GUERNSEY lost out to Elizabeth Cann and a strong Jersey side in the 2009 Gilson Cup.

Held at the Gilson Halls in Jersey, the home side boasted England international singles player Cann and ex-England player Mark Constable in their ranks.

And they helped ensure that the Reds retained the badminton inter-insular cup with a 19-11 score.

‘At the end of the day, the Guernsey team fell slightly short but it was a very exciting and intense match that so easily could have gone Guernsey’s way,’ said Guernsey Badminton Association president John Stuart.

‘Jersey’s greater consistency won the day.’

While Jersey have Cann and Constable at their disposal, Guernsey can now boast their own ex-England player in Ian Sullivan.

The newly sworn-in police officer was world ranked number seven in mixed doubles at the height of his game. He can name no other than Gail Emms as a former partner and claimed the scalp of the then reigning Korean Olympic Champions during the Korean Open Mixed doubles event.

He was also UK national champion in 2000.

So the scene was set for a titanic struggle and it was a brilliantly contested match.

In the men’s doubles section, Constable and Chris Cotillard were dominant, winning all three of their matches.

But this was offset by the three Guernsey men’s doubles pairs all beating the Jersey third pairing of veteran Ian Coombes-Goodfellow and junior Ben Watson.

That left the three rubbers against Jersey’s second pair to decide the outcome.

Sullivan and team captain Quentin Petit duly came up with the goods.

Then, in a really close contest, Stu Hardy and Karl Abbotts went to three ends but just lost 21-15 in the decider.

Kevin Le Moigne and Chris Dragun began to tire and could not reproduce their early fine form, slipping up in two sets.

That edged the sister isle into a 5-4 advantage.

The women’s doubles was always going to be tough with Cann in the mix.

She partnered Kerry Coombes-Goodfellow and they were never in trouble in their three outings.

But, as in the men’s doubles, the Caesarean third pair of junior Jade Coombes-Goodfellow and Lindsay Woodward also failed to register a win.

So again it was down to each island’s second pair to decide the fate of the section.