2012 Wexford GAA Handball Convention
The 2012 Wexford GAA Handball convention took place last Friday night the 28th of December at 7.30 pm in Piercestown complex .A small attendance on the night could not take away from what had been a superb year for Wexford handball as four World Champions from county Wexford were crowned.
In October when the World Handball Championships came to the Citywest Hotel in Dublin it was a memorable event for Wexford handball players as Ned Buggy, Gavin Buggy, Tommy Hynes and Daniel Kavanagh were all winners with close to 100 Wexford players also taking part in the games show piece event.
Chairman Alan O’Neill who was re-elected on the night paid tribute to everyone involved in Wexford handball for a very successful year both on and off the court, paying special mention to the newly crowned World champions. He also spoke in high praise of his fellow officers on the county board for their hard work during the season and heaped admiration on clubs also for the ever improving work at maintaining and developing of courts across the county. The county chairman also thanked sponsors Wexford Farmers Co-op for their continued support to Wexford handball and also to the GAA County Board for their help in 2012. Alan O’Neill also offered his sympathies to friends and families of deceased members during the year.
County secretary Tony Breen provided a fantastic in depth look back on the season in the secretary’s report for 2012. In his report Breen highlighted the success of the World championships and praised the people involved in running the event. The ever increasing number of countries playing handball and with various different types of the game now being played Breen highlighted the formation of the new World Wall Ball Association. ON the international front once more, Breen praised the quartet of Wexford winners in the World big event, and also praised Paul Lambert for his success across the Atlantic in 2012.
Tony Breen mentioned the 1000% increase in the number of juvenile registered players in the county in the past few years, and while happy to see this Tony stressed the need to get more people working around the outside to make sure that competitions are run and players get the coaching they deserve.
The highlights of the 40x 20 season came as Gavin Buggy made it three over 35 singles titles in a row by beating Sean Devine from Antrim in the final, while Darren O’Toole (Coolgraney) and Malachy Whelan (Castlebridge) took the Junior B doubles title in a whirlwind fashion handing out some heavy defeats along the way before doing the same in the All Ireland final against Monaghan pair Christopher McKenna and Eamon Todd on a 21-9, 21-5 score line.
Galeon Riordan (Ballyhogue) put in a super performance in the minor singles before he lost out in the final to Donal Wrynn from Leitrim. Also unlucky in the 40 x 20 All Ireland championships were Gavin Buggy/Tony Breen beaten over 35 doubles finalists, and Oisin Foley was beaten in the under 15 singles All Ireland final.
On the 60 x 30 court this year the Irish Nationals doubles title was retained by Barry Goff and Colin Keeling but unfortunately they were dethroned as All Ireland champions during the 2012 campaign. Thomas Hall and Daniel Kavanagh became Wexford second under 14 doubles champions in a row on the big court as they took the ultimate prize beating Stephen Smyth and Thomas Donohue from Cavan in the All Ireland final. The boy under 16/17 team of four also captured the All Ireland title on the big court with the team made up of Bryan Kehoe, Liam Shannon, Jack Roche, Aaron Wright Power, Stephen Greene and Ryan Bates, while the girls under 15 doubles pairing of Chloe Cash and Courtney Browne lost out in the All Ireland final on the big court.
Tommy Hynes and Paul Carthy marked their entry into the Masters Doubles grade with an All Ireland title defeating everyone in their way beating Tom Sheridan and Joe Lynch from Meath in the Leinster final which turned out to be the All Ireland final also as none of the other three provinces could muster any entrants for the competition.
Another 23 players won Leinster titles during the year and many more collected runner up medals in the province showing the strength in depth in Wexford once again.
Castlebridge who have a strong tradition in the Feile na nGael competition collected the 60 x 30 division two crown as Thomas Hall, Adam Hanrahan, Paddy Berry, Michael Lawlor and Finn Callan-Lyons beat all around them.
Breen commended all the players and clubs for the huge effort they put into the game during the season and huge praise was heaped on Tony Breen from all delegates for such a detailed report, and also for his superb job in running the county handball championships and leagues and there can be no doubt but Tony Breen is the most treasured Secretary in the country for his love and dedication to the game of handball.
Looking to the future Breen stressed that hard work is needed to continue the development of the game and that co-operation is always needed to make things run smoothly.
Treasurer Nicky Curran stepped down from the position after four year at the helm and was praised by chairman Alan O’Neill and his fellow officers and club delegates for bringing Wexford handball into a sound financial footing during his four years.
The convention continued with the election of officers, however with the small crowd in attendance some positions were worryingly not filled and will be filled at the first county board meeting of 2013. Also on the night five motions were passed and transfers that were granted are also listed below and they included the transfer of Gavin Buggy from St Mary’s in Wexford town to St Joseph’s also in Wexford town.
Election of Officers
President Ger McWilliams
Chairman Alan O’Neill
Vice Chairman JR Finn
Secretary Tony Breen
Treasurer Virginia Hanrahan
PRO: Noel Holohan
Youth Officer position not filled
Coaching Gavan Buggy
Development Fergal McWilliams
Public Relations Noel Holohan
Facilities John Roche
GAA Handball Ireland Convention Reps
Chairman and Secretary
Leinster Convention Reps
Chairman and Secretary
Central Council Delegates
Chairman and Secretary
Teachtaar GAA Coiste
Nicky Curran
Motions Carried
- 1. That a County 1-Wall Championship be introduced and concluded before the National Competitions to allow entrants as County Champions.
- 2. That a woman over 30, who is ineligible for the Women’s All Ireland junior ‘B’ singles and doubles championship due to having won an All-Ireland U14 and or U16 title, be allowed apply for regrading back to junior ‘B’. Amend Rule 49 (B) (iv) and Rule 49 (C) (i) accordingly.
- 3. That a man who is eligible for the All Ireland Emerald Masters grade and who is ineligible for the Ireland junior ‘B’ singles and doubles championship due to having won an All-Ireland Overage ‘B’ title be allowed apply for regrading back to junior ‘B’.
- 4. That change be allowed to the format our County Juvenile Championships, League’s and games at any County Committee meeting provided such changes are flagged in advance of the meeting on the officially circulated agenda.
- 5. That a Juvenile Competitions Secretary be elected.
Transfers Granted
Emma Codd from St. Josephs to St. Martins
Richard Browne from St. Josephs to St. Mary’s
Alan Browne from St. Josephs to St. Mary’s
Emma Browne from St. Josephs to St. Mary’s
Glen Murphy from St. Josephs to St. Mary’s
Ree Broaders from Bridgetown to St. Martins
Frank Maddock from St. Martins to Ballymitty
James Maddock from St. Martins to Ballymitty
Darren Maddock from St. Martins to Ballymitty
Gavin Buggy from St. Mary’s to St. Josephs
