Earlis to represent Sligo in U-17 singles

                                       Padraig O' Dowd & Stanley Harte

                                      Patrick Fox & Jason Earlis

            Stanley Harte r-up with Jason Earlis winner U-17 County trials


County Juvenile U-17 A trials.

The U-17 A trials took place in Collooney last evening and Castleconnor’s Jason Earlis emerged the winner and will represent the County in the Connacht Juvenile A championships

1^st Semi-final:   Stanley Harte dft Padraic O’ Dowd 21-5, 21-8

2^nd Semi-final:  Jason Earlis dft Patrick Fox 21-6, 21-7

Final:    Jason Earlis dft Stanley Harte 21-5, 21-11

Results & photos  with thanks to Shane Bruen

Doubles delight for McCann & Golden

Doubles delight for McCann & Golden

Sligo handball players were involved in four Provincial double deciders over the weekend winning one writes Michael McGee.

 The Golden Masters A doubles pair of Francis McCann & Martin Golden were the only successful Sligo handball team to return home with a Connacht title

Williamstown hosted two finals involving Sligo on Saturday evening. In their first Connacht appearance in the final of the Junior B Martin Brannigan & Simon Cavanagh lost out in 3 games to Roscommon’s Liam O’ Ceallaigh & Joe Fallon by 19-21, 21-20, 21-12. Both teams were evenly matched throughout but in the vital stages of the match Roscommon’s Liam O’ Ceallaigh & Joe Fallon gained the all important points and edged the contest in an entertaining final. Brannigan & Cavanagh can be pleased with their first Connacht final appearance in the Sligo colours. It won’t be too long before they are celebrating a Connacht title.

For the experienced McCann & Golden it was a repeat of this year’s Connacht 40 x 20 final overturning Roscommon’s victory in February.   McCann & Golden had to battle all the way before defeating the Rossies Dermot Doolin & Ger Walsh by 21-14, 21-19. Saturday’s win for the Ballymote men was their their 9^th provincial together.

  

The Silver Masters B doubles pairing of Martin Cooney & Tom Foody came out the wrong side of a narrow loss to Mayo’s George Miller & Kevin Cox in St. Coman’s Roscommon on Thursday evening. Cooney & Foody had opportunities to take the title especially in the second game when leading 19-16. Mayo came back strongly at Sligo getting the all important points to take the second game forcing the tiebreaker Sligo took a 10-4 lead up in the tie breaker but it proved to be their last score as Mayo piled on the pressure and took control finishing stronger against the tiring Sligo players.

There was further disappointment for the Golden Masters B pairing of Peter Chambers & Stanley Harte who lost to Mayo’s Joe Cummins & John Conroy from Mayo for the second year in a row in a Connacht final by 13-21, 14-21

Connacht Championships 60 x 30 finals:

Saturday 3^rd August  in Williamstown at 6 pm.

Junior B doubles: Martin Brannigan & Simon Cavanagh (Sligo) lost to Liam O’ Ceallagh & Joe Fallon (Roscommon) 19-21, 21-20, 12-21

Golden Masters A doubles:  Francis McCann & Martin Golden (Sligo)  dft Ger Walsh & Dermot Doolin (Roscommon) 21-14, 21-19

Saturday 3^rd August in St. Coman’s Roscommon at 5 p.m.

Golden Masters B doubles:  Stanley Harte & Peter Chambers (Sligo) lost to John Conroy & Joe Cummins (Mayo) 13-21, 14-21

Silver Masters B doubles:  Martin Cooney & Tom Foody (Sligo) lost to George Miller & Kevin Cox  (Mayo) 21-20, 19-21, 10-21

Connacht championships 60 x 30 finals

Wednesday 7^th August in Collooney at 6 p.m.

Emerald Masters A doubles:  Hugh McGarry & Michael McMorrow (Sligo) v Kevin Geraghty & Pat Hopkins (Mayo)

 Two Bronze medals for Gerry Coleman

Gerry Coleman from the Collooney handball club won 2 bronze medals at the World Police & Fire in  One-Wall & 40 x 20  games in Belfast at the weekend.

Colllooney handball club will officially start the construction to the new 40 x 20 handball court on Monday 12^th August.  

Photos from Collooney August 1st 2013

Collooney handball comittee back row left to right: Hugh McGarry Chairman, Seamus Duffy & Peter Davey.
Front row: Shane Bruen Club Secretary, Paddy Walsh & Mick Kelly.
Missing from photo - Connell Cannon, Peter Chambers, Stanley Harte & Michael McGee

               Martin Brannigan & Simon Cavanagh Connacht Junior B doubles finalists

                                   

                                  Sligo County Handball Chairman Shane Bruen

                                                   Mayo's Michael Ginley

                                             A smiling Dave Mulhern Donegal

County Juvenile U-17 A 60 x 30 trials

County Juvenile Trials

The trials for the Sligo U-17 A 60 x 30 will take place in Collooney on Tuesday next August 6^th at  7 pm.

1. Padraig  O' Dowd   v  Stanley Harte Jnr.

2.  Patrick Fox   v  Jason Earlis

FINAL winner 1  V  winner 2

Runner up in 1 v Runner up in 2.  Play off for place on doubles team with the runner up in final 

Further details can be had from  Shane Bruen & Oisin Quinn.

Connacht handball titles for Cooney & McCann

                                               Connacht handball champion Francis McCann

                                                 Connacht handball champion Martin Cooney

Peter Chambers & Stanley Harte contesting the Golden Masters B doubles final on Saturday

Mick McMorrow & Hugh McGarry contesting the  Connacht 60 x 30 Championships Emerald Masters A doubles final on Saturday

Cooney & McCann are Connacht Champions

Two Connacht handball titles won, five more in the shake up for Sligo players, writes Michael McGee

There was mixed results for Sligo handball players in Connacht singles finals last weekend.  Peter Chambers was first into action against Mayo’s John Conroy.   Chambers expected to do well but never got going against an inform Conroy. The Mayo man dominated right from the start and ran out a comfortable winner in the end in straight games.  Castleconnor’s Mark Murphy put up strong resistance against the favourite Michael Ginley in the Masters B singles final. Murphy pushed Ginley all the way in game one but Ginley finished the stronger taking it by 21-15.  Murphy could not keep up the momentum going into the second and Ginley over ran a tiring Murphy in the second winning out by 21-5.  The consistent Francis McCann again had a big win this time over Mayo’s Kevin Macken in the Golden Masters A singles decider storming home by 21-5, 21-8 while Castleconnor’s Martin Cooney was given a fright against Mayo’s George Miller in the Silver Masters B singles. Cooney was given a stern test by the Charlestown club man before winning through by 21-20, 21-14

Results Connacht handball  60 x 30 Championships finals

Masters B singles:  Mark Murphy lost to Michael Ginley  15-21, 5-21

Silver Master B singles: Martin Cooney dft George Miller 21-20-, 21-14

Golden  Masters A singles:  Francis McCann dft Kevin Macken (Mayo) 21-5, 21-8

Golden Masters B singles: Peter Chambers lost to John Conroy (Mayo)  7-21, 7-21

Sligo handball pairs in 5 more Connacht finals

There is a double header in Williamstown on Saturday involving Sligo doubles pairings with the Junior B & Golden Masters A doubles in action. Appearing in their first provincial final is the Collooney duo of Martin Brannigan & Simon Kavanagh. Both players impressed in the local Collooney 60 x 30 tournament back in May.  The Sligo players scored an exciting 21-19, 21-5 win over Galway Joe Connell & John Walsh. Two of the County’s new stars  will be eager to win Connacht championship medals at their first attempt.

Ballymote’s Francis McCann & Martin Golden will be out to put matters straight in the 60 x 30 Connacht final as back in February the Sligo men lost in straight games to the Roscommon men in the 40 x 20 final. The Sligo men received a bye to the final while Walsh & Doolin had a good 21-4, 21-10 win over Mayo’s Martin Vahey & Kevin Macken in their semi-final clash.  Golden & McCann will be hoping it will be Connacht title number eight together.

St.  Coman’s in Roscommon town will be venue for 3 more exciting ties on Saturday involving Sligo doubles pairings in Connacht finals. First into action will be the Golden Masters B doubles of Peter Chambers & Stanley Harte Snr.  Chambers & Harte had a thrilling victory over Galway’s Willie Corcoran & Pierce Lalor in their Golden Masters B doubles semi-final.  Both players displayed commendable battling qualities to stay in contention for the Connacht championship doubles title.  Trailing 14-2 to Galway in the tie breaker final game the Sligo men staged a remarkable recovery from the jaws of defeat to win an incredible contest by 20-21, 21-9, 21-15. Chambers will be disappointed following last week’s singles loss to Conroy and it could prove the perfect riposte for Chambers to make amends in the doubles.  The Sligo men are meeting their final opponents in the repeat of last year’s Connacht final. That match went to 3 games before Conroy & Cummins edged it.  Chambers & Harte reached the All-Ireland semi-finals 3 years ago and if they can repeat their semi- final heroics anything is possible.

Hugh McGarry has been starved of success having won the All-Ireland Masters B doubles title with Connell Cannon back in 1995 while Mick McMorrow won the Emerald Masters B doubles title with John McLoughlin 2 years ago.  The Sligo men face the formidable Kevin Geraghty & Pat Hokins. The Mayo men will start as red hot favourites but the Sligo duo if they can build up momentum could shock Geraghty & Hopkins.  McGarry & McMorrow reached this year’s All-Ireland 40 x 20 Emerald Masters B doubles All-Ireland semi-final and can count themselves a shade unlucky not to have reached the final. The Sligo men will need to step up their game considerably if they want to send the reigning Connacht champions packing in the Provincial decider.

In the final game on the St. Coman’s programme see’s the Silver Masters B pairing of Tom Foody & Martin Cooney in action against Mayo’s George Miller & Kevin Cox.  Cooney got a real test in the singles final against Miller last weekend but the Sligo pairing looked to be the more balanced and threatening of the two pairs. Cooney is aiming for his 4^th Connacht title of the year. Both Cooney & Foody starred in the Castleconnor club’s Connacht Interclub triumph and who were narrowly beaten by the Kells club  (Kilkenny)the eventual champions at the semi-finals stage in Crossakiel Co. Meath 3 weeks ago.  Cooney & Miller will yet again be the chief protagonist but Foody could turn out to be the real match winner. Foody is a very dependable player under pressure and it is this that should swing the contest in Sligo’s favour.

Connacht Championships 60 x 30 finals:

Saturday 3^rd August  in Williamstown at 6 pm.

Junior B doubles: Martin Brannigan & Simon Kavanagh (Sligo) v Liam O’ Ceallagh & Joe Fallon (Roscommon)

Golden Masters A doubles:  Francis McCann & Martin Golden (Sligo) v Ger Walsh & Dermot Doolin (Roscommon)

Saturday 3^rd August in St. Coman’s Roscommon at 5 p.m.

Golden Masters B doubles:  Stanley Harte & Peter Chambers (Sligo) v John Conroy & Joe Cummins (Mayo)

Emerald Masters A  doubles:  Hugh McGarry & Michael McMorrow (Sligo) v Kevin Geraghty & Pat Hopkins (Mayo)

Silver Masters B doubles:  Martin Cooney & Tom Foody (Sligo) v George Miller & Kevin Cox  (Mayo)

Preview of Connacht handball championships 60 x 30 finals Sligo v Mayo

Francis McCann in Connacht final on Sunday in Golden Masters A singles 


Sligo handball players aiming for Connacht Gold

Sligo players are involved in 4 provincial handball singles finals next weekend. Castleconnor’s Mark Murphy has a tough challenge ahead of him as he takes on the favourite Michael Ginley, representing Mayo from the nearby Bofield Club in the Masters B final. Ginley had a narrow win over Roscommon’s Seamus Connolly in the semi-final while Murphy received a bye into the final. Murphy will be pleased with his performances to date. Murphy a member of the Castleconnor team that won the recent Connacht Interclub 60 x 30 championships for the first time and were narrowly beaten by the Kells Club in the All-Ireland semi-final. Murphy will yet again have to produce the goods if he is to defeat the Mayo man.

 Murphy’s team mate Martin Cooney meets his old adversary in George Miller from the Charlestown Club in the Silver Masters B singles final. Whenever these two players meet there is little to separate them. In last year’s championships Cooney had a good win over Miller on the way to the All-Ireland final. Cooney will be hoping to win through in Connacht and reach the All-Ireland final for the second year in a row. Cooney’s displays have improved on last year and he should come through the Miller test and qualify for the All-Ireland series again.

Ballymote’s Francis McCann had a strong showing against Leitrim’s Eddie Lee in the Golden Masters A single semi-final last weekend and should also account for Mayo’s Kevin Mackin.  McCann like Cooney will be hoping to come through in Connacht and again challenge for All-Ireland honours this year. McCann last All-Ireland title win was 2 years ago and he will be eager to claim All-Ireland handball title number 18 in 2013.

Peter Chambers has the ability on turning on the style against more formidable opponents. Chambers is knocking on the door for the past number of seasons and if he can get the lucky break against Mayo’s John Conroy that he strives for, he can become Connacht champion after many years of perseverance. Coming into form at the right time the St. Mary’s clubman will be in buoyant mood following last weekend’s double success. Chambers the Newport native is determined to win the Golden Masters B Connacht title in his adopted County in the Sligo colours

Connacht handball 60 x 30 championships finals - 

Saturday July 27th in St. Comans at 5 p.m.

Golden Masters B singles:  Peter Chambers (Sligo) v John Conry (Mayo)

Sunday July 28th in St. Coman's at 3 p.m.

Golden Masters A singles: Francis McCann (Sligo) v Kevin Mackin (Mayo)

Sunday 28th July in Ballymoe at 3 p.m.

Silver Masters B singles:  Martin Cooney (Sligo) v George  Miller (Mayo)

Masters B singles:  Mark Murphy (Sligo) v  Michael Ginley (Mayo)

Great weekend in Sligo handball - Chambers & Harte magnificent comeback to reach Connacht final

Electric performance from Peter Chambers & Stanley Harte to qualify for this years Connacht 60 x 30 Golden Masters B doubles final (read report below)

Chambers & McCann into Connacht handball finals

Sligo players survive the  heat to reach provincial deciders writes Michael McGee

With high temperatures soaring over the weekend on the playing fields.  There was also sweltering conditions facing Sligo handball players in the Connacht handball championships semi-finals. In Collooney on Friday evening Emmett Brannigan from the host club put up a brave bid to reach the Junior C singles final but was narrowly beaten by Galway’s Colin Mitchell. Brannigan making his debut in the championships can be happy with his first outing in the Sligo colours.

In the following match seasoned campaigner Peter Chambers had a hard fought win over Roscommon’s James Kilboy. In soaring heat in the Collooney court Chambers showed the greater resolve and was rewarded with a place in this year’s Connacht final.  On Saturday evening one of Sligo’s all time greats Francis McCann had home advantage against Leitrim’s Eddie Lee. There is never much between these players when they meet but McCann made light work of the Leitrim man’s challenge racing home with an 21-8, 21-9 victory. In Collooney on Sunday Hugh McGarry’s big challenge to Galway’s John Ward just fell short. Ward took the opening game by 21-9 but McGarry made the Galwegin fight all the way in the second. Ward was relieved to get out of Collooney with a narrow 21-19 win in game two.

Sensational comeback by Harte & Chambers 

 It proved an excellent weekend for Peter Chambers as on Sunday in Williamstown in the Golden Masters B doubles semi-final with partner Stanley Harte snr. The duo had to pull out all the stops to reach the final in an immense battle.  Chambers & Harte were leading 12-2 in the opening game against Galway’s Willie Corcoran & Pierce Lalor but somehow contrived to hand the opening game to the Galway men. In the second Chamber & Harte played the more composed handball totally nullifying the threat from the Galway men taking game two by 21-9.  In the tie breaker it looked all over for the Sligo men with Galway seemingly destined to qualify for the final forging well clear by 14-2. Somehow and from somewhere the Sligo men threw everything at it to get back into the championship and slowly they turned things around with a stunning comeback.  Harte was sensational in the last game with sublime finishing and with Chambers full of running and great support play the Sligo men roared back into contention. The Galway men looked shell shocked as Sligo rallied strongly.  Chambers & Harte comeback was simply inspirational. The Sligo men worked their magic were now infused. With their greater intensity they allowed the Galway men just one further score as the heroics of Harte & Chambers attitude of never giving up when all seemed lost proved the catalyst for an extraordinary victory in the end by 21-15. In the Junior C doubles semi-final there was another great win for the Sligo pairing of Martin Brannigan & Simon Kavanagh. Brannigan & Kavanagh fantastic, composed handball was enough to record an excellent 21-19, 21-5 win over Galway’s Joe O’Connell & John Walsh in the Junior C doubles.
Connacht handball 60 x 30 championships semi-finals
Golden Masters A Singles:  Francis McCann (Sligo)  dft  Eddie Lee (Leitrim) 21-8, 21-9.
Golden Masters B  singles:  Peter Chambers (Sligo)  dft James Kilboy (Roscommon) 21-12, 21-17
Junior C singles: Emmett Brannigan (Sligo)  lost to Colin Mitchell (Galway) 12-21, 14-21
Emerald Masters A singles:  Hugh McGarry (Sligo)   lost to John Ward (Galway) 9-21, 19-21
Golden Masters B doubles: Peter Chambers & Stanley Harte Snr (Sligo) dft Willie Corcoran & Pierce Lalor (Galway) 20-21, 21-9, 21-15.
Junior C singles: Martin Brannigan & Simon Kavanagh (Sligo)  dft Joe O’Connell & John Walsh (Galway) 21-19, 21-5

Sligo handball players aiming for Connacht Gold

Sligo players are involved in 5 provincial handball singles finals next weekend. Castleconnor’s Mark Murphy has a tough challenge ahead of him as he takes on the favourite Michael Ginley, representing Mayo from the nearby Bofield Club in the Masters B final. Ginley had a narrow win over Roscommon’s Seamus Connolly in the semi-final while Murphy received a bye into the final. Murphy will be pleased with his performances to date. Murphy a member of the Castleconnor team that won the recent Connacht Interclub 60 x 30 championships for the first time and were narrowly beaten by the Kells Club in the All-Ireland semi-final. Murphy will yet again have to produce the goods if he is to defeat the Mayo man.
 Murphy’s team mate Martin Cooney meets his old adversary in George Miller from the Charlestown Club in the Silver Masters B singles final. Whenever these two players meet there is little to separate them. In last year’s championships Cooney had a good win over Miller on the way to the All-Ireland final. Cooney will be hoping to win through in Connacht and reach the All-Ireland final for the second year in a row. Cooney’s displays have improved on last year and he should come through the Miller test and qualify for the All-Ireland series again.

Ballymote’s Francis McCann had a strong showing against Leitrim’s Eddie Lee in the Golden Masters A single semi-final last weekend and should also account for Mayo’s Kevin Mackin.  McCann like Cooney will be hoping to come through in Connacht and again challenge for All-Ireland honours this year. McCann last All-Ireland title win was 2 years ago and he will be eager to claim All-Ireland handball title number 18 in 2013.

Peter Chambers has the ability on turning on the style against more formidable opponents. Chambers is knocking on the door for the past number of seasons and if he can get the lucky break against Mayo’s John Conroy that he strives for, he can become Connacht champion after many years of perseverance. Coming into form at the right time the St. Mary’s clubman will be in buoyant mood following last weekend’s double success. Chambers the Newport native is determined to win the Golden Masters B Connacht title in his adopted County in the Sligo colours
Legendary Sligo player Paddy Walsh needs no introduction when it comes to handball. The St. Mary’s Club man is striving for an unprecedented 29th All-Ireland handball title. Walsh is up against Mayo’s John Kenny in the Connacht final in the Over 70’s category and is as hungry as ever for more success. Walsh who won his first All-Ireland title back in 1974 is aiming for another coveted Connacht title in an illustrious career

Connacht finals fixtures - 
Saturday July 27th in St. Comans at 5 p.m.
Golden Masters B singles:  Peter Chambers (Sligo) v John Conry (Mayo)

Sunday July 28th in St. Coman's at 3 p.m.
Golden Masters A singles: Francis McCann (Sligo) v Kevin Mackin (Mayo)

Sunday 28th July in Ballymoe at 3 p.m.
Silver Masters B singles:  Martin Cooney (Sligo) v George  Miller (Mayo)
Masters B singles:  Mark Murphy (Sligo) v  Michael Ginley (Mayo)