Sligo handballers enjoyed great success in the handball courts this year winning six Connacht Adult titles and the same number at Juvenile level. The County won 2 All-Ireland adult titles in September. Sligo Handball Secretary Michael McGee recalls the handball year in the Yeats County.
Sligo handball players shine
There was a notable double success for Sligo players within 48 hours of each other in a magical weekend for Sligo back in September. It was a particularly memorable occasion for John McLoughlin & Michael McMorrow in the Emerald Masters B doubles final. The Yeats County men faced Kilkenny and Leinster champions Jim Dooley & Gerry Murphy. The Sligo men took the opening game comfortably by 21-12. The Cat’s came back strongly in the second and levelled matters. McLoughlin & McMorrow held firm in the final game and played outstanding handball. Kilkenny tried desperately to come back from 13-18 behind. McLoughlin closed the door on any comeback with some sterling work and McMorrow finished in style with 3 winning aces. It was their first All-Ireland triumph after many years of heartbreak. That same weekend Francis McCann was in action in the Golden Masters A singles final in St. Coman’s Roscommon. Cavan’s Mickeleen Brady was McCann’s opponent. The Ballymote man was forced to pull out all the stops and play his best handball of the year before going onto to win the title on a 21-11, 21-13 score line. It was McCann’s 17th All-Ireland handball title title having won his first title a minor doubles with club mate Michael Porter way back in 1977. McCann received the Connacht Masters player of the year award at the annual Handball All-Star Awards evening in Croke Park on Saturday 19th November last. My congratulations to John McLoughlin, Michael McMorrow & Francis McCann on their outstanding achievements this year.
Historic meeting
Cyril Feehily created a little piece of G.A.A. history in Sligo when he became the first G.A.A. Chairman in Sligo to attend the monthly meeting of the Sligo Handball Board on Wednesday January 19th last. Cyril has a great interest in handball and follows closely handball events in the County. The Curry club man addressed the delegates at the meeting and asked for closer links between the two County Boards. Our delegates to the G.A.A. Co. Board monthly meetings Mark Murphy & Shane Bruen have worked hard to forge closer links to the parent body. And this was recognised by the Co. Board who generously sponsored County jerseys for our juvenile players. Indeed Cyril will create even more history when he will attend the Annual General Meeting of the Sligo Handball Board on Wednesday December 7th next. I know during the next 2 years of his Chairmanship, Cyril will be promoting handball in the County to reach even greater heights. His can do attitude is a source of great optimism to all of us involved in promoting handball here in Sligo.
McCann & McLoughlin win Gerard Jones Memorial Perpetual Cup
The Castleconnor club hosted the 17th Annual Gerard Jones Memorial Cup last January. Twenty-six players entered. Francis McCann & 14 y.o. Barry McLoughlin teamed up to win an exciting final by 31-25 over Stanley Harte & Michael Browne.
Six Juvenile Connacht titles come to Sligo
After another successful year our Juvenile players continue to impress and bring great honour to the County. Jason Earlis & Stanley Harte teamed up this year for the first time in the Connacht Boys U-15 doubles and the duo had an exciting victory over Mayo’s Alan Kelly & Nathan Massey by 11-15, 15-8, 11-2. There was heartbreak however for the Connacht champions as they suffered an agonizing 1 point defeat to Waterford’s Jamie Joyce & Ciaran O’Neil in the All-Ireland semi-final. Castleconnor’s Odhran Quinn became Connacht B champion at U-12 singles level. Quinn was impressive in his semi-final match and he powered his way home with a 15-6, 15-7 win over Mayo’s Canice Bennett. Odhran’s sister Aoife also enjoyed success in 2011 when as a member of the Connacht Girls Team of 10 that beat Munster in the final. Earlier in the season Quinn & Marianna Foody representing Convent of Mercy Ballina won the Girls 1st year Colleges Connacht doubles title. Another success for Castleconnor came in the form of Noel McLoughlin & Shane Wright in the Boys U-16 doubles final in the Connacht B final. The pair made all the running and in the end secured a hard fought win over Roscommon’s Stephen Regan & Ross Melvin by 21-15, 21-14.Sligo also claimed the U16/17 team of 4 Connacht title. Tommy Trill, Jason Earlis, Barry McLoughlin, Stanley Harte & Alan Gilmartin defeated Galway 60-42. The semi-final proved a match to far for the Sligo team as they went down to Tipperary the eventual champions.
Cully was the setting for the One-Wall Juvenile doubles championships as part of Curry’s 125 celebrations. Marie & Brendan Foody were successful in the U-13 doubles. Collooney’s Patrick Fox & Ross Taheny had a sensational win over Castleconnor’s Jason Earlis & Barry McLoughlin by 6-15, 15-10, 11-10 in an absorbing final. Tommy Trill & Stanley Harte overcame Shane Wright & Aoife Quinn in the U-17 doubles final.
Hannon Cup wins for McCann & Fox
Francis McCann & Patrick Fox just 16 y.o., took the 2011 Hannon Cup doubles tournament in Ballymote on Sunday October 2nd last. The due defeated Joe Dowling & Larry Jones in the final by 31-27. The plate final was won by Martin Golden & Tom Foody
Foody family success on the double
There was an historic family success for the Foody family when Brendan & Rachel Foody won their respective Boys & Girls U-14 doubles finals respectively at the Annual John Gaffney 60 x 30 Juvenile tournament. Their accomplishment was all the more remarkable considering the club do not have a 60 x 30 court of their own. Brendan Foody partnered Fenagh’s Cillian O’ Rourke to take the title over Jonathon Devaney & Patrick Murphy. Rachel Foody & Belcarra’s Shona Ruane defeated Rachel Doherty & Emma Cosgrove in the Girls final.
Foody, Earlis & Trill County 40 x 20 champions in 2011
Castleconnor hosted the Juvenile Co. Championships on Saturday 12th March. Brendan Foody came up against club mate Sean Carrabine. This was a very exciting contest with players deadlocked on 19-19 after the 15 minutes play. With 5 minutes extra to be played Foody prevailed to win the County title on a score line of 30-26
Jason Earlis was made to fight all the way before securing the U-15 singles with an 18-13 win over Collooney’s Stanley Harte. Tommy Trill won by double scores over Niall McLoughlin 22-11 in the Boys U-17 final. There was also wins for Tony Fox U-13, Patrick Fox U-15 and Shane Wright Boys U-17 in the plate finals
Six of the best for Sligo at adult level
Sligo was also successful in the Connacht adult championships this year. The legendary Paddy Walsh from the St. Mary’s club was the first player to strike “Connacht Gold” this year when he defeated Galway’s Padhraic O’Fatharta. Despite a shaky start Walsh recovered well to win by 11-21, 21-3, 21-2.
Seamus Duffy & Pat O’Sullivan made a stunning comeback in the Diamond Masters A singles final in Claremorris. The Sligo men were up against Roscommon’s Noel Raftery & Seamus McHugh. Roscommon led by 20-17 in game one. And Raftery had a chance to win it for Roscommon missing the front wall by mere inches. Duffy & O’Sullivan hit back in great style stealing the 1st game from the Rossies grasp by 21-20. The second game they Yeats County men reeled of 15 points in a row to win by 21-6. In the 60 x 30 championships Francis McCann Golden Masters A singles, Francis McCann & Hugh McGarry Golden Masters A doubles, Paddy Walsh Ruby Masters singles & John McLoughlin & Michael McMorrow Emerald Masters B doubles all won Provincial titles. McCann travelled to Ballyporeen for the singles semi and pulled it out of the fire against Tipperary’s Pat Ryan winning a titanic battle by 21-19 in the tie breaker. John McLoughlin & Michael McMorrow defeated Tipperary’s Eamon Spillane & Gerry Foley in their semi-final clash in Collooney.
The trio of John McLoughlin & Michael McMorrow Emerald Masters B doubles & Francis McCann Golden Masters A singles did Sligo handball proud this year with their outstanding All-Ireland wins.
We salute all our Connacht & All-Ireland champions and look forward to even greater successes by the County’s players in 2012. You can catch up on all Sligo handball matters at http://sligohandball.blogspot.com/ and at http://www.sligogaa.ie/
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