Delight as Dunlavin’s Myles and Ivan secure World Handball title
THE champagne corks were popping in Dunlavin at the weekend as local handball heroes Myles Carroll and Ivan Carroll tasted World Championship success.
The cousins, who play with Ballymore Eustace Handball Club, took gold in the Men’s C Doubles in Minnesota, USA, on Sunday evening, Irish time.
They took the title following a tense match against Meath opponents Troy Flanagan and Daniell Farrelly.
The first game was nip and tuck, with the Ballymore club men edging it 21-18. In the second game though it was a different story and the lads cruised to a 21-4 victory on their way to the title.
The gold medal was the second success for Myles, as he had already picked up silver in the singles of the same grade a couple of days earlier.
Their fellow club man Michael Dowling, who has family connections in Dunlavin, also took gold in the Over 55 Golden Masters Doubles Final, paired with Westmeath man Robbie McCarthy. They were playing an American pairing Daniel Armijo/Joe Berman and they won the first snugly enough with a score 21-6. In the second, the Americans rallied but the Kildare/ Westmeath partnership were not going to be denied and wrapped up the title with a score of 21-16.
Congratulating the players, Gavin Grace, PRO for Ballymore Eustace Handball Club, said that this success is richly deserved following months of dedicated training.
‘Both these achievements are fantastic for the lads and well deserved for all the hard work and training they have put in during the months leading up to the championships. Its also a huge boost for Ballymore Eustace Handball, a small club on the Kildare/Wicklow border, who consistently punch above their weight when it comes to Leinster, All-Ireland and indeed now World Handball titles. The club and the wider communities of Ballymore and Dunlavin can be rightly proud of what the lads have achieved,’ he said.
Plans are now under way for a weekend homecoming celebration. The players were expected to be arriving back in Ireland last night (Tuesday).