Casey and O’Keeffe retain title
BALLYDESMOND pair Catriona Casey and Aishling O’Keeffe continued their dominance of 60x30 All-Ireland Ladies Doubles Championship retaining the title at the expense of Limerick pair Martina McMahon and Katie McCarthy with a very impressive display at Croke Park Handball Centre on Saturday last.
In the first game of the final the Limerick ladies put in a good performance and fought hard all the way, but both Casey and O’Keeffe were really on their game taking every chance that came their way. They won that first game 21-12. Having the boost of that first game under their belt, they really shone in the second. Limerick tried in the early stages to stay with them but the Cork pair now smelt victory they took complete control to build up a healthy lead eventually winning the second 21-4 to retain the title. They have dominated this championship in recent years and have put a lot of work into achieving the success they have enjoyed in Senior Doubles.
Both Mens Senior Doubles semi-finals were also in Croke Park on Saturday last with Dublin pair Eoin Kennedy/Carl Browne winning their semi-final ito set up a final meeting with Meath pair Tom Sheridan/Brian Carroll at Croke Park Handball Centre on Saturday week.
Back to next weekend 60x30 All Ireland Juvenile semi-finals are down for decision on Sunday at Kilkenny venues Kilfane and Talbots Inch. The Compunet IT Solutions sponsored Cork players will contest four semi-finals, two in Girls and two in Boys. Girls semi-finals will be decided at Kilfane with a 10.30 start. In Girls U-16 Singles Aoife Hurley,Conna will play Dearbhail O’Keeffe, Kilkenny, while in Girls U-17 Singles Anna Dunne, Kilworth, will play Kilkenny’s Sorcha Delaney.
At Talbots Inch, the Boys semi-finals will be decided also with a 10.30 start. The programme starts with the meeting of Mallow pair Conor Walsh and Cian O’Driscoll against Kilkenny’s Ciaran Cooney and Billy O’Neill in Boys U-16 Doubles. The second game on the programme will be Boys U-14 Singles with Boherbue player Darragh Ducey facing Wexford’s John Kavanagh. The Cork players involved face stiff opposition in all four semi-finals hoping all four semi-finalists can perform well and hopefully advance to finals.
Last Sunday at Broadford venue Mallow Credit Union sponsored Cork U-12/13 team took on Tipperary in Munster Inter County team Championship final in proved to be a lively contest despite a good performance from all Cork players on the team Tipperary proved that bit stronger picking up vital aces in the different games to run out winners on a score of 78 aces to 55. The Cork team on duty was four Fermoy players Ben Sullivan, Cian Cronin O’Neill, Owen Hegarty, Hayden Supple, two Ballydesmond players Kealin Murphy, Eoin Daly and Liscarroll’s Gearoid Healy. While not successful the Cork the Cork players and management will be happy with the overall performance a lot of work went into the preparation of 60x30 juveniles this year.