Four Cork handballers qualify for All-Ireland Second Level Schools 40x20 semi-finals
FOLLOWING last weekend’s provincial Second Level 40x20 provincial championship a number of Cork players face a very busy schedule in the coming weeks. Cork schools won four boys’ provincial titles and a place in the All-Ireland semi-finals on the weekend of February 16/17.
The Cork winners were in Junior Singles Liscarroll player Gearoid Healy representing Colaiste Mhuire, Kanturk; in Intermediate Singles Liscarroll player Luke Barrett representing Colaiste Mhuire, Buttevant; in Intermediate Doubles Boherbue players Aidan Lenihan and Darragh Ducey representing Boherbue Comprehensive; and in Senior Singles Mallow player Michael O’Malley representing Patrician Academy, Mallow.
It was a good weekend for Cork players and with most of them also involved in Munster championship it provided them with important playing time. There was no joy for Cork Girls involved in the Girls Colleges Championship, they reached a few Munster Finals but had to be content with the runner-up spot.
The 40x20 County Championship is narrowing down, most grades are now completed, during the past week both the Novice A Singles and Doubles were completed with Conna players winning both, In Novice A Sing;es Pa Roche, Conna defeated Niall O’Connor, Ballydesmond 21-12, 10/21, 21-19.
In Novice A Doubles Pa Roche partnered by Paudie Dillon defeated Ballydesmond pair Richie Flynn and Niall O’Connor 20-21, 21-16, 21-10.
In Over 35 B Doubles semi-final Hugh Carolan, Conna, partnered by Patrick Buckley, Glenville, defeated Ballydesmond pair Philip O’Carroll/ Paul Kerins 21-7, 21-16.
The All-Ireland Gael Linn mixed doubles was played in Ballydesmond on Sunday last. Cork and Munster were represented by Boherbue pair Tomas O’Connor and Carmel Kelleher, and Ballydesmond pair Ryan Linehan and Leah O’Riordan from Boherbue, who had won the Munster title, with Ballydesmond there as runner-up.
The standard was high in the All-Ireland finals with Bobby Brennan and Katie Brennan from the Clogh club in Kilkenny taking the spoils but they were pushed all the way by Boherbue’s O’Connor and Kelleher who were runners-up.
The provincial 40x20 Juvenile Championship Boys and Girls sees two first round games on Saturday at 12 noon start. Waterford face Kerry at Dungarvan, while Limerick take on Tipperary at Broadford. The following weekend in the semi-finals Cork face the winners of Tipperary v Limerick with Clare facing the winners of Waterford v Kerry.
It’s a heavy programme catering for Boys and Girls U-12 to U-17 Singles & Doubles. All provincial juvenile finals are due to be completed by Sunday February 24.