HANDBALL HEROES
Coolboy squad win silver after superb Féile na nGael
A tale of sporting heroism and bravery has emerged from Coolboy Handball Club’s trip to the national handball Féile in Galway last weekend.
Travelling with a team of four, coach Michael Gregan was confident that his young charges would challenge for honours in Division 6 of the high-class competition considering the work that had been put in beforehand by Callum Paterson, Karl Byrne, Killian O’Keeffe and Ruairi O’Brien.
Based in Salthill, the Coolboy contingent got their campaign underway with a comprehensive victory over Cork side Ballydesmond in their opening game at 9.30am on Saturday morning by 21-13, 0-21.
Templeudigan of Wexford were next up for the Coolboy quartet and it was here that our story becomes considerably more dramatic. Karl Byrne, a young player whose genes are steeped in the game of handball, took a fall and injured his right arm. With no substitutes, this threatened to be a disaster for the County Wicklow side as they would be forced to forfeit should Karl be unable to continue.
However, after a five-minute time-out, the young Coolboy star returned to the court heavily bandaged but determined to continue and such was his bravery the Coolboy lads won the game 21-1, 21-9 despite the fact that Karl was unable to use his right arm.
Onwards went Coolboy, cheered and inspired by the travelling contingent of supporters, and they stormed through the last two group games against host club Salthill (21-4, 21-1) and Inis Mor (21-4, 21-2).
Having topped the group, Coolboy were now safely through to the semi-finals for third place against Newport of Mayo and thanks to some superb performances from all four players they secured a final berth after a 21-7, 14-12 victory over the Mayo side.
It was from here that the Coolboy story racheted upwards in terms of drama and heroics. St Augustin’s of Waterford were the opponents in the final and a look through both sets of results suggested that both teams were going to be evenly matched. And so it transpired.
The game was a ferocious battle with all four players giving their all to emerge with a draw after results of 14-12, 16-14. Tie-breaker time.
It was first to 11 with two of Coolboy’s players, Callum Paterson and Ruairi O’Brien facing two St Augustin’s soldiers.
The tiebreaker was epic, point for point until Coolboy pushed for home and opened a 10-5 lead. Was it to be their day? Could they achieve the impossible and reward their own heroics and Karl Byrne’s bravery with a national title?
Alas, the magnificent Coolboy duo lost the next serve and as can happen so quickly in a game of handball, the tide turned and St Augustine’s powered home to win by one, 11-10.
Pure heart-break for the Coolboy quartet having played so superbly in what is a seriously difficult competition with handball officials describing the standard of play in the final as equal to that of Division 1 standard.
A silver medal was the reward for the gallant Coolboy team on the day. They did their club, community and county proud having played some fantastic handball against some hugely talented sides.
Callum Paterson was selected to enter the skills competition for the club and again gave a super display to get a bronze medal, so the Coolboy posse headed home with two All-Ireland medals in their pockets and memories to last a lifetime.
Karl Byrne’s arm was found to have a broken bone, so he deserves a massive applause for continuing on in the competition.