M.Donnelly GAA Handball All Ireland Open Singles

Barry Goff got off to the best possible start in this year’s M.Donnelly GAA Handball All Ireland Open Singles with an impressive first round victory over Ollie Conway from Galway. Barry is one of the players to watch in this year’s championships as many players try to claim the title away from dominant Eoin Kennedy from Dublin and indeed the Castlebridge clubman gave an early indication of his intent in this 21-11, 21-14 victory over the Galway man.
Brian Carroll from Meath will be another of the chasing pack of quality players and he put paid to the chances of Colin Keeling last week by defeating the St Mary’s club man 21-6, 21-5.
The fixtures for the next round of the championships see Barry Goff in a very interesting battle with Michael Finnegan from Cavan while Gavin Buggy will also enter this round with a date and match against Vinnie Moran from Mayo.
GAA Handball Leinster championships
Gavin Buggy retained his Leinster over 35 singles title with a flawless display in beating Eddie Burke from Kilkenny in the final on a 21-3, 21-5 score line. It was the first part of a fine double for the St Mary’s club man as he was joined in the doubles final by Paul Carthy for more success as they overcame a strong Wicklow challenge in defeating Pat Quaile and Pat O’Donnell 21-16, 21-11 to take the title.
A third over 35 title was picked up by the model county last week as Eugene Kelly from Castlebridge claimed the honours in defeating Seán Quigley from Kilkenny 21-3, 21-7. Kelly was a member of the victorious Castlebridge team of 4 that won the All Ireland Junior title and is also in the Junior Doubles final in the coming week with Jason Murphy as they try to win back to back titles against Michael O’Brien and David Hope from Offaly.
Shane Rossiter from Ballymitty celebrated a fourth Leinster title of the week for Wexford as he took the top prize in the Masters B singles by beating David Clifford from Kilkenny in the final on a 21-14, 21-19 score line.
Brendan Murphy picked up title number five for the model county and his first ever Leinster singles title when he won the Emerald Masters B singles title by defeating Gerry Murphy from Kilkenny on a convincing 21-12, 21-13 score line.
Tony Breen was unable to add to the medal haul for Wexford in the Emerald Masters A singles final as he lost out in the Emerald Masters A singles final as injury eventually forced him to retire from this final. In the opening set John Rossiter from Carlow just piped Breen on a 21-19 score line, however during the early exchanges of the second set Breen was forced to retire injured.
Dean Corrigan also lost out in the Minor singles final after a fantastic semi final win over Keith Kavanagh from Wicklow.  Corrigan knew he was right in the frame for the Leinster title, however on the night of the final he found Niall O’Connor from Kildare too hot to handle and the lilywhite man won through 21-9, 21-12.
There was two remaining semi finals played out during the past week that involved Wexford pairings. Paul Lambert and Peter Hughes had an eventful week in the junior doubles as their semi final with David Hope and Michael O’Brien from Offaly was forced to be abandoned at 7-2 on Tuesday night due to a wet court. On the resumption on Wednesday night in Clogh county Kilkenny it was the Offaly men who took control beating the Wexford men to a pulp on a 21-12, 21-1 score line.

Frank Maddock was left to think what might have been in the semi final of the Silver Masters B singles as he lost out in a fantastic semi final game against Tom Dooley from Kilkenny as the noresider won the night on a 21-18, 16-21, 21-16 score line.
County Juvenile Doubles Roll Of Honour
Boys Under 11 doubles champions
James Creane/Lucas Zilinois St Joseph’s
Boys Under 12 doubles champions
Patrick Boland/Jason O’Neill Templeudigan
Boys Under 13 doubles champions

Daniel Kavanagh /Alan Browne St Joseph’s
Boys Under 15 doubles champions
Liam Shannon/Aaron Wright Power Bridgetown
Boys Under 17 singles champion
Richard Martin Bridgetown

Boys Under 17 Doubles champions
Richard Martin/Brian Busher Bridgetown
Girls Under 11 Doubles champions
Eva Creane/Emer Phelan St Joseph’s
Girls Under 12 doubles champions
Róisín Cooney/Jessie Morrissey St Joseph’s
Girls Under 13 doubles champions
Róisín Walsh/Aoife O’Neill St Joseph’s
Girls Under 14 doubles champions
Chloe Walsh/Carley Walsh St Joseph’s

Wexford Farmers Co-op Ladies Open singles
The semi finals of the Wexford Farmers Co-op 60x 30 Ladies open singles took place during the past week and produced two very good close semi finals. Marguerite Gore from St Mary’s in Wexford town was nearly sent packing as the champion really had to work hard to eventually over come Amanda Kelly from Templeudigan who is making a welcome return to the handball courts after a break. Gore was to be the stronger in the third game and won the contest 21-7, 16-21, and 21-18.

In the final Michelle Boland will provide the opposition as the Templeudigan girl also returned to handball action this season and produced a very fine performance to see off the challenge of Laura Ann Furlong from Bridgetown. Boland, a former Féile Na nGael player with her club, won an exciting final on a 21-19, 21-15 score line and can now look forward to her first ever senior final against Marguerite Gore

Wexford Farmers Co-op 60 x 30 handball semi finals
The remaining semi finals of the 60 x 30 handball season took place during the past week and some very exciting finals are now in prospect.
Gavin Buggy secured a spot in the final of the senior singles as he overcame a monster challenge from Eugene Kelly from Castlebridge. After losing the opening game 21-14, Buggy was on the verge of elimination but somehow survived 21-20 in the second set.

Gavin Buggy joined forces with Paul Carthy to secure a final spot in the senior doubles final but once again it was a lot closer than expected for the St Mary’s men who somehow came through 21-9, 17-21, 21-18 against Jason Murphy and David Kenny from Castlebridge.
Paul Lambert will meet Malachy Whelan in the intermediate singles final after both players won their respective semi finals during the week. Paul Lambert (St Joseph’s) beat his county doubles partner Peter Hughes Ballyhogue 21-20,21-14 while Malachy Whelan was the winner when he beat Darren O’Toole from Coolgreaney, the Castlebridge man won 21-13, 21-9.
Jason Murphy and Cory Murphy from Castlebridge beat Phil Coleman and JR Finn in a very exciting Intermediate doubles semi final on a 21-10,21-8 score line and they have been joined in the final by Pechelli English and Mick Armstrong who beat Jimmy Moran and Shane Rossiter handily enough on a 21-10, 21-14 score.
Tom Connors won an all Barntown semi final in the Masters B singles by defeating Ricky Barron on a 15-21, 21-8, 21-12 score line while Ricky Barron did secure a final berth as he joined forces with Mick Donovan to defeat Frank Maddock and Nicky Curran from St Martin’s on a 13-21, 21-13, 21-11 score line.

Last weekend the Juvenile handball players of county Wexford provided a feast of big alley handball as the county juvenile handball finals took place in many venues over the county in fantastic high spirits with some fantastic performances on the court from many plays.
The 60 x 30 juvenile championships’ saw a total of 11 clubs and 107 player taking part and last weekend saw months of hard work by players and coaches turn into a show piece of the beautiful game.
Richard Lawlor from St Joseph’s club in Wexford town met his club colleague Richard Browne in the under 10 final and it was a repeat of the final from the small alley court earlier in the season. Richard Lawlor delivered the double of honours by winning this game, however, he was once again pushed all the way by his club mate and this tough competition that they provide each other should see them become very good players.
James Creane took the honours in a very close under 11 final as he got the better of Todd Hynes from St Mary’s.  James Creane from St Joseph’s was beaten by the same opponent in the 40 x 20 singles final so he gained some revenge in this great game between the two clubs of Wexford town.
Patrick Boland completed a perfect season in the under 12 grade by capturing the title against Anthony Butler from Ballyhogue. Both of these two fantastic talents are awaiting Leinster finals in the coming weeks as Butler goes in search of the under 12 singles title. Meanwhile, Patrick Boland (Templeudigan) and Adam Walsh will compete for the major honours in the under 12 Leinster final shortly.
Thomas Hall from Castlebridge sits at the top of the tree in under 13 singles after winning a gripping final against Daniel Kavanagh from St Joseph’s.  Kavanagh was the under 13 40 x 30 singles champion earlier in the year but Hall who missed the small alley season made sure to claim the honours in his favoured court by winning a very exciting game.
Féile na nGael skills winner only a few weeks ago, Oisín Foley from Castlebridge, took the under 14 singles title as he was made to produce his top game in a close final against Seamus Sinnott from St Martin’s.
The under 15 singles decider was a dual between two club mates from Bridgetown. Aaron Wright Power and Liam Shannon faced off in what promised to be a very exciting clash . On this occasion it was Aaron Wright Power who delivered the title to the club. However, one feels that training next week between these two impressive players could see a different result with the inter club rivalry a joy to watch last weekend.
The under 16 finals was one of the most anticipated mouth watering finals of the weekend and the final did not deliver as Gaelon Riordan from Ballyhogue was crowned champion against his old rival Oisín Foley from Ballyhogue,one thing is for sure these two names will be soon breaking into the adult ranks of Wexford handball and should be potential champions in the future through a wide variety of grades.
There was some very exciting finals played out in the B singles finals also over the weekend and Lukas Zilonis win in the under 11 B singles final added an international element to the results and his win was one of only a few fantastic B finals.
Under 10 B singles final
Cian Browne (Coolgreaney) beat Cian Kehoe (St Joseph’s)
Under 11 B singles final
Lukas Zilinois (St Joseph’s) beat Jake Clancy (St Joseph’s)
Under 12 B singles final
Enda Minogue (Ballyhogue) beat Luaras Zilinois (St Joseph’s)
Under 13 B singles final
Gavin Connolly (Templeudigan) beat Zigymantas Sniezka (St Joseph’s)
Under 10 C singles final
Cathal Connolly (Templeudigan) beat Gavin Murphy (St Joseph’s)
Girl’s Juvenile 60 x 30 finals
The young lady handballer’s of county Wexford are driving a new force of female handball that is sweeping county Wexford .Last weekend saw the talented girls of county Wexford take to the courts for the finals of the 60 x 30 season.

 
Cliodhna O’Connell from Coolgreaney collected the first title on offer last weekend with a very good win over Niamh Miller from Ballymitty in what an exciting opening to the girl’s finals.
Emer Phelan and Eva Creane from St Joseph’s were sent to dual it out on the big alley court and ended up meeting each other in the final of the under 11 singles. It was a very close and tremendous game of handball with Emer Phelan coming out on top on this occasion to collect the gold medal.
Róisín Walsh made it a second title for the St Joseph’s club when she also won an all St Joseph’s club final by beating her friend and club mate Aoife O’Neill in a gripping decider that had the supporters from all clubs very happy looking at the displays of handball by both players.
Chloe Cash (St Joseph’s) and Courtney Browne from Coolgreaney clashed in the final of the under 14 singles and it was Chloe Cash who completed a hat trick of success for the Wexford town club by defeating a gallant opponent Browne who will see her day come in the near future as both players possess the talent to become national heroes on the handball scene in the future.
 Leinster 60 x 30 semi finals
Wexford secured five more final berths in this year’s 60 x 30 Leinster handball season with some great wins over the past week across the province.
David Kenny from Castlebridge, who is already in the junior B singles decider, secured a spot in the final of the Junior B doubles as he was joined by his Castlebridge club mate Diarmuid Smyth to beat Kilkenny brothers Brendan and Diarmuid Burke in ruthless fashion last week.
The purple and gold outfit won this south east derby on a 21-15, 21-5 score line.

Ballymitty duo Shane Rossiter and Jimmy Moran won an all Wexford Masters B doubles semi final as they got the better of John Roche and Malachy Whelan in a gripping final ,with the finals score line of 21-6, 11-21, 21-7 showing how good a game of handball this was.
Eugene Kelly was a very easy winner in the Over 35 B singles as he cut down Woods, Kevin Woods on a 21-0, 21-5 score line.
Pechelli English was unable to make it a clean sweep for Wexford players last week as he lost out to Billy Bourke from Kilkenny in the semi final of the Silver Masters A singles ith the Noresider producing the good on a 21-4, 21-11 score line.
60 x 30 Juvenile Leinster Semi Finals Results
Under 12 singles
Anthony Butler Wexford beat Carl Cribben Kildare
Under 13 doubles
Daniel Kavanagh /Alan Browne Wexford defeated Jack Tobin /Kevin Diggins Kildare
Under 13 singles
John Murphy Kildare beat Liam Shannon Wexford.