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You are > Home > Handball: All-Ireland success in Mullingar
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Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Handball: All-Ireland success in Mullingar
Mayo’s handballers were involved in two very different All-Ireland finals at the weekend - but the results were the same.
Firstly on Saturday at Mullingar, young Dara Reid and Ciarán Burke, representing Rice College Westport, took on John Walsh and James Phelan from St. Augustine’s of Dungarvan in the All-Ireland 60 x 30 Colleges Junior doubles final. There were high hopes for Reid and Burke after their fine victory last weekend over Martin Doyle and Colm Quigley from Carlow and so it proved.
The Mayo duo won a hard-fought first game 21 aces to 16 and increased the pressure in the second, which they won very easily 21 aces to 1.
At the same venue there were excellent victories for Roscommon CBS handballer, Chris Doolin who beat Conor Cooney of St. Joseph’s Tulla in a thrilling Intermediate singles final in three game. Doolin led his opponent 18 aces to 2 but lost the first game 20 aces to 21. He recovered well to win the second 21-12 and just hung on to win the tie-break third 11-7.
The third match at Mullingar resulted in victory for Rikki O’Gara from Roscommon, representing Garbally College, over Michael Brennock from St. Augustine’s on a 21-6, 21-10 scoreline.
On Sunday last also at Mullingar, the Ballaghaderreen Club featured in the All-Ireland 40 x 20 Junior inter-club final against a very fancied Arklow Club side from Wicklow. In the first singles, Ollie Cassidy gave the Ballaghaderreen team an absolute dream start as he defeated Arklow’s Pat O’Donnell 21-3, 21-10. This gave Ballaghaderreen a hefty 29 ace advantage going into the two doubles gamse. Tony Groarke and James Towey, who had never played together before, did very well in the first game, although they lost it 16-21 against Eammon Rice and John Quinn of Arklow. However, the Ballaghaderreen duo completely lost their way in the second game only scoring six aces to Arklow’s twenty-one.
Even at this stage the advantage lay with Ballaghaderreen as Brian Tansey needed twenty-five aces over the two games against Ned Kealy of Arklow to secure victory. Tansey got twelve aces in the first game leaving a target of thirteen in the second for overall victory – or twelve aces for a draw. He reached the latter target of twelve aces to leave the side 93 aces a piece. As both teams had won the same number of games, three each, the rules state that any two players from each side must play one more game to 21 aces to decide the winner.
Ollie Cassidy and Brian Tansey went in for Mayo against O’Donnell and Kealy and in one of the most courageous handball displays of the year they won this singles game 21 aces to 19 to secure overall victory for Ballaghaderreen on a 114 to 111 scoreline.
St. Coman’s pulled off a fine Connacht inter-club double as they defeated Ballydesmond of Cork at Nenagh in another thrilling final on a 106 to 98 scoreline. Indeed it was a remarkable weekend all round for seventeen-year-old Chris Doolin from Roscommon who won two All-Ireland medals in two days in two different courts. Doolin’s other team mates were Niall McGrath, Shane Hennelly and Neil McDermott.
The Ballaghaderreen Club host the Cunniffe Cup on Sunday next commencing at 11am. All are welcome and any enquiries should be directed to John Gaffney at 094 - 9660040.
Exciting clashes in Aughagower
The Aughagower Handball Tournament Finals were played out on Thursday last and featured some very exciting handball action. The Plate Final was fought out between Morgan Darcy and partner Padraig Browne against Seamus Clarke and the local young player, Ronan O’Malley. Clark and O’Malley took the first game 21-9 but Darcy and Browne came back strongly to win the second game 21-16. The third game was a gruelling affair, which saw the lead change hands several times until Clark and O’Malley managed to pull ahead and win by three aces 21-18.
The final of The Gannon Cup provided even better entertainment for the large crowd. This match went to three games as well and lasted about one and a half hours. John Granahan teamed up with Liam Burke against the partnership of John Staunton and Brian Heraty. Granahan and Burke won the first game 21-14. Heraty and Staunton rallied to take the second game 21-13. The third game was a hard-fought affair with both teams on level terms on numerous occasions and each side made 20 aces until Heraty and Staunton made the vital final ace to win the Gannon Cup. Super Valu of Westport sponsored the trophies that were presented to the winners.
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