Sligo Handball team ready for the World Handball Championships

 

 

Sligo Handball team for World handball championships:

 

 back row left to right Oisin Quinn, Shane Bruen, Francis McCann, Gavin Cawley

front row: Odhran Quinn, Fergus O' Donovan General Manager Radisson Blu Hotel Sligo, Peter Chambers Chairman Sligo Handball Board and Aoife Quinn

The Mighty Quinns a  family affair: Aoife, Oisin & Odhran

 

Ready to take on the world: Aoife, Oisin & Odhran Quinn

 

Handball is homeward bound

A select few will become champions for others broken hearts, shattered dreams but  lifelong  memories all rolled into one electrifying showcase of handball action at its very best and maybe,  just maybe a world handball champion will emerge from Sligo writes, Michael McGee.

“Each day I live I want to be a day to give the best of me.  I’m only one but not alone my finest day is yet unknown.” Words from a famous Whitney Houston song and it will have much retentiveness for all Irish handball players taking part in the World handball championships

Ireland will host the World handball championships from October 11^th - 21^st in the Citywest Hotel Dublin.  In a specially constructed handball arena built in the convention centre will comprise of 13 40×20 Four Wall Courts and 8 One Wall Courts

 Overall there will be 2000 competitors from 33 countries ranging in age from Boys/Girls U-11 to Over 80’s in 128 grades of four wall & one-wall handball competitions.  Ireland has hosted the event on 3 previous occasions 1970, 1994 & 2003. In 1970 the new National Handball 60  x 30 Centre was built for the occasion. In that final seen Clare’s Pat Kirby defeat Louth’s Joey Maher (the reigning champion in Toronto 1967) who was representing Canada at the time in the Men’s Open final. The legendary duo Kirby & Maher both went onto win 3 World handball titles respectively. Twenty four years later in 1994 the Waterford Crystal sponsored world championships returned and were held in Clare, Dublin, Kildare and Meath venues.  A total of 650 players from 10 countries took part in 39 events and Irish players won 20 titles.

The 2003 Men’s Open final which was an All-Irish affair will be best remembered when Cork’s Tony Healy generously gave all his time outs to Cavan’s Paul Brady who sustained an injury in the second game.  After receiving treatment Brady returned to the fray. Healy took that 2^nd game. Brady got more treatment during the 5 minute break and he came back to win the tie breaker and world title.  Brady acknowledged Healy’s great sportsmanship in his victory speech immediately afterwards saying “if I could give half the trophy to Tony I would.”  Healy received a special presentation and a standing ovation at the annual handball awards for his outstanding sportsmanship later that year.

 Brady has gone on to become a legend in Irish Handball having dominated Irish, Canadian, U.S. & World handball. The 33 year-old Cavan star will be aiming for an unprecedented 4th World handball title in a row. Brady has won seven Irish Nationals, seven U.S. National titles, a record 8 All-Ireland singles & 7 doubles titles in an astonishing career. Considering the World championships take place every 3 years the Breffni man is the no.1 player for the past nine years and remained top of the pile. He has proven unbeatable in all that time.  Few would bet against Brady winning a remarkable 4^th title.  Antrim’s Fiona Shannon is also aiming for the same equivalent in the ladies open. There will be live TV coverage from Wednesday 17^th October onwards to the final stages.

 In 2003 a thousand players entered. A short nine years has seen huge strides in the sport and  this figure has doubled demonstrating the universal appeal of handball.  GAA Handball is a member of the International Federation called (WWBA) World Wall Ball Association and has teamed up with the World Handball Council and the CIJB (European & South American Associations). 

 Next year handball will be a demonstration sport in the World games in Cali Columbia.  Fifty nations will be needed to advance the games and the real prospect of participation in the next Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro 2016. The question is; when and not if the national sport of GAA handball will become a reality as an Olympic sport. In the last World championships in Portland Oregan in 2009 Ireland came home with 35 titles.  I expect this to be greatly increased and pass the half century mark.

Already our own John Cawley a National School teacher in the Holy Family National School in Tubbercurry is advancing this cause. Last May he brought a number of sixth class pupils to Biecz in Southern Poland to demonstrate handball to the pupils there. Shortly the Polish School will pay a return visit to Tubbercurry and no doubt with John’s efforts Poland will soon be added as a member of the handball family. Fr. Martin Jennings the well known handball Priest is now the P.P in Tubbercurry and it is expected handball will reach new levels with these people involved.  

Sligo players taking part will be Shane Bruen, Gerry Coleman Gavin Cawley Men’s C a grade which has a staggering 200 competitors. Francis McCann Golden Masters A, Martin Cooney Silver Masters B, Odhran Quinn Boys U-13, Aoife Quinn Girls U-15, and Oisin Quinn Silver Masters.  Bruen, McCann, Cooney & Aoife Quinn all reached All-Ireland finals this year and who knows any of our players may win the biggest prize of the lot.   Maybe, just maybe Sligo will be celebrating a first in G.A.A circles with a World champion.  What a prospect that would be. Sligo handball hearts are already beating strongly. Let the championships begin. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Radisson sponsor Sligo Handball

Sligo Handball Sponsorship:

Odhran Quinn, Fergus  O' Donovan General Manager Radisson Blu Health & Spa, Peter Chambers Chairman Sligo Handball Board & Aoife Quinn. Radisson sponsor Sligo Handball by Michael McGee

The Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa Sligo are the new sponsors of Sligo handball. On Saturday Chairman of the Sligo Handball Board Peter Chambers accepted the sponsorship from General Manager Fergus O' Donovan. It could not have come at a better time as an 8 member team will represent the County at the 2012 World Handball Championships which will be held in the Citywest Hotel Dublin from October 11th-21st next. Overall there will be 2000 competitors from 33 countries ranging in age from Boys/Girls U-11 to Over 80’s in 128 grades of four wall & wall handball competitions. Peter Chambers Chairman of the Sligo handball board said “they were delighted to be associated with the Radisson Hotel. The Hotel is very supportive of Sligo G.A.A and now G.A.A Handball in the county. I thank Fergus and the Hotel for their excellent sponsorship.” Fergus O' Donovan in reply stated that “the hotel is delighted to be in a position to support Sligo handball an ever increasing participation sport. It is wonderful to see so many young players involved in Gaelic Games such as handball. I would like to wish all Sligo players the very best of luck in the World handball championships.”

Congratulations to Mick Hoare Ballymote on winning 2 All-Ireland Football final tickets

Photo from left to right: Paddy Egan, Martin Golden Sligo Handball Development Officer, Mick Hoare & Tom Brehony Manager Doddy's Bar Ballymote The winning ticket was sold in Doddy's Bar Ballymote. The winner was Mick "Tott" Hoare from Ballymote. Mick is a Kildare native and has been going to All-Ireland finals for the past 30 years. The winning ticket was sold by Martin Golden Ballymote. The Sligo Handball Board would like to thank everyone who bought tickets. It was a very successful draw and all money raised will go towards Juvenile handball development in the County.

Sligo win 3 Connacht Juvenile handball titles

Connacht handball champions Vincent & Diarmuid Harte receiving their Connacht medals from Connacht handball president Peter Heaney -



Jonathon Devanney Boys U-15 singles Connacht champion

A Towering performance as Padriag O'Dowd Ballymote stands head and shoulders over Francis McCann on receiving his Connacht U-17 singles winners medal - Congratulations to all the winners





Sligo Juvenile players win 3 Connacht handball titles

Ballymote & Collooney hosted the Connacht Juvenile B championships 60 x 30 finals on Sunday and Sligo players secured 3 provincial titles. Ballymote Jonathan Devaney had an exciting victory over Mayo’s Thomas Caffrey in the first final of the day. The Harte's Vincent & Diarmuid celebrated their first Connacht title with a straight sets victory on home soil much to the delight of coach and Vincent's father Stanley. Odhran Quinn was defeated by Roscommon’s Oisin Cusack in the U-13 final while Ballymote’s Padraig O’ Dowd got the better of Sean Leyden in the U-17 equivalent to bag his first Connacht medal.

Boys U-14 Singles final: Jonathan Devaney (Sligo) dft Thomas Mc Caffrey Mayo) 15 -11, 15-11.
Boys U-12 Doubles final: Vincent & Diarmuid Harte (Sligo) dft Canice Bennett & Mark McCoy (Mayo) 15-8, 15-10.

Boys U-13 Singles final: Odhran Quinn (Sligo) lost to Oisin Cusack (Roscommon) 11-15, 10-15

Boys U-17 Singles final: Padraig O'Dowd (Sligo) dft Sean Leyden (Leitrim) 21- 10, 21- 15

The monthly meeting of the Sligo Handball Board will take place in the Teeling Centre Collooney on Wednesday evening at 8 p.m.

The World handball championships take place in Ireland this year in the Citywest hotel from 11th -21 October and Sligo players taking part will be Shane Bruen Men’s C, Francis McCann Golden Masters A, Martin Cooney Silver Masters B,Gavin Cawley Men's C Odhran Quinn Boys U-13, Aoife Quinn Girls U-15 singles and Oisin Quinn Silver Masters. Overall there will be 2,000 competitors from over 30 Country’s taking part.

County Juvenile B 60 x 30 championships , Castleconnor win 3 titles

The Sligo Juvenile B 60 x 30 championships took place in Ballymote. Castleconnor emerged as the top club winning three of the six titles on offer. One of the matches of the day was the Boys U-11 singles final with Collooney's Aaron Bruen defeating the gallant Conor Finn from Ballymote in an exciting final that went to a tie breaker.

BOYS UNDER 11 SINGLES SEMI FINALS:

Jason Dwyer (Ballymote dft Oisin Harte (Collooney) 15 4, 15 5
Aaron Bruen (Collooney) dft Connor Finn (Ballymote) 15 10, 15 12

Final: Aaron Bruen (Collooney) dft Jason Dwyer (Ballymote) 15 10, 10 15, 15 7


BOYS UNDER 12 SINGLES ROUND ROBIN:

Darra Barrins (Castleconnor) dft Vincent Harte (Collooney) 15 10, 15 4
Vincent Harte (Collooney) dft Diarmaid Harte (Collooney) 2 games to 1
Darra Barrins (Castleconnor) dft Diarmaid Harte (Collooney) 15 4, 15 7

Winner: Darra Barrins Castleconnor


BOYS UNDER 13 SINGLES FINAL:

Ordhain Quinn (Castleconnor) dft Tony Fox (Collooney) 15 6, 15 4


BOYS UNDER 14 DOUBLES final:

Brendan Foody Sean Carabine (Castleconnor) dft David Woods & Steven Mulligan (Ballymote) 15 4, 15 10


BOYS UNDER 15 SINGLES SEMI FINALS:

Connor Booth (Ballymote) dft Leigh Kielty (Ballymote) 21 5, 21 17
Michael Finn (Ballymote) dft Mathew Cunnane (Ballymote) 21 9, 21 12

FINAL:Michael Finn (Ballymote) dft Connor Booth (Ballymote) 21 20, 21 11


BOYS UNDER 16 SINGLES SEMI FINALS:

Padraig O' Dowd (Ballymote) dft James Mulligan (Ballimote) 21 4, 21 5
Barry Mc Loughlin (Castleconnor) dft Sean Golden (Ballymote) 21 14 21 8

FINAL: Padraig O' Dowd (Ballymote) dft Barry Mc Loughlin (Castleconnor) 21 8, 21 8

Quinn to win Connacht title

Castleconnor's Odhrain Quinn will be favourite to bring back his second Connacht Juvenile B 60 x 30 title in as many years follwing his success in last year's final. Quinn's clubmates Brendan Foody & Sean Carabine are also expected to do well in the Boys U-14 doubles while Ballymote's Padraig O' Dowd who shocked Castleconnor's Barry McLoughlin in the County final could also go all the way in Connacht.

The Connacht Juvenile B semi-finals & finals will take place in Ballymote & Collooney next Sunday September 16th starting at 11 am. Sligo will be represented by the following

BOYS UNDER 11 SINGLES: Aaron Bruen( Coolooney)

BOYS UNDER 11 DOUBLES: Jason Dwyer & Conor Finn(Ballymote)

BOYS UNDER 12 SINGLES: Darra Barrins (Castleconnor)


BOYS UNDER 12 DOUBLES:Vincent Harte & Diarmaid Harte (Collooney)


BOYS UNDER 13 SINGLES: Ordhain Quinn (Castleconnor)


BOYS UNDER 14 SINGLES: Jonathan Devaney (Ballymote)


BOYS UNDER 14 DOUBLES: Brendan Foody & Sean Carabine (Castleconnor)


BOYS UNDER 15 SINGLES: Michael Finn (Ballymote)


BOYS UNDER 15 DOUBLES: Connor Booth & Leigh Kielty (Ballymote)


BOYS UNDER 16 SINGLES: Padraig O' Dowd (Ballymote)


BOYS UNDER 16 DOUBLES: Barry M c Loughlin (Castleconnor) & Sean Golden (Ballymote)


GIRLS UNDER 12 SINGLES: (Castleconnor)

GIRLS UNDER 13 SINGLES: (Castleconnor)

GIRLS UNDER 15 SINGLES: (Castleconnor)