Busy festive period ahead on the handball courts
THERE will not be much of a break in handball activity over the Christmas period and into early New Year as the drive to complete championships both county and provincial and the big post Christmas Tim Healy Memorial Munster Open U-13 and U-15 Boys and Girls Tournaments in Liscarroll from December 27 to January 1.
The Provincial Championship Senior Doubles will be narrowed down to semi-finals this Friday evening as both remaining quarter-final games are decided, both with a 7.30 start. At Cappagh Mallow pair Tadgh Carroll/Ryan Harkin play Clare Diarmuid Nash/Colin Crehan with the winner of that game due to play Kerry Dominic Lynch/Jack O’Shea in a semi-final.
Friday’s second quarter-final is at Broadford where Liscarroll pair Daniel Relihan and Michael Hedigan play Tipperary’s Ger Coonan and David Moloney. The winner of this game will face the winner of the quarter-final between Liscarroll/Ballydesmond partnership of Shane Hedigan and Donnacha O’Dea against Limerick duo Shane Murphy and Evan Murphy. That quarter-final was decided last evening (Wednesday) at Mallow.
Both semi-finals and final are scheduled for Saturday January 13.
In 40x20 County Championship Junior B Doubles will be the main concentration at one side of the draw Boherbue pair Shane Flynn/ Roger Casey are through to a final, while at the other side on this Friday at Liscarroll 8pm start the remaining quarter-final to be decided will see Liscarroll/Mallow pairing John Hurley/Darren Whelan take on Ballydesmond Kevin O’Connell and Aidan Fleming, with the winner due to play Conna pair Hugh Carolan/Ian Heffernan in a semi-final date and venue for both semi-final and final to be decided.
The big focus over the Christmas period will be on Liscarroll where Tim Healy Memorial Munster Open U13 and U15 Boys and Girls Tournaments will be played commencing on Wednesday December 27 and running through to Monday January 1.
Over the years the number competing and the spread across the country from where the players travel to compete makes it not alone unique but now one of the biggest juvenile tournaments in the country, this year with a large entry there should again be some exciting high class fare on offer each day. It’s a big undertaking for Liscarroll club but they have the experience having successfully handled year or year.
Last weekend was another very successful one for Cork Juvenile players at the Munster Inter County Primary Schools team competitions which were played at Tipperary venues Nenagh and Kilcolman. Cork competed in both competitions one which is confined to players who have already represented their county and the second to players who have not represented their county,
Cork won both in 2016 and on Sunday successfully retained both. They both team Tipperary in a semi-final and both went on to defeat Waterford in their respective finals.
Both Cork teams contained players from a number of different Primary Schools across the county. Team A players were Cameron O’Sullivan, Cian Dunning, Shane Cotter, Matthew O’Sullivan, Hayden Supple, Ben Sullivan, Cian Cronin O’Neill, Darragh Murphy.
Team B was Tomas O’Connor, Diarmuid O’Connell, Ryan Linehan, Wesley Delany, Darragh Moynihan, Donal Murphy, Colin Brosnan, Jack Keating. Team A was coached by Aidan Supple, Fermoy, with Kieran O’Connor, Boherbue, coaching team B. Well done to all involved.