Wexford farmers CO-OP county 40 X 20 semi-finals and final

The scene is set for next Wednesday night in St Joseph’s handball club in Wexford town as Gavin Buggy (St Mary’s) and Barry Goff (Castlebridge) lock horns in the Wexford farmers Co-op senior singles final at 8pm.In last week’s semi finals Gavin Buggy got the better of his club mate Colin Keeling in comfortable fashion on a 21-16, 21-6 score line to advance to the showdown with Goff. However, Goff was given a lot to think about in the second semi-final as Paul Lambert looked to continue his rise to handball fame and secure a county final spot. It was a very tough game with long rallies and both players showed some amazing endurance in long rallies. However, years of experience and the killer instinct sent Goff to the final as the Castlebridge man progressed on a 21-16, 21-15.
The final is sure to be a close battle and with Gavin Buggy the man of the last few years. One feels that Barry Goff is very keen to take over the number one spot he held in the past.
The men’s senior singles final will have a magnificent final to follow as the Ladies Senior singles final serves off at 7.30 pm as Martina Walshe (Coolgreaney) and Marguerite Gore (St Mary’s) contest what will be a very close final between the players who lost out while playing together last week in the Leinster Junior doubles final. They will have to leave their partnership aside for Wednesday night and let their handball do the talking to see who will be the number one ladies handball player in the county.
Mikie Berry qualified for the Intermediate singles final last week after he won his semi final clash with Benny Doyle from Horeswood. A great game was decided and it was the Barntown man who delivered the winning result on a 21-14, 11-21, 21-13 score line to set up a final showdown with Darren O’Toole from Coolgreaney.
Justin Heffernan and Dinny Lyndon from Oulart secured a spot in the intermediate doubles final as they overcame the St Martin’s challenge of Seán Stanners and Nicky Curran in a very close semi final last week as the Oulart men won the day on a 21-19,21-20 score.
Paddy Haughton (St Mary’s) was a prolific juvenile handballer during the mid 1990’s and was a big loss to the game for many years in the county. However, the St Mary’s man has caught the handball bug again and is in the final of the Junior B singles after he overcame Shane Rossiter from Ballymitty in a close semi final last week which went the way of the Wexford town man on a 21-16, 21-19 score line.
The two semi finals of the Junior C doubles produced fantastic matches as JR Finn and Alan O’Neill (Ballymitty) won the opening semi final beating James Murray and Tommy Hardy from St Mary’s on a 21-16, 21-11 scoreline, while in the second semi final Bridgetown was the winning club as Michael Busher and Eammon Codd were the best players when they defeated Edward O’Byrne and John Mernagh from Oulart on an 11-2 score line as Mernagh was forced to retire injured.
The two names for the Junior D singles final are now known as Paddy Curran (St Mary’s) and Tom O’Shea (Davidstown) won the semi finals played last week, with Curran triumphing over Eammon Bowe from Davidstown 21-15, 15-21, 21-13, while O’Shea was a 21-14, 21-18 winner over Ronan Greene from Barntown. There was one semi final of the Junior D doubles played out last week and it was victory for Ballymitty when Alan Diskin and Miley Byrne joined forces to beat Alan Reid and PJ Martin from Bridgetown on a 21-16, 21-4 score.
Frank Maddock celebrated by securing a place in the Master singles final as he was a comfortable 21-4, 21-17 winner over John Roche from Castlebridge. Maddock from St. Martin’s joined forces with Donal Doyle to grab a final spot in the Masters Doubles also as the maroon and white clad duo defeated Eugene English and Tom Dempsey from Ballyhogue on a 21-13, 21-17 score line.
The Golden Masters Doubles semi final of the week was won by Horeswood as Gareth Somers and Benny Doyle from Horeswood won an epic encounter against Richie Culleton and Harry Leacy from St Joseph’s on a 21-3, 18-21, 21-15 score line. Somers was involved again in the semi final of the Diamond Masters doubles and he had Harry Leacy as one of his victims. Billy Molloy partnered Somers on this occasion and they defeated Harry and Pat Leacy from St Joseph’s on a 15-21,21-17,21-20 score line ,after two mammoth game like that in a week both Somers and Leacy could be forgiven for seeking a few days rest .