Handballers in Inter-Club Championship action this weekend
A BUSY week beckons in handball which features important fixtures for Cork clubs and players. On the club scene Saturday is an important day with Mallow, Kilworth and Ballydesmond facing important fixtures as the 40x20 All-Ireland semi-finals and finals of the Inter-Club Championships are decided. With Cork clubs winning all three provincial Inter-Club titles, it would be a fabulous result if they could add All-Ireland titles on Saturday.
IN Open Club, Mallow make the journey to Mullingar where they play Tyrone and Ulster winner winners Brackey in a semi-final at 11am. The Mallow team is Tadhg O’Neill, Ryan Harkin, Dale Cusack, David Walsh and Tadgh Carroll. If successful in their semi-final they face Meath and Leinster representatives Kells in the final at 2pm. IN Junior, Kilworth make the journey to Kildare venue Leixlep where they face a semi-final clash with Down and Ulster representatives Saval at 11am. If they can overcome this hurdle they will face the winner of St Brigids, Roscommon, v Tinryland, Carlow, in the final. The Kilworth team is James Moakley, John Kiersey, Dion Cahill, John Horgan and Michael Dunne. IN Junior B Ballydesmond make the trip to St Birgids, Roscommon, for an 11am start where they face the challenge of Tyrone club Brackey’s second string team. If Ballydesmond can negotiate this hurdle then they will face the winner of Newport, Mayo or Ballymore Eustace, Kildare in the final at 4pm. The Ballydesmond team is Paul Kerins, Michael Linehan, Philip O’Carroll, Kevin O’Connell and Aidan Fleming.
ALL three Cork clubs face a stiff challenge in their semi-finals and if they do succeed in getting to finals again they would have it all to do against the teams at the other side of the draw.
ON Sunday next at Conna with a 10.30am start, the Munster Under-12 Mixed Doubles team event is down for decision. It is a mixed doubles team of four players with large a entry expected so it could be a long day of handball. THE 40x20 County Championship continues during the coming week, and good progress has been made to date with a number of Singles County Finals already decided. In the Finals played the results are: in Junior Singles it narrowed down to an all Mallow Final with Ryan Harkin defeating his clubmate Dale Cusack, 21-3, 14-21, 21-3. In Junior B Singles Shane Flynn, Boherbue, took the spoils defeating Conna clubman Hugh Carolan 21-11, 21-12. In Golden Masters B Singles Danny Lenihan, Boherbue, defeated Pat Clancy, Conna, 21-7, 21-10. In Minor Singles again we had an all Mallow Final with Cian O’Driscoll defeating Conor Walsh 21-18, 1521, 21-19. In Masters B Final Jamie O’Donnell, Fermoy defeated Enda Ahern, Boherbue.
ON this Friday at Mallow 7.30 start in Masters A Singles Final John Herlihy, St Finbarrs will play Denis Quinn, Ballydesmond. LAST weekend at Mayo venues 40x20 Irish Nationals were played with Catriona Casey, Ballydesmond, again winning Ladies Open title with some big displays in all games. She scored a comprehensive win over Limerick’s Martina McMahon in the final. While all the Cork players who competed performed well, there were also some good displays from the following Michael Hedigan and john Hedigan, Liscarroll, Tadhg O’Neill, as well as David Walsh and Michael O’Malley, Mallow, whol made the most progress in their respective grades.