Munster colleges championships down for decision
ANOTHER busy week beckons in the Handball courts in 60x30 code the last provincial action of 2015 will be in Boys Colleges Munster championship which are down for decision on Saturday at Clonmel and St Augustine’s, Dungarvan, with an 11.30am start at both venues.
Cork players involved are Anthony O’Connell, Davis College, in Junior Singles, while in Junior Doubles we rely on Patrician Academy pair Stephen O’Rourke and Brooklyn Hickey.
In Intermediate Singles Eoghan Sheehan, Patrician Academy, carry Cork hopes, while in Intermediate Doubles David Walsh/Conor Walsh, Patrician Academy, will be hoping for a strong showing.
In Senior Singles Gearoid O’Connell, Davis College, will be our standard bearer.
We have a strong team but so have most of the other Munster counties nothing is going to be easily won. We wish them all the best in their quest to win provincial colleges titles and progress to the All-Ireland series.
County 40x20 adult championship will be up and running next week, the schedule of games involved is being compiled at the time of writing. Date and time of games in the different grades will be in the hands of club secretaries by Thursday or Friday, it is going to be a busy period with a large programme of games to be played.
At Juvenile level the county singles league in each age group from 12 to 17 is also nearing completion, four players from each age group will form the extended Cork panel from which singles and doubles will be chosen to represent Cork in 2016 40x20 juvenile championship. The four players in each age group will have a member of County Juvenile Coaching committee in charge, This coaching committee is headed up by Tony Healy they will put all players on the Cork juvenile panel through a series of coaching sessions in preparation for their Munster championship campaign.
This Saturday Conna host a Blitz for U8s/U9s commencing at 11am open to all players in the county. Munster Cumann Na mBunscoil Inter-county team competitions are scheduled for weekend November 28/29 venue to be decided. There are two separate competitions both team of eight players.
In preparation for that the County Juvenile committee held trials in Ballydesmond last Sunday to finalise both Cork panels. They have organised a coaching/training sessions for both teams in Liscarroll this Saturday, 6 to 8pm.
The Belfast Golden Gloves Ranked Tournament was played last weekend at Belfast venues, Charlie Shanks, Armagh, won Men’s Open, while Aisling Reilly, Antrim won Ladies Open. There was also success for Cork players in Boys 17 & Under Mallow player Tadgh O’Neill was the winner with David Walsh, Mallow filling the runner up spot. Also in Boys 15 & Under Conor Walsh, Mallow, reached a semi-final losing to Laois Padraig Delaney.
Boherbue following their 60x30 Munster Junior B Inter club success, were involved in the All-Ireland series last Saturday at Tipperary venue Lahorna. They faced Connacht champions Loughrea in a semi-final which they won easily on a score of 84 aces to 36. That win set up a final meeting with Kildare club Ballymore Eustace, which the Kildare side won on a score of 65 aces to 37. The Boherbue team on duty was Danny Lenihan, Shane Flynn, Daniel Moynihan, Enda Ahern and Kieran O’Connor.
At a recent County Handball Board meeting Mallow Credit Union sponsored Juvenile County Finals were fixed for Mallow on the weekend of Saturday, January 23/ Sunday, January 24, which will involve some busy times for clubs as they prepare for and compete in the different age groups leading up to the Finals weekend.