All Ireland Hardball Championship
Hardball one of the oldest forms of handball still going has brought two All Irelands to Wexford in the last two weekends with Galeon Riordan (Ballyhogue) winning the minor singles title last weekend, while Jason Murphy from Castlebridge took the Junior All Ireland title today by beating Ciaran Neary from Kilkenny in a very good final on a 21-14, 21-16 score line. Galeon Riordan and Tomas Hall were not so lucky this weekend as they lost out in the minor doubles final.
Galeon Riordan All Ireland Minor Champion (Above) & Jason Murphy All Ireland Junior Champion (below)
Wexford Farmers Co-op 60 x 30 Championships.
The big alley season has been under way for the past three weeks now and there have been plenty of top games in the 60 x 30 court so far this season. Tommy Hynes already has two fine wins under his belt after he beat Miley Connors from Barntown 21-16, 21-10, while the St Mary’s man also had too much in the tank and beat Paul Lambert from St Joseph’s on a 21-11, 21-4 score line. Lambert did grab a win however in his second game as he beat Cory Murphy from Castlebridge on a 21-11, 21-16.
Gavin Buggy now playing with St Joseph’s got his season underway in fine style as he beat Colin Keeling from St Mary’s on a 21-9, 21-8 score line. Mikie Berry (Barntown) won his opening round clash with Peter McGrath from Coolgraney on a tight 21-19, 20-21, 21-19 score line. David Kenny was the winner in an all Castlebridge game as he saw off Jason Murphy 21-12, 21-8. Eugene Kelly another Castlebridge player also grabbed an early win in the championship seeing off Darren O’Toole from Coolgraney on a 17-21, 21-14, 21-8 score.
Tony Breen and Michael O’Neill got off to a fine start in the intermediate doubles beating Bridgetown pairing Michael Busher and Eammon Codd 21-14, 21-2.
In the junior doubles Tommy Armstrong and Padraig Roberts (Kilmyshall) beat Stephen and Brendan Murphy from Castlebridge on a 21-2, 21-14 score line.
Junior C singles championship is also well underway in the past few weeks with Paul Cleary winning a three game first round clash against St Mary’s player Gavin Goggins on a 16-21, 21-5, 21-13. Tommy Hardy from St Mary’s was also a round one winner beating Alan Diskin from Ballymitty on a 21-7, 21-12 score line. Joining him in the next round is Seamie O’Neill from Ballymitty who beat Timmy Farrelll from Kilmyshall on a 21-7, 21-16 score line, Niall Leacy from St Joseph’s also beat a Kilmyshalll opponent as he saw off Tommy Murphy on a 4-21, 21-15, 21-5 score line.
Michael Carthy got the final win in the junior C grade as he was too strong for Paddy Curran winning on a 21-5, 21-9 score line.
Junior D Singles Results
Jason Byrne (Ballymitty) beat James Flood (St Mary’s) 21-14, 21-7
Barry Byrne (Ballymitty) beat Brian Busher (Bridgetown) 21-18, 21-19
Tom Byrne (Kilmyshall) beat Terry Paige (St Mary’s) 21-7, 21-9
PJ Martin (Bridgetown) beat Tommy Murphy (Kilmyshall ) 21-15, 21-17
Masters B Singles
John Roche (Castlebridge) beat Michael Carthy (St Joseph’s) 14-21, 21-12, 21-12
Damien Kelly (Coolgraney) beat Rickie Barron (Barntown) 21-13, 9-21, 21-14
Frank Maddock (Ballymitty) beat Michael Donovan (Barntown) 21-8, 21-1
Leinster Junior Club Team of Four
Coolgraney got off to a winning start in the Leinster Junior Club team of four championships as they beat Kilfane from Kilkenny on a 115-59 score line. The Coolgraney team is made up of Darren O’Toole, Damien Kelly, Ned Connors and Peter McGrath.
