GAA Handball All Ireland Open Doubles
In the preliminary round of the GAA Handball open doubles Wexford’s Gavin Buggy and Paul Lambert produced the goods to secure a place in the last sixteen draw with a hard fought win over Mayo duo Campbell Brennan and Ian McLoughlin. The purple and gold duo lost the opening set 21-20 but recovered well to push home 21-12 and 21-5 in the remaining two games and if they can get another win under their belts in the next round the boys have the potential to be real dark horses in this competition.
GAA Handball Leinster finals
It was an amazing week on the 40 x 20 court for Wexford handballer’s in Leinster finals with a perfect three wins from three on the board at the end of the week.
To get the ball rolling it was the minor doubles triumph for Galeon Riordan and Padraig Foley who had a ding dong battle with Daniel O’Leary and Martin Mullins from Carlow. The men from the barrow side county took the opening set 21-11, but the water began to flow in the way of the Slaney as Riordan and Foley forced the pace and hit the winning shots to take the remaining two sets 21-12, 21-9.
Mikie Berry and Miley Cash came from nowhere, in fact one could say from the handball wilderness to win the intermediate doubles against hotly fancied Nicky Anthony and Brian Minogue from Kilkenny. The model county duo produced a huge effort to see off the challenge of the noresiders on a 21-20, 21-11 score line.
The junior B doubles final saw a near flawless performance from Darren O’Toole and Malachy Whelan, as they cast aside the challenge of Kilkenny brother Brendan and Diarmuid Burke on a 21-5, 21-9 score line and they will take some serious stopping in the All Ireland series from here on.
GAA Handball Juvenile Championships
Four wins from four was the result from the opening weekend of the Leinster Juvenile handball championships as Wexford had a great return over the Garden County Wicklow.
In under 12 singles James Creane beat Ross Patterson on a 15-6, 15-8 score line, Alan Browne and Daniel Kavanagh were very impressive in their 15-2, 15-1 win over Kirk Quaile and Sean Mulhall from Wicklow.
Oisin Foley took example from his brother Padraig’s fine win in minor doubles to be ruthless in his own right as he defeated Conor Hill Doyle on a 15-1, 15-2 score line in the under 15 singles, meanwhile the under 15 doubles pairing of Stevie Lawlor and Rowan White were impressive 15-11, 15-7 winners over Aaron Patterson and Aaron Kinsella.
Wexford Farmers Co-op 40 x 20 handball championship semi finals.
David Redmond and Noel Holohan from Templeudigan secured a spot in the final of the intermediate doubles as they beat Jim Bergin and Frank Maddock from St Martin’s. The game began in Bree but as the floor became slippy and dangerous the game was switched to Piercestown for completion but the Templeudigan pair held their nerve to win 21-15, 21-11.
Amanda Kelly secured a spot in the final of the Ladies senior singles as she beat her Templeudigan club mate Michelle Boland in last week’s semi final on a 21-7, 21-8 score line.
Damien Kelly and Ned Connors were the first pair into the final of the Junior doubles as the Coolgraney men were too good for Templeudigan pair Kevin Cowman and Brendan Redmond with the Gorey district men winning 21-17, 21-13. They will face Oulart duo Justin Heffernan and Dinny Lyndon in the final as the men in red and black just about had enough in the tank to see off John Roche and Brian Kehoe from Castlebridge on a 21-17, 21-15 score line.
The two semi finals of the Junior B singles were played during the past week and it will be a local derby of sorts as Michael Busher from Bridgetown will play Shane Rossiter from Ballymitty .Michael Busher was given a stern test by Fergal McWilliams from Horeswood before winning 21-13, 21-19 while Shane Rossiter was pushed even harder in his semi final win over Sean Stanners from St Martin’s with a final score line of 17-21, 21-14, 21-15.
Phil Coleman and Alan O’Neill wrapped up a final berth for the Junior C doubles as they eventually over came the tough test set out by Tom O’Shea and Paul Doyle on a 21-14, 16-21, 21-12 score.
Dermot Flynn set up an all Templeudigan final in the Junior D doubles as he disposed of Andrew Corish from Horeswood in the semi final on a 21-18, 21-4 score, and will now meet Sean O’Neill in the final.
Flynn and O’Neill are also in the final of the Junior D doubles as they had an impressive 21-11, 21-6 win over John Whelan and Tom Sinnott from Oulart. In the final the Templeudigan men will meet Richard Ryan and Tom Cummins from Horeswood who were 21-5, 21-8 winners over Eammon Bowe and James Creane Jnr from Davidstown.
Tony Breen rediscovered the winning touch on the local scene as he powered his way past Declan Harte from Horeswood on a 21-7, 21-8 score line. Richie Culleton (ST Joseph’s played really well in his 21-1, 21-4 demolition of Miley Byrne in the Golden Masters B singles semi final.
Billy Rossiter and Sonny Sheils from Ballyhogue earned a tough win over Fintan and Jim Doyle from Barntown in the semi final of the Golden masters Double on a 21-14, 21-17 mark. In the final they will meet Davidstown duo Pechelli English and Eammon Bowe who beat Nicky Curran and John Bail from St Martin’s on a 21-12, 17-21, 21-10 score.
Harry Leacy was the winner in the semi final of the Diamond Master Singles semi final as he had too much firepower for Tom Rossiter Castlebridge as he won 21-12, 21-10.
Fixtures for the coming weekend
This weekend sees the beginning of the All Ireland semi finals and there is plenty of action locally and involving local players.
On Saturday afternoon there is treble header of games in St Joseph’s with the action getting underway as 3pm
3pm
Over 35 singles semi final
Gavin Buggy Wexford v Dominic Lynch Kerry
Silver Masters B singles
Mick Armstrong v Jim O’Brien Tipperary
Junior Singles
Pat O’Donnell (Wicklow) v Cathal Hannon (Clare)
Mallow 1pm
Minor Singles
Galeon Riordan (Wexford ) v Pat Herlihy (Cork)
