Wexford handball supporters were treated to an all Wexford quarter final last Friday night in St Mary’s handball club in Wexford town and it was Barry Goff who delivered on the night defeating his friend and rival Gavin Buggy with an awesome attacking display of handball.
Barry Goff went into the clash as the favourite in a game expected to be very tough and close. Barry Goff in his second season back in handball action is fitter and sharper than twelve months ago and he began in dominant fashion forging an early 6-0 lead in the first set before Gavin Buggy responded well to tie up the game at 6-6, once again Goff upped the tempo and pushed clear .However Buggy was also in fine form and battled again to close on Goff. But it was to be the Castlebridge man who forced the finish of the opening set with some great shots and won the opening set 21-11.
The second set is normally where Gavin Buggy really come to his fore and he did try really hard to up the tempo and put Goff under more pressure. However, Barry Goff gave a performance right from the top drawer, striking the ball with precision and his crisp shots floored Buggy on several occasions, who to be fair never gave up, but ultimately lost out 21-2 in the second set.
After the game both players paid high praise for each other and Gavin Buggy gave high praise to Barry Goff’s fitness and power play on the night and claimed he would be a strong contender now.
Next up for Barry Goff is an All Ireland semi final next weekend in Abbeylara county Longford against the powerful Robbie McCarthy from Westmeath. McCarthy was beaten in the last two All Ireland finals by Eoin Kennedy from Dublin, but his All Ireland quarter final demolition job on Tom Sheridan from Meath last weekend shows the height of the challenge facing Barry Goff next weekend. However, with a big Purple and gold crowd expected to travel to Longford next weekend to support Gof , another near faultless display against the Westmeath prodigy should see Barry Goff give a good account and he certainly has a chance to make it to this year M.Donnelly GAA Handball All Ireland Senior Singles final .
Wexford Farmers Co-op 60 x 30 GAA Handball finals
Paul Lambert warmed up for his All Ireland junior singles semi final next weekend by capturing the intermediate singles title in the Wexford Farmers Co-op county championships as the St Joseph’s club man beat a strong challenge from Malachy Whelan to take the title on a 21-16, 21-10 score line.
Ballymitty took the Junior doubles title as Aiden Sinnott and Alan O’Neill took the honours in a very dominant display against St Joseph’s duo Eoin and PJ Leacy ,as the Ballymitty pair powered to a 21-7, 21-5 victory.
Paddy Haughton from Wexford town picked up two county titles during the past week firstly he won the Junior B singles title by defeating Michael Busher from Bridgetown in a very exciting final the swung one way and then the next. Busher took the opening set 21-11 but the tide began to turn in the second set as Haughton won 21-18 and with the momentum in his sails Haughton pushed for home to win the third set 21-4.
Paddy Haughton was joined to win the Junior B doubles title by his St Mary’s club mate James Murray to win against Michael Busher and Eammon Codd from Bridgetown on a 21-14, 21-14 score line.
Ronan Greene took little time in settling in the junior C singles final against Walter Lawlor from Castlebridge with the Barntown club player winning through on a 21-0 score line in the opener, however Lawlor did improve in the second set but he was unable to stop the dominant Greene winning the second set on a 21-11 score line.
Paul Reddy collected a second title of the week for Ballymitty by winning a very good junior D singles final against PJ Martin from Bridgetown on a 21-14, 21-20 score line.
Marguerite Gore continued to dominate the local ladies handball scene as she beat first time finalist Michelle Boland from Templeudigan on a 21-11, 21-3 score line as the St Mary’s star celebrated back to back titles for St Mary’s.
Eugene Kelly was the master of the over 35 master’s singles final. In an all Castlebridge final Kelly dominated from start to finish in a 21-6, 21-4 victory over his club mate John Murphy.
Davidstown celebrated the honours in the Masters A doubles final as Pechelli English and Mick Armstrong had to pull out all the shots in a classic final with Phil Coleman and Jimmy Moran from Ballymitty as the Davidstown men had just about enough to win on a 21-16, 14-21, 21-18 score line.
Tom Connors from Barntown was the winner in the Masters B singles with a strong opening set 21-3 win, he won a tough second game before winning the game and title 21-18 against Frank Maddock from St Martin’s.
Jason Murphy and Corey Murphy secured the final spot in the intermediate doubles on offer last week, as they overcame a tough Davidstown winning partnership of Mick Armstrong and Pechelli English on a 21-20, 21-16 score line.
Juvenile County Finals
Richard Browne and Colm Kiely closed out their 60 x 30 season with style by claiming the Under 10 doubles title for their St Joseph’s club, as they defeated Cathal Connolly and Paudie O’Shea from Templeudigan in a very good final.
Oisin Foley and Ian Whelan collected the final juvenile gold medals of the big alley season by beating Seamus Sinnott and Keith Armstrong from St Martin’s to bring the under 14 doubles title home to Castlebridge to round off a fantastic season of big alley juvenile handball in the Model county.
