Wexford Farmers Co-op 60 x 30 Handball championships
The action on the local handball scene in the 60 x 30 championships is hotting up with Barry Goff and Gavin Buggy both setting the pace with two good wins in the past week. While there will be plenty of tough games along the way and other contenders to the throne, the top two in the championships look set to have nailed down semi final spots already.
Barry Goff from the Castlebridge club beat his fellow club man Eugene Kelly on a 21-9,21-13 score line, while this week he added the scalp of another Castlebridge man to his bow as he defeated Jason Murphy on a 21-1,21-3 score line, two pretty ruthless performances against club mates to show his intent for the season.
Gavin Buggy had a fantastic win against one of his St Mary’s club mates during the week, getting the better of one of his keenest rivals in the big court as Colin Keeling felt the losing feeling against Buggy in a very good contest, which Gavin won 21-20, 21-12. In Buggy’s second assignment over the past two weeks he took care of Coolgreaney’s Darren O’Toole in routine fashion on a 21-11, 21-4 score line.
Paul Carthy is another man making good progress in this year Wexford Farmers’ Co-Op 60 x 30 senior singles and he was a fine winner of a tough game with Darren O’Toole with the St Mary’s man coming out on the right side of a 21-14, 10-21, and 21-13 score line.
Another player who will have a big say in the senior title this year may be Paul Lambert who progressed to the All Ireland Junior singles final last year, he seems to be in the groove again this season and was a 15-21, 21-15, 21-19 winner over Eugene Kelly from Coolgraney.
JR Finn had a very impressive win in the Intermediate singles as he beat Jason Murphy from Castlebridge, the Ballymitty man took the game on a 21-12, 21-13 score line. Tony Breen came through a very peculiar game with Damien Kelly from Coolgreaney. Tony Breen squandered a big lead in the opening set and lost out 21-19, but he fought back well to win the game 21-10, 21-0.
Pechelli English from Davidstown had a fine win over Shane Rossiter from Ballymitty winning on a 21-17, 21-16 score line. Benny Doyle also advanced to the next round of the Intermediate singles coming out on top against Phil Coleman on a 21-14, 19-21, 21-15 score in what looks like a very competitive grade.
There was three games in the junior D singles with Padraig Rowe (Bridgetown) beating Barry Byrne (Ballymitty) 11-21, 21-12, 21-14. Paul Reddy (Ballymitty) beat Alan Reid (Bridgetown) 21-1, 21-0 and Diarmuid Kelly (Bridgetown) beat Patrick Curran (ST Martin’s) 21-14, 21-0.
Leinster Handball 60 x 30.
The big news on the Leinster handball front this week was the all Wexford clash of Castlebridge and Coolgraney in the Leinster Junior Club team of four final. With two very strong teams it was expected to be a very close contest and it proved that way before Castlebridge took the honours on a 84 to 62 score line. The Castlebridge team was Dean Corrigan, Jason Murphy, Eugene Kelly and David Kenny, while the gallant losers of Coolgreaney included a strong line up of Darren O’Toole, Damien Kelly, Jimmy O’Rourke and Peter McGrath. The Castlebridge squad must be favourites for the All Ireland now and will hope to achieve this top honour over the coming weeks.
Michael Busher from Bridgetown enjoyed a fine opening round win in the Junior B singles as he crushed the challenge of Myles Carroll from Kildare on a 21-8,21-10 score line.
Peter Hughes and Paul Lambert both enjoyed fine opening round wins in the very competitive Junior singles grade. Lambert who is the current Leinster Junior Singles champion, beat David Donovan from Carlow on a terrific 21-7, 21-6 score line.
Peter Hughes who is Lambert’s doubles partner in this grade also had to fight back from a first game hammering against Mick O’Donnell from Dublin before eventually winning on a 5-21, 21-16, 21-17 score line.
County Juvenile Handball results.
Under 10 singles
Richard Lawlor (St Joseph’s) beat Cian Browne (Coolgreaney)
Josh Howlin (St Joseph’s) beat Jack Murphy (St Joseph’s)
Josh Kavanagh (St Joseph’s) beat Cathal Connolly (Templeudigan)
Emmet Nolan (ST Mary’s) beat Dean O’Neill (Ballyhogue)
Jake Kelly (Templeudigan) beat Cian Kehoe (St Joseph’s)
Under 11 singles
Todd Hynes (St Mary’s) beat Shane Bergin (St Joseph’s)
Jake Clancy (St Joseph’s) beat Lucas Zilinois (St Joseph’s)
James Creane (St Joseph’s) beat Michael Kearney (St Joseph’s)
Ciaran Connolly (Templeudigan) beat Cormac Cooney (St Joseph’s)
Under 12 singles
Adam Hanrahan (St Joseph’s) beat Enda Minogue (Ballyhogue)
Seán Banville (St Joseph’s) beat Luaras Zilinois (St Joseph’s)
Under 13 singles
Daniel Kavanagh (St Joseph’s) beat Gavin Connolly (Templeudigan)
Kenneth Riordan (Ballyhogue) beat Zigymantas Sniezka (St Joseph’s)
Under 14 singles
Keith Armstrong (St Marys) beat Paddy Connors (Castlebridge)
Seamus Sinnott (St Martin’s) beat Stephen Elmes (Templeudigan)
Dylan Bolger (St Joseph’s) beat Cameron Goff (Bridgetown)
Under 15 singles
Thomas Bergin (Bridgetown) beat Nicky Lawlor (St Joseph’s)
Liam Shannon (Bridgetown) beat James Kelly (Templeudigan)
Ryan Bates (Bridgetown) beat Stephen Roche (St Martin’s)
