ALLEY CHAT with Antóin Ó Braoin
Major Coup for Wexford Handball As Ducksy Joins Coaching Team
Wexford GAA Handball officials have pulled off a sensational coup by acquiring the coaching services of the legendary Ducksy Walsh , Kilkenny in the face of stiff opposition from both south and north of the border. The handball legend from the famed Talbots Inch nursery in Kilkenny has been a major part of the coaching setup in Croke Park for the past number of years and has made a big name for himself as an outstanding trainer and motivator of juvenile players. Such has been his impact that all of the top handball counties would like to have him and indeed a few of the Ulster counties, where the emphasis on coaching is considerable, had offered significant inducements for him to join their coaching team. Without equal as a player for the past 35 years, he has won a total of 38 All Ireland senior titles including that incredible 13 singles championships in a row and since his advent to the Overage (Over 40) grade back in 2006 he has smashed all previous records in this age group by remaining unbeaten for going on eight years.
County Handball Secretary, Tony Breen said Ducksy Walsh has always been a friend to Wexford “he has been a regular participant in our Winter League and has always been willing to come down to our county juvenile finals and other events when asked. Ducksy has a wonderful way with children and this is a terrific appointment for Wexford juvenile handball”. He will take responsibility for boys development squad players from under 11 to under 14 inclusive while County Coaching Officer John Quigley will take the remainder of the squad from under 15 to under 17 inclusive.
Side by side with the arrival of the Kilkennyman, comes the news that Gavin Buggy has been appointed coach to the county girls development squad from under 11 to under 17 inclusive and with his vast knowledge and experience of the game he is certain to bring the best out of the players under his care. Wexford’s juvenile players are now in the unique position of having the assistance and guidance of the best player in Kilkenny and the best player in Wexford to help them develop their skills and while this is intended to be a long term process there is no doubt that expectations will rise as a result of these exciting developments.
Exciting Juvenile Championship Action
County and club officials as well as parents, siblings and relatives were treated to a veritable feast of handball across the county last Friday, Saturday and Sunday as the quarter finals of the county 40×20 juvenile singles championship took place at Bree, Davidstown, Oulart, Piercestown and St. Josephs. 11 of the 14 clubs in the county were represented at this stage of the competition, (Davidstown, Horeswood and Oulart being the exceptions) as children of well-known handball families and those relatively new to the sport battled it out, not only for a place in the semi-finals but for the far greater incentive on offer on this occasion. For the first time ever, winning a handball match at this stage of the competition carried with it the prize of a place on the county development squad as well as a place on the Wexford team for the upcoming provincial championships.
With the new juvenile plan ‘The Next Level’ now firmly up and running the opportunities for those on the squad are new and exciting and ultimately should lead to a raising of standards all round. The huge incentive for those not on the squad is to improve enough to displace someone already on it and that led to a significant raising of the tempo over the weekend. Below are the results from the quarter finals.
County Juvenile Championship Quarter Finals Results
BU10 Johnny Chap Goggins (STJ) dft Ruaírí Ennis (STJ); Rory Dobbs (STJ) dft Sean Connolly (TLU); Eamonn O’Shea (TLU) dft Ryan Moran (BAM); Eoin Roche (BAM) dft Bobby Doyle (STJ)
BU11 Robbie Hillis (STJ) dft Ryan Boland (COG); Cathal Cummins (BAM) dft Conor Murphy (STJ); Mark Doyle (STJ) dft Jimmy Goggins (STJ); Daragh Carley (STJ) dft Ben Keeling (STJ)
BU12 Richard Lawlor (STJ) dft Jake Kelly (COG); Josh Kavanagh (STJ) dft Cathal Connolly (TLU); Diarmuid Moore (STJ) dft Cian Byrne (BRT); Dean O’Neill (BAM) dft Michael Gaynor (BAM)
BU13 Richard Browne (STY) dft Jake Kelly (TLU); Glen Murphy (STY) dft Sam Cody (COG); Cian Kehoe (STJ) dft Gavin Lawlor (BAT); Josh McMahon (STJ) dft Colm Kiely (STJ)
BU14 Colm Parnell (BAH) dft Robert Cogley (BAM); Willie Murray-Byrne (BRT) dft Michael Curran (STJ); Ciaran Power (COG) dft Ciaran Connolly (TLU); Todd Hynes (STY) WO Conor Breen (BRT) scr.
BU15 Adam Walsh (STJ) dft Jason O’Neill (TLU); Patrick Boland (TLU) dft Jack Hendrick (BRT); Anthony Butler (BAH) dft Ross Cody (COG); Adam Hanrahan (CAB) WO Enda Minogue (BAH) inj.
BU16 Thomas Hall (CAB) dft Conor Nolan (COG); Ciaran Busher (BRT) dft Daniel Kelly (TLU); Liam Rossiter (BAH) dft Gavin Connolly (TLU); Shane Murphy (BRT) WO Daniel Kavanagh (STJ) inj.
BU17 Semi-final qualifiers; Sean Wickham (BRT), Josh Cahill (BRT), Stevie Lawlor (BRT), Darren Murphy (KIL)
GU10 Final qualifiers; Ellie Murphy-O’Gorman (STJ) v Jody Keeling (STJ)
GU11 Shauna Owley (COG) dft Emma Phelan (STJ); Danielle Kinsella (BAM) dft April Moran (BAM); Becky O’Neill (BAM) dft Emily Moran (BAM); Aoife O Connor (STM) bye
GU12 Hannah Cullen (STJ) dft Lauren Mahon (STJ); Maxine Byrne (BAM) v Amy Barron (STJ); Alibeth Curran (STJ) bye; Niamh Miller (BAM) bye
GU13 Leanne Boland (COG) WO dft Katie Barron (STJ) scr; Chloe Doyle (STM) dft Hayley Bohanna (BAM); Ciara O Connor (STM) bye; Cliodhna O’Connell (COG) bye
GU14 Eva Creane (STJ) dft Siobhan Elms (TLU); Lauren Flanagan (COG) dft Andrea Carley (STJ); Emma Sweeney (STJ) dft Lucia Merrigan (COG); Cora Doyle (STJ) dft Aishling Hennessy (BAM)
GU15 Final qualifiers; Tara Doyle (STM) v Holly Hynes (STY)
GU16 Final qualifiers; Roisin Walsh (STM) v Sarah O’Connor (STY)
Leinster GAA Handball Convention
Leinster GAA Handball delegates gathered at the Maldron Hotel, Wexford on Sunday last for provincial Convention which turned out to be a lively event with plenty of discussion on several of the topics of the day. Wexford were represented by County Chairman, Tom Rossiter, Secretary, Tony Breen and Treasurer, Virginia Hanrahan while Joe Shaughnessy was on hand to represent the county GAA Board. Ricky Barron, Barntown was returned unopposed as Chairman of Leinster Juvenile Committee.
The principal Leinster Council officers elected were; Chairman, Seamus Reade, Kilkenny, Vice Chairman, Liam Mahon, Kilkenny, Administrator, Pat Ryan, Kildare, Treasurer, Joe Masterson, Offaly, Coaching, Richard Willoughby, Wicklow, PRO, Patsy Dowling, Laois and 1-Wall, Billy Love, Kilkenny.
Off court there was a terrific win for Wexford in the Convention Cup as Peter Hughes, Ballyhogue and Daniel Kavanagh, St. Josephs beat both Kilkenny, Kildare and Dublin to take the award. The win was marred by an unfortunate injury suffered by 15 year old Daniel which necessitated him giving a walkover later that day in the county under 16 singles championship.
Wexford Gardaí Win All Ireland Garda Championships
Several Wexford gardaí were to the fore at the Annual Garda All-Ireland 40×20 Championships hosted by St. Coman’s Handball Club, Roscommon on Wednesday last. The event attracted serving and retired Gardaí and Garda Reserve from across Ireland and was attended by Assistant Commissioner Fintan Fanning and Superintendent Tom O’Connor amongst others. Three grades, junior singles, senior singles and senior doubles were promoted and Wexford gardaí were prominent in all three. This year’s competition was the most competitive tournament that Garda Handball has witnessed in years with several games having to be decided in tie break situations before the finalists could be determined for each of the categories.
The top senior singles grade proved to be a resounding success for Bob Byrne, Bridgetown Handball Club as the Waterford based player came through a big filed to defeat the hot favourite Paddy Donovan, Laois in the final. It was second successive win in this grade for the talented Byrne who is also representing Wexford in the Leinster Over 35 championship.
Michéal O’Neill, Templeudigan Handball Club and based in Newbridge, teamed up with David Hannon, Colloney to win the senior doubles title, thus making it a rarely accomplished double for the one county. In the final they defeated Mark Maher, Ballyhogue and Campbell Brennan, Ballaghaderren. Other Wexford gardaí who took part included Padhraic Roberts and Niall Maher, both of Kilmyshall Handball Club.
