Injury thwarts Gregan

THERE was no joy for the Coolboy handballers who travelled to Belfast last weekend to take part in the Golden Gloves competition.

Injury proved to be Michael Gregan’s downfall after he reached the Open semi-final and looked to be in a very good position against number one seed Charlie Shanks from Armagh.

Gregan played Owen McKenna on Saturday and won after a three-hour thriller, 15-10, 14-15, 11-9 tie-breaker.

Gregan then had to face last year’s All-Ireland semi-finalist Brendan Fleming from Cork and the Wicklow man came through by 15-8, 15-7.

However, despite the victories on the Saturday, Gregan was in trouble with his shoulder. On Sunday morning, after extensive physio on the complaint he faced off against Shanks and took a 14-4 lead in the first.

‘It was just my shoulder, I wasn’t able to close out that game and in the second I just wasn’t able to give my best,’ said Gregan to the Wicklow People.

Gregan went down by 15-14, 15-2. His next open tournament is in December in Galway.

‘I’m very fit at the moment and in good form and will give the championship a good rattle come next February,’ he said.

Michael’s brother, James, was also competing in Belfast but was knocked out by a Westmeath opponent in the quarter-final.

Fellow Coolboy handballers Wayne Kinsella and Keith Kavanagh were also involved. Clare’s Con Collins put paid to Kinsella’s weekend in the quarter-finals while Kavanagh was dispatched in the first round of a very high stadard competition.