Quadruple of success at Leinster level for Handballers
It was another hugely successful week for the handballers of county Wexford as four Leinster titles were picked up over the past seven days.
Paul Lambert put in a blemish free performance in the Junior singles final in the 60 x 30 court as he was far too good for Conor O’Brien from Offaly winning on a 21-13, 21-7 score line. Paul is still standing in the Leinster 60 x 30 Junior doubles also as he and partner Peter Hughes advanced to the final beating fellow Wexford pair Paddy Haughton and Michael Busher on 21-15, 21-5 score line. This semi final win sets up an all Wexford Leinster final this Wednesday night in Ballymitty at 7.30 against Peter McGrath and David Kenny in what promises to be a fantastic final.
Galeon Riordan from Ballyhogue was at his brilliant best in the Minor 60x 30 singles final at provincial level as he beat Evan Sheridan from Meath on a 21-8, 21-1 score line, while Gavin Buggy also produced some top class handball en route to a 21-6, 21-8 win over Colm Love from Kilkenny in the over 35 singles final.
Tommy Hynes and Michael Duxie Walsh Kilkenny produced one of the most memorable ever games of handball in this county last week in the Masters A singles final in St Mary’s handball club in Wexford town. Although this county is awash with top class handballers in the big court this game had everything from kills to passing shots and some of the retrieving was impossible at best. It was to be the right result for the Kilkenny man however on the night as Duxie had just enough in the tank to beat Hynes 21-6, 20-21, 21-18. However Hynes did not have to wait long for his revenge as the past weekend he and Paul Carthy retained their Masters A doubles Leinster title as they beat Michael Duxie Walsh and Eddie Burke in another epic final, this time the Wexford men won 9-21, 21-11, 21-18.
John Roche lost out in the final of the Masters B singles as he was unable to better William Holden from Kilkenny on the night losing out 21-12, 21-12, and there was another Holden success at Wexford expense in the Silver Masters B singles as Noel Holden beat Ricky Barron from Barntown 21-1, 21-7 in that final.
Frank Maddock and Donal Doyle went down in the final of the Silver Masters B doubles, losing out 21-6, 21-4 to Tom O’Keefe and Tom Dowling from Kilkenny, while it was also defeat for Stephen Murphy in the final of the Golden Masters B singles as he lost out 21-12, 21-10 to Padraig McGuire from Kildare.
Gore and Hynes doubles up for Ladies success.
Marguerite Gore and Holly Hynes from St Mary’s doubled up in superb fashion in a very good Wexford Farmers Co-op Women’s 60 x 30 Doubles final last week as they eventually saw off the gallant challenge of Tanya O’Toole and Una Byrne from Coolgraney, with the Wexford town duo winning through 21-9, 19-21, 21-14.
Olivia Sweeny was the winner in the final of the Women’s B doubles as she came through in a three set clash 21-13, 2-21, 21-7 over her St Joseph’s club mate Roisin Walsh.
Damien Kelly from Coolgraney had a very good week on the 60 x 30 scene as he collected two county titles over a seven day period. In the Junior singles the Coolgraney man beat JR Finn from Ballymitty 9-21, 21-18, 21-16 in a brilliant final, while in the Masters B singles final Kelly celebrated his second success by taking care of business against John Roche from Castlebridge on a 6-21, 21-16, 21-20 score line.
The masters A doubles final was won by Ballymitty duo Shane Rossiter and Phil Coleman as they beat Pechelli English and Mick Armstrong from Davidstown on a 21-15, 21-10 score line.
The golden masters B doubles was won by Castlebridge brothers Brendan and Stephen Murphy as they got the better of Donal Doyle and John Bail from St martin’s on a 20-21, 21-13, 21-14 score, while the Junior C doubles final of 2013 brought the curtain down on a wonderful 60 x 30 Wexford Farmers Co-op county championships as Seamie O’Neill and Paul Cleary from Ballymitty beat John Murphy and James Nolan from Kilmyshall 21-19, 21-3.
