Handballers involved in 40x20 Open All-Ireland Championship

Previewing Munster championship programme for coming week there are a number of important games for Cork players, starting this Thursday evening at Cashel at 8pm in Junior Doubles Mallow pair Ryan Harkin/Ciaran Buckley take on Tipperary pair John Ferncombe/Paraic O Donoghuein what promises to be a closely contested game.

On Friday at Ballymacelligott, Co Kerry at 7.30pm in Junior B Doubles quarter final Boherbue’s Shane Flynn/Jonathon Lucey, who had a good win over Tipperary on Sunday, face Kerry’s Danny Riordan/Cian Counihan.

On Saturday at Broadford 2pm start an important one for Mallow’s Ryan Harkin he plays Kerry’s Jack O’Shea in Junior Singles Final, that Final will be followed by Under-21 Doubles quarter final in which Mallow pair Gearoid O’Connell/Eoghan Sheehan face Limerick Evan Murphy/Shane Murphy.

On Tuesday in Fermoy at 7.30 Colm Jordan, Fermoy, plays John Joe Quirke, Kerry in Over 35 A Singles Final. Also on Tuesday at Cappagh 7.30pm, Liscarroll pair Daniel Relihan/ Michael Hedigan play Clare John Cooney/Conor Cooney in Intermediate Doubles semi-final.

On Wednesday at Conna or Clooney in Junior B Doubles quarter-final Conna pair play the winner of Limerick (in Conna) v Clare (in Clooney). Also on Wednesday at 7.30 in Mallow Ryan Harkin/Ciaran Buckley were successful against Tipperary on Thursday last then they will play Kerry’s Jack O’Shea/ Rory O’Connor.

This Saturday at Kingscourt the All-Ireland Colleges Championship semi-finals and finals at down for decision. In Boys Cork are involved in four grades Patrician Academy Mallow in three and Scoil Mhuire, Kanturk in the fourth, Players and grades involved Junior Doubles: Scoil Mhuire, Kanturk (Gearoid Healy/ Luke Barrett), Intermediate Doubles: Patrician Academy, Mallow (Michael O’Malley/Cian O’Driscoll), Senior Singles: Patrician Academy, Mallow (Tadhg O’Neill), Senior Doubles: Patrician Academy, Mallow (David Walsh/Brooklyn Hickey). In Girls Loretto, Fermoy, are in Senior Doubles with Laura Hayes, Conna, teaming up with Anna Dunne, Kilworth.

On Sunday Cork Juveniles face a busy schedule as Munster Cumann na mBunscoil Boys and Girls are played at Limerick venues Cappagh and Broadford at 10am. Cork team is: Girls U11 Singles: Boherbue NS (Carmel Kelliher), Girls U-11 Doubles: Ballydesmond NS (Norma Kerrisk/Roisin Buckley), Girls U-13 Singles: Convent Primary, Mallow (Sarah Walsh), Girls U-13 Doubles: Ballydesmond (Leah Moynihan/Noreen Doody). Boys U-11 Singles: Bartlemy NS (Cameron O’Sullivan), Boys U-11 Doubles; Boherbue NS (Tomas O’Connor/Sean O’Sheehan), Boys U-13 Singles: St Josephs, Fermoy (Hayden Supple), Boys U-13 Doubles Watergrasshill NS (Cian Cronin O’Neill/Ben Sullivan).

In 40x20 County Championship Senior Singles semi-final will be played this Sunday in Mallow at 7pm with Michael Hedigan, Liscarroll, taking on local clubman Tadgh Carroll.

Last weekend in Munster juvenile championship semi-final meeting with Clare there was mixed fortunes for our Compunet IT Solutions sponsored Girls and Boys Singles and doubles players. The following players reached Munster Finals which are scheduled for Clare venues Tulla and Tuamgraney on Saturday February 18, Boys U-12 Singles: Fermoy (Cameron O’Sullivan), Boys U-13 Singles: Fermoy (Hayden Supple), Boys U-17 Singles: Mallow (Michael O’Malley), Boys U-17 Doubles: Mallow (Niall Delany/Stephen O’Rourke), Girls U-12 Singles: Boherbue (Carmel Kelliher), Girls U-12 Doubles: Boherbue (Aoibhe Ducey/Edel Murphy), Girls U-15 Singles: Kilworth (Samantha O’Donnel), Girls U-17 Singles: Conna (Aoife Hurley).

Work is also underway at the moment to finalise the Mallow Credit Union sponsored teams to represent Cork in Munster Inter-County team championship at U-12/13, U-14/15, U-16/17 which are scheduled for weekend of March 11/12. In all three grades there should be strong Cork teams who are well able to at least challenge for provincial honours.