will be on Sunday 11th January in the Shankill Leisure Centre.

David White

SUFC Coach

15th Dec 2025