Crehan and Murray beaten in Belfast Finals
Belfast hosted the first handball ranking event of the 40×20 season last weekend. A large number of Clare players travelled to compete in grades ranging from the Open grade to C grades. It was the Open grade though where two of Clare’s finest had the Belfast crowds in awe.
Colin Crehan (Kilkishen HC) played in some titanic battles enroute to the Open Final, including a semi-final win in an epic clash against Diarmuid Nash (Tuamgraney HC). Colin and Diarmuid gave everything they had, in a match which had some breath-taking rallies, but it was the Kilkishen man who came out on top on a score line of 15-14, 15-11.
Colin then went on to face Westmeath’s Robbie McCarthy, who is the current All Ireland Senior Singles Champion. McCarthy took control from the off and Crehan found it hard to gain any momentum and it was the Mullingar man who would take the Golden Gloves Title for 2019 on a final score of 15-3, 15-1.
The story of the weekend however was the amazing performance of Glenn Murray in the Men’s B grade. Glenn, who is one of the top Junior B players in Munster, was competing in a grade which is predominantly for Junior players a full grade above his own current grading. However, this did not phase the Newmarket on Fergus man one bit.
One of Murray’s most interesting ties came in the semi-final also, where he met another Newmarket on Fergus native, Conor Maxwell, who now lives and plays his handball in Swords, Dubln. Although Maxwell put up a strong challenge, it was Murray who showed his skill and fitness to win after a tie-breaker on a score of 15-7, 9-15, 11-2.
Glenn then went on to play Ciaran Crothers (Antrim) in the final. Earlier this year Crothers was runner up in the 2019 All Ireland Junior B Singles Final. Much like Colin Crehan in the Men’s Open, Glenn just never seemed to get into the game. The Antrim man was ruthless from start to finish, winning on a score line of 15-4, 15-10.
Other Clare players who competed over the weekend were; Men’s Open – Fergal Couglan Jnr, Ladies Open – Doireann Murphy, Men’s A – Niall Bolton, Ciarán Malone, Men’s B – Pat Nolan, Men’s C – Blake Sheedy, Shane Hayes, Darren O’Neill.
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Adult County Championship Results
There were a number of grades in action last week in the Clare Handball Adult Championships. Action started on Monday night in the Junior B Singles where Kevin O’Callaghan (Kilkishen) defeated Ryan O’Neill (Clooney Quin) 21-8, 21-5.
On Wednesday night the action moved on to Newmarket on Fergus where Shane Hayes/Darren O’Neill (Clooney Quin) defeated Brendan Hannon/Aidan Moroney (Kilkishen) 21-7, 21-20 in the Junior B Doubles.
Newmarket also hosted action in the Intermediate Doubles on Thursday night where Tiarnan Agnew (Kilkishen)/Mark Rodgers (Tuamgraney) defeated Fergal Coughlan Jnr/Seán Coughlan (Clooney Quin) 21-7, 21-13.
On Saturday in O’Callaghan’s Mills, Darren Cullinane (Newmarket on Fergus) defeated Henry McGrath (Kilkishen) 21-14, 21-0 in the Junior B Singles and Aidan Moroney (Kilkishen) defeated Brian Reilly (Toonagh) 21-4, 21-10 in the Masters’ B Singles.
In the Under 21 Singles Mark Crehan (Kilkishen) defeated Fionn Slattery (Tuamgraney) 21-14, 8-21, 21-4, also Conor Downes (Tuamgraney) defeated Darragh Burke (Newmarket on Fergus) 11-21, 21-10, 21-16 in Tulla.
Finally on Sunday, Seán Coughlan (Clooney Quin) defeated Patrick Crotty (Tuamgraney) 21-19, 21-5 and meanwhile in Newmarket on Fergus, Patrick Clune/Ryan O’Neill (Clooney Quin) defeated Paul Gleeson/Darren Cullinane (Newmarket on Fergus) 21-19, 21-16 in the Junior B Doubles.
Clare Handball Adult Championship Fixtures
Date: Thursday, November 21st, Venue: Kilkishen, Time: 20:00
Men’s Junior Singles: Christy Philpott Jnr -v- Pat Nolan.
Venue: Newmarket on Fergus, Time: 20:00
Men’s Junior B Singles: Seán Murphy -v- Darren Cullinane.
Men’s Junior B Singles: Shane Walsh -v- Darren O’Neill
Date: Friday, November 22nd, Venue: O’Callaghan’s Mills, Time: 20:00
Men’s U21 Singles: Conor Downes -v- Mark Crehan
Men’s U21 Singles: Fionn Slattery -v- Darragh Burke
Date: Saturday, November 23rd, Venue: Tuamgraney, Time: 12:00
Men’s Intermediate Singles: Niall Bolton -v- Mark Rodgers
Men’s Intermediate Singles: Fergal Coughlan Jnr -v- Tiarnan Agnew
Men’s Minor Singles: Seán Coughlan -v- Tiarnan Slattery
Venue: Clooney, Time: 15:00
Men’s Junior B Singles: Glenn Murray -v- Brendan Hannon
Men’s Junior B Singles: Paul Gleeson -v- Kevin O’Callaghan
Men’s Junior B Singles: Shane Hayes -v- (Shane Walsh or Darren O’Neill)
Venue: Kilkishen
Men’s Junior Singles: Ciarán Malone -v- Christy Philpott Jnr at 13:00
Men’s Masters’ B Singles: Alan Cummins -v- Aidan Moroney at 20:00
Date: Sunday, November 24th, Venue: O’Callaghan’s Mills, Time: 20:00
Men’s Junior B Doubles: Oisín Molloy/Shane Walsh -v- Seán Murphy/Kevin O’Callaghan
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Clare Handball Juvenile Blitzes
Juvenile Blitzes continue this weekend with the Under12/13 and U14/15 League Playoff Finals, while Round 4 games take place in the Under 12/13 Blitzes and Under 18 grades. Also in action are the U11 players for Round 2 of their blitzes.
Under 12/13 A League Playoffs, Sat Nov 23
Venue: Newmarket on Fergus at 10am (Teams to attend: Clooney, Tuamgraney, Newmarket, Tulla, Kilkishen)
Under 12/13 B Blitz Round 4, Sat Nov 23
Venue: O’Callaghan’s Mills at 10:30 am (Teams to attend: Toonagh 1, Newmarket, Tuamgraney 1, Clooney 1, Kilkishen)
Venue: Clooney at 10 am (Teams to attend: Clooney 2, Clooney 3, Toonagh 2, Toonagh3, Tuamgraney 2, Tuamgraney 3)
Under 11 Blitz Round 2, Sun Nov 24
Venue: O’Callaghan’s Mills at 10:00 am (Teams to attend: Tulla 1, Tuamgraney 1, Kilkishen 1)
Venue: Toonagh at 10 am (Teams to attend: Clooney 1, Toonagh 1, Kilkishen 2)
Venue: Tuamgraney at 10:00 am (Teams to attend: Tulla 2, Toonagh 2, Tuamgraney 2, Clooney 2)
Venue: Clooney at 10 am (Teams to attend: Clooney 3, Tulla 3, Kilkishen 3, Toonagh 3)
Under 14/15 League Play Offs, Sun Nov 24
Venue: Tulla at 10am (Teams to attend: Tuamgraney 1, Clooney, Newmarket, Tuamgraney 2, Tulla)
Under 18 League Round 4, Sun Nov 24
Venue: Clooney at 6pm (Players to attend: Patrick Crotty, David Considine, Seán Whytcombe, Chloe Philpott)
Venue: Tuamgraney at 6pm (Players to attend: Seán Coughlan, Tommy Minogue, Orla O’Brien, Gearóid Sheedy)
Venue: Newmarket at 6pm (Players to attend: Seadhna Liddy, Tony Leyden, Rossa Keehan, Dara Keogh)
Venue: Tulla at 6pm (Players to attend: Arron Shanahan, Jamie Howard, Leah Minogue, Oisín McInerney)
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Clare Handball League Division 1
Kilkishen B too strong for Tuamgraney in Round 7
Kilkishen B (Conor Cooney, John Cooney, Seán Murphy, Kevin O’Callaghan) travelled to Tuamgraney on Tuesday night November 12th to play the home side (Conor Downes, Gearóid Sheedy, Tiarnan Slattery, Patrick Crotty).
Kilkishen B were playing on the back of a bye week and this seemed to be just the tonic they needed to get Kilkishen B back in contention in Division 1. The returning Conor Cooney played a pivotal role in helping Kilkishen to a narrow 72-61 victory.
The second tie of the night Clooney Quin v Newmarket on Fergus was postponed.
The match of Round 8 will be the return clash of Kilkishen B v Clooney Quin
Tues Nov 19th at 8pm – Clare Handball League – Division 1, Round 8
Venue: O’Callaghan Mills – Match: Kilkishen B v Clooney Quin
Venue: Newmarket – Match: Newmarket on Fergus v Kilkishen A
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Clare Handball League Division 2
Clarecastle and Kilkishen win out in Round 8
In Toonagh the home side (Kevin Hassett, Brian Reilly, Alan Cummins, Michael Callinan) had a real battle against Clarecastle (Patrick Casey, Darragh Healy, Finbar Sheridan, Jamie Coughlan) but it was the Clarecastle men who came home with a win on a score of 76-65.
Kilkishen (Niall Crehan, Greg Shanahan, Mark Crehan, Mark O’Donovan) used their home court to their advantage in a win against Clooney Quin B (Cian Keogh, Kevin O’Brien, David Sheehy, Paschal Brooks) on an overall score line of 81-48.
The third tie of the night, Clooney Quin A v Newmarket on Fergus was postponed.
Tie of Round 9 will be, Newmarket on Fergus v Tuamgraney.
Wed Nov 20th at 8pm – Clare Handball League – Division 2, Round 9
Venue: Clooney – Match: Clooney Quin B v Clooney A
Venue: Newmarket – Match: Newmarket on Fergus v Tuamgraney
Venue: Clarecastle – Match: Clarecastle v Kilishen
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Clare Handball League Division 3
Toonagh make it Seven from Seven
Toonagh A (Brian Reilly, Michael Callinan, Noel Barry, Philip Lucas) continued their complete dominance of Division 3 with another win over Kilkishen (David Kennedy, Alan O’Dea, Colm Cleary, Daniel Cotter) 84-38 on Monday night November 11th.
Newmarket on Fergus (Colin O’Halloran, Pat Callinan, Barry O’Driscoll, Cian Fawl) defeated Tuamgraney (Keith Hogan, Oisín Molloy, Jason McCarthy, Emmett Ryan) on a score of 78-44.
Clooney Quin (Kevin Keogh, David Sheehy, Brian Clune,Cian Keogh) had another big win against Toonagh B (Eoghan Hynes, Pat Lynch, Shane Griffin, Brian Griffin) on a score of 84-9.
Next week’s match of Round 7 is Toonagh A v Clooney Quin.
Mon Nov 18th at 8pm – Clare Handball League – Division 3, Round 7
Venue: Toonagh – Match: Toonagh A v Clooney Quin
Venue: Kilkishen – Match: Kilkishen v Newmarket on Fergus
Venue: Tuamgraney – Match: Tuamgraney v Toonagh B
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