Busy schedule for Cork players at provincial and national level

THE busy schedule in 60x30 Handball continues during the coming weeks as the programme advances towards conclusion. This weekend Cork players will be involved at national and provincial level.

On the national stage All-Ireland Colleges semi-finals and finals are down for decision at Galway and Sligo venues on Saturday with all having a 10.30 start. At Sligo venue Colloney Mallow pair Conor Walsh and Cian O’Driscoll representing Patrician Academy Mallow face the Leinster winners in a semi-final. If they overcome that then they will face the Connacht v Ulster winner in the final on Saturday afternoon at the same venue.

At the Ballymote Sligo venue Cork players will be involved in Boys Junior Doubles and Boys Intermediate Doubles, both partnership representing Boherbue Comprehensive. In Junior Doubles Eoghan Daly, Ballydesmond, teams up with Boherbue player Cathal Ducey to face the Leinster winner. If successful they will face the winner of Connacht v Ulster in the final on Saturday afternoon.

In Intermediate Doubles Boherbue players Aidan Lenihan/ Darragh Ducey again representing Boherbue Comprehensive face the Leinster winners in a semi-final again should they win that game they face Connacht v Ulster in the final. All the Cork players involved will have to be at their best to achieve ultimate honours.

Also on Saturday at Limerick venue Hospital Mallow Credit Union sponsored Cork team will be in action in Munster U-12/13 team championship taking on Tipperary in a semi-final game commencing at 11am. This Cork team won 40x20 provincial and All-Ireland championship earlier in the year and will be hoping to stay on course to achieve the Munster and All-Ireland double. Tipperary are always very strong in 60x30 code and will pose a stern test for Cork in this semi-final. Waterford await the winners in Saturday’s final, which is scheduled for 2pm. The Cork team on duty on Saturday will have four Fermoy players Cameron O’Sullivan, Hayden Supple, Ben Sullivan and Cian Cronin O’Neill, two Boherbue players Tomas O’Connor, Donal Murphy, Mallow player Wesley Delany,Conna player Cian Dunning. If all players perform well on the day Cork are in with a good chance of taking the title.

On Saturday last in Croke Park Ballydesmond Ladies Catriona Casey and Aishling O’Keeffe continued their amazing run of success in All-Ireland 40x20 and 60x30 Senior Doubles championship. In defeating Kilkenny in Sunday’s final they were winning their tenth All-Ireland Senior Doubles title which is an amazing achievement and level of consistency. They totally dominated Sunday’s Final never giving their Kilkenny opponents Ciara Mahon/Aoife Holden the chance settle as they raced to a 21-4, 21-13 win.

Cork players also contested three All-Ireland 60x30 semi-finals last weekend, winning all three. In Minor Doubles Mallow pair Conor Walsh/Cian O’Driscoll defeated Galway’s Fiachra Mulkerrins/Paul Conneely 21-4, 21-4. In Junior B Doubles David Walsh, Mallow, with John Hurley, Liscarroll, defeated also defeated Galway’s John Ward/Nevan McCartan 21-9, 2110. The third semi-final win was in Emerald Masters A Doubles in which John Hedigan, Liscarroll, teamed up with John Herlihy,Conna, to defeat Galway pair Jimmy Connaughton/Martin Ward 21-9, 21-10.