The new Scottish pairing of Jillie Cooper and Emma Mason showed great promise in the build-up to next year’s Commonwealth Games by reaching the semi-finals of the women’s doubles at the Yonex Irish International in Dublin. 

In the quarter-finals, the Scots duo comfortably defeated Spain’s Laura Molina and Haida Ojeda 21-9 21-14  - and then took Denmark’s Maria Helsbol and Anne Skelbaek to three games in the semis.

In a tie lasting 51 minutes, the Danes eventually won 21-17 18-21 21-16.In the final, they then lost 13-21 19-21 to England’s Mariana Agathangelou, who won the Bank of Scotland International title with Cooper in Glasgow last year, and Heather Olver.