Josh’s firepower key in all-Wexford final
KINGSCOURT, Co. Cavan, proved beyond reasonable doubt that it is Ireland’s Premier venue for handball when it hosted the Irish Junior Nationals for 2018.
Spectators were witnesses to a weekend of phenomenal handball that saw six fabulous players crowned Irish national champions, at various age groups, and they also booked their places on Team Ireland for the world championships in Minnesota, U.S.A., later this summer.
Josh Kavanagh (Under-15) became only the second Wexford Juvenile ever (after his brother, Daniel) to win this international trip and the chance to represent Ireland.
Josh cruised to the final with some fantastic handball where he was expected to meet Kilkenny’s Billy Drennan.
However, Wexford’s talented Mark Doyle had other ideas. Mark brilliantly cast aside his opponents on the other side of the draw, to play Billy in the semi-final.
In undoubtedly one of the best games of the whole weekend, Mark produced a stunning performance by playing magnificent shots and digging deep into his reserves to oust the Kilkenny lad, beating him in a tie-breaker to make it an all-Wexford final.
The two friends and playing partners then had to battle it out for a place on Team Ireland. Josh had too much firepower for Mark after his tough semi-final, and the talented Kavanagh fittingly won his national title and booked his trip to the U.S.A.
In the girls’ Under-13 event, Jodie Keeling from Wexford won through all her matches to book a place in the final.
She had produced some excellent handball over the weekend but lost out in the final to her stronger opponent from Galway.
Cora Doyle (Under-19) was on the end of a horrible draw, having to play the top seed and eventual winner in her first round. It was a big learning curve for Cora who battled on to win the plate final later that day in her age group.
Adam Walsh (Under-19) gave a terrific account of himself, losing out in a tough battle with Galway’s Diarmuid Mulkerrins, but he also fought on in the plate competition to again fall just short in the final match.
In boys’ Under-13, Bobby Doyle played some very strong handball all weekend and went on and win the plate final.
Other Wexford players who performed in the nationals were Conor Murphy (Under-15), Ross Arnold (Under-15), Ellie Murphy (Under-11) and Conor Doyle (Under-11).