Barry set for break after Irish Open semi-final exit

Tennis: Sam Barry will take a three week break to recharge his batteries after his semi-final exit in the Irish Men’s Open.

With the top two Irish players, James McGee and Louk Sorensen, invariably competing in second-tier Challenger events, Barry carried the main home hopes in last week’s third-tier ITF Futures tournament at Dublin’s Fitzwilliam Club.

But the 22-year-old Limerick man, seeded No 1, crashed out in the semis to Britain’s No. 3 seed Joshua Milton on an emphatic 6-2, 6-4 margin.