Leinster Handball championships
Wexford is a county rich in tradition of having good 60 x 30 softball seasons and 2011 looks like being no different with a variety of positive results during the past week for the model county. David Kenny is a player who has .lingered in the back ground for many years on the county scene while not really making much head way in the Leinster championships. However, this season he is looking like one of the strong contenders for the Junior B singles title as he beat highly rated Kilkenny player Diarmuid Burke from Kilkenny on a 21-12, 21-9 score line in a near faultless display last week. Eugene Kelly is a fellow club mate of Kenny with both players operating from the handball hotbed of Castlebridge and Eugene Kelly carried his impressive club performances to the Leinster circuit last week as he upended Jimmy Long from Kilkenny out of the championships with a 21-4, 21-14 pasting. However, John Roche another Castlebridge man, was knocked out of the same grade – the Over 35 B singles on a 21-13, 21-16 score line, losing out to tough Kilkenny opponent David Clifford. Two more Castlebridge club men Malachy Whelan and Cormac Smyth were also knocked tumbling out of the Intermediate doubles as they found Nicky Reilly and Joe Hickey from Kilkenny in a stubborn mode and the Wexford pair lost out 21-11,21-9. Damien Kelly from Coolgreaney was the winner in a Wexford/Wicklow derby match as he defeated John Quinn from the Garden County on a 21-8, 3-21, 21-11 score line in the Masters B singles. Benny Doyle from Horeswood had a fine win in the Golden Masters A singles coming out on top in a good game with Frank Kearns from Dublin with the south of the county man winning 21-10, 21-19. Frank Maddock wrapped up an impressive week for Wexford on the big court as the St Martin’s man put in a terrific performance of handball to see off Chris Dunne from Kilkenny 21-18, 21-8.
Wexford Farmers Co-op 60 x 30 Softball championships
The final round of group games in the senior singles were played out over the past week and the four semi finalists for this years championships are now known, with Barry Goff (out going champion) and Gavin Buggy expected to advance from the opening rounds it was a battle of who would grab the other two semi final spots.
Paul Cathy’s chances were squashed out by his St Mary’s club mate Buggy on a 21-6, 21-4 score line. That defeat opened the door for Darren O’Toole from Coolgraney to pick up the semi final spot in the group as he was a very impressive 21-4,21-10 winner over David Kenny from Castlebridge. Eugene Kelly sneaked in to the final semi final berth in his division after Jason Murphy his club mate did him a favour by beating Paul Lambert from St Joseph’s 21-14,21-18 which allowed Kelly to claim the last semi final spot. The semi final pairings are Gavin Buggy v Eugene Kelly and Barry Goff v Darren O’Toole, the big two of Buggy and Goff will be expected to advance. However ,they know that any slip up will be punished by the two underdogs. Peter Hughes, Darren O’Toole and Paul Lambert have all secured semi final spots in the Intermediate singles in what is turning into a mouth watering championship. Peter Hughes (Ballyhogue) secured his spot by beating Pechelli English from Davidstown 21-16,21-8. Darren O’Toole bombarded JR Finn from Ballymitty on a 21-4,21-5 score line while Paul Lambert (St Joseph’s) was made to work very hard by Benny Doyle from Horeswood before winning through on a 21-19,21-16 score. Eoin Leacy and PJ Leacy combined well for their club St Joseph’s to secure a semi final spot in the Junior Doubles after an impressive win over David and Paul Cleary from Ballymitty on a 21-20, 21-14 score. John Roche was the winner of a classic in the quarter finals of the junior singles as he saw off a determined Barntown man Jim Connors on a 21-20, 16-21, 21-16 score. Four very competitive quarter finals took place in the Junior C singles with some very relieved winners who advanced to the last four. Walter Lawlor (Castlebridge) got over the challenge of Seán O’Neill Ballymitty on a 21-14, 18-21, 21-14 score. Ronan Greene, Barntown impressed big time in his 21-3, 21-7 wins over David Rossiter from Castlebridge. Tommy Hardy (St Mary’s) was a popular winner as he defeated Miley Byrne from Ballymitty on a 21-11, 21-11 score line, while Hardy’s St Mary’s club mate Fintan Furlong advanced also beating a strong Robert Byrne from Bridgetown on a 21-14, 21-17 score. Two quarter finals in the Junior D singles were also played last week and James Maddock (St Martins) showed his talents are continuing to improve by hammering John Byrne from Ballymitty 21-3, 21-4, while PJ Martin from Bridgetown was also a strong winner beating Jason Byrne from Ballymitty on a 21-7,21-14 score.’
Juvenile 60 x 30 softball championship results
Under 10 singles
Richard Lawlor (St Joseph’s) beat Mark Doyle St Joseph’s
Emmet Nolan St Mary’s beat Josh Kavanagh St Josephs
Colm Kiely St Joseph’s beat Josh Howlin St Joseph’s
Richard Browne St Joseph’s beat Jake Kelly Templeudigan
Under 10 B singles
Cian Browne (Coolgraney) beat Cian Kehoe St Joseph’s
Jack Murphy St Joseph’s beat Dean O’Neill Ballymitty
Boys Under 12 B singles
Luaras Zilionis St Joseph’s beat Dylan Kehoe St Joseph’s
Boys Under 13 singles
Alan Browne St Joseph’s beat Daniel Kelly Templeudigan
Tomás Hall Castlebridge beat Kevin Shannon Bridgetown
Boys Under 14 singles
Oisín Foley Castlebridge beat Seamus Sinnott St Martin’s
Boys Under 15 singles
Aaron Wright Power Bridgetown beat Nicky Lawlor St Joseph’s