Mixed luck for Junior duo

NIALL MAHER and Pádhraic Roberts from Kilmyshall produced a sterling comeback to capture the Wexford GAA Handball 60 x 30 Junior doubles championship last week as they got the better of Castlebridge duo Thomas Hall and Eugene Kelly.

The first game saw the Castlebridge men romp to a 21-7 win and there seemed to be no sign of a victory for the duo in red and white.

However, the script was soon torn to shreds as the men from just outside Bunclody really upped their game in fantastic fashion and took the second set 21-10.

A tight and hard-fought third set was to be won by the Kilmyshall pair on a 21-12 scoreline as they celebrated success.

Taghmon Handball Club collected its second title of the season as the Golden Masters ‘B’ doubles title went the way of the recently reformed club. Frank Maddock and Mick Carty played some fantastic handball to deny the four-in-a-row chasing Castlebridge brothers Brendan and Stephen Murphy. The Taghmon men took the spoils 21-19, 21-11.

Another busy week on the Leinster big alley scene saw success and disappointment for Wexford players.

Daniel Kavanagh and Anthony Butler produced an efficient display to win the Leinster Minor doubles final, defeating the Kilkenny pairing of Shane Dunne and Deon Burke 21-10, 21-18.

Keith Armstrong made sure that it will be an all-Wexford final in the Under-18 singles grade. Armstrong secured his final spot after coming through a tough game against Brian Mahon from Kilkenny.

Armstrong got off to a poor start, losing the opening set 2112, however he turned the game around in impressive fashion to take the second and third sets 21-11, 21-15.

Pádhraic Roberts and Niall Maher were unable to carry their winning form from the county championships into the semi-final of the Junior doubles as they unfortunately lost out in a threegame battle to Meath duo Joe Curran and Stephen Quinn, 21-12, 11-21, 21-9.

Paddy Haughton and Noel Holohan under performed in losing the final of the Over-35 ‘B’ doubles as they led both sets 14-5 against Kevin Cooke and Seán Ryan from Offaly, however the Faithful county men turned both sets around and won 21-15 in the two games.

John Roche lost out in the Leinster Silver Masters ‘B’ singles championship for the first time in recent seasons as he found Michael Sheridan from Meath in a rich vein of form. Sheridan overturned a first set loss of 21-13 to win the crucial second and third sets 21-19, 21-9.