HANDBALL is back in full swing and everything points to a busy few months ahead with the regular club competitions and the added excitement of World championships to come at the end of October.
Girls Interprovincial:
The girls team event was the season opener for the younger players. This interprovincial team event is a prestigious one as the four provinces select players from thirteen to seventeen years to battle for the honours.
Clare had Anna Madden, Chloe Hannon, Juliet Moroney, Isabelle McInerney, Tara Lucas, Claire Minogue, Jane Hogan and Tracy Tuohy on the Munster team. Christy Philpott and Marie Millane were involved as mentors.
The Munster team had reached the final last year just losing out.
They went one better this time round coming home with gold medals having defeated Connacht in the semi-final and then accounting for Leinster, who had defeated Ulster, in a tight final.
Boys teams events:
Clare represent Munster in the U14/15 team event and accounted for Tipperary over the weekend.
They will play the winners from other provinces in Croke Park on October 12. The team includes Charlie Collins, Conor Littleton, Sean McGee, Sean Daly, Darragh Casey, Cillian Cummins, Colm Whelan and Lochlainn Collins.
Clare will play Waterford in the U16/17 team event. That team is Martin Bon, Finn McConnellogue, Donnacha Cantwell, Luke Madden, Dermot O’Halloran and James Brookes.
The U12/13 team defeated Tipperary at the weekend but lost out to Cork. The Clare team comprised of Daniel Madden, Cillian Howard, Walter Moroney, Eliah Kenny, Darragh Donovan, James Hoban, Iarla Kelleher and Patrick Burke.
Centenary Event:
Marking the 100 years of handball Leinster ran an Interprovincial team event in Croke Park last week. Clare were represented with Iarla Kelleher, Eliah Kenny, Jack Cahill, Sean Considine, Eoin Shanahan, Daniel Madden, Luke Madden and Claire Minogue. They played a mix of 60×30 which Munster won. 40×20 where Munster boys were runners up to Leinster by 6 aces along with One wall for boys and girls.
Adult Doubles World Trials:
Clare had two in the men’s doubles trials for Team Ireland positions over the weekend. Sean Coughlan paired with his one wall winning partner Rory Grace. They won the round of 16 game and just lost out in the tie break to current All-Ireland champions from Cork, Michael Hedigan and Daniel Relihan 11-2.
Colin Crehan paired with Kevin Diggins of Kildare on the weekend as Diarmaid Nash was unavailable and lost out at semi-final stage having won their round of 16, and their quarter final in a tie break. The event was won out by Robbie McCarthy and Joe McCann.
