Sligo doubles pairings crash out of Connacht 60 x 30 championships

Sligo handballers out of luck

It was a classic case of Friday 13th which proved unlucky for Sligo players in Connacht finals. In Williamstown on Friday evening the trio of Sligo handball doubles pairings all were defeated by Mayo teams, writes Michael McGee

In the Golden Masters A doubles Francis McCann & Hugh McGarry were expected to do well as reigning Connacht champions. Francis McCann went into the final with a back injury that seriously hampered their chances as Mayo’s Martin Vahey & John Staunton controlled the game right from the start. Despite a revival in the second McCann & McGarry’s comeback fell short against the well drilled Mayo pairing.

Things didn’t get any better for Sligo’s Emerald Masters A doubles pairing of Mick McMorrow & John McLoughlin. It was always going to be an uphill struggle against the favourites in Mayo’s Kevin Geraghty & Martin Cronin. The Sligo men were second best throughout the final and Geraghty & Cronin coasted to what was an easy win in the end.

Peter Chambers & Stanley Harte put up a brave display in the Golden Masters B doubles final. Despite losing the opening game the Sligo men rallied strongly and in a pulsating game Chambers & Harte held firm to take the second by 21-18. However their exertions in getting back into the game took its toll on them as Mayo’s Joe Cummins & John Conroy found an extra gear in the tiebreaker and raced away to take the spoils.

Castleconnor duo Tom Foody & Joe Gorman put up a very gritty display against a strong Mayo pairing in Martin McAndrew & Sean Sweeney in the Junior C doubles final. Foody & Gorman Connacht 40 x 20 champions in 2009 had chances of winning the Connacht title but struggled to deliver the knock out blows in both games. Instead it was the Mayo pairing that got over the line to win an entertaining contest in St. Coman’s last Saturday.

Overall it was a disappointing Connacht 60 x 30 campaign for Sligo handballers who ended up with just 2 Connacht titles this season.

Connacht handball championships 60 x 30 finals
Golden Masters A doubles: Francis McCann & Hugh McGarry lost to Martin Vahey & John Staunton (Mayo) 6-21, 13-21
Emerald Masters A doubles: Mick McMorrow & John McLoughlin lost to Kevin Geraghty & Martin Cronin (Mayo) 5-21, 7-21
Golden Masters B doubles: Peter Chambers & Stanley Harte lost to Joe Cummins & John Conroy (Mayo) 16-21, 21-18, 21-6
Junior C doubles: Joe Gorman & Tom Foody lost to Martin McAndrew & Sean Sweeney (Mayo) 15-21, 16-21