THE upcoming week will be a busy one for handballers on the local, Leinster and national scenes. Games are in full swing, and the action will be coming thick and fast over the next few weeks.
Thursday at O’Loughlin’s (1) 8pm minor S, Patrick Brennan (Mothel) v Brendan Hyland (Kells); 9pm Mas Bs, Gerry Murphy (Goresbridge) v Eamon Holohan (Kilfane); at Kells 8pm Mas C, Joe Anthony (Mullinavat) v John Duggan (O’Loughlins); at Windgap 8pm Mas C, Michael O’Shea (Windgap) v Simon Walsh (Windgap).
Saturday at Kells (4pm) minor S, Sean Tierney (Kells) v Stephen O’Dwyer (Kells); 5pm ladies S, Ciara Mahon (Clogh) v Marie Walsh (Kells); at O’Loughlin’s (2) 7pm Sen D, Ciarain Neary/Murt Lalor (Talbot’s Inch) v Eddie Burke/Joe Hennessy (O’Loughlin’s); at Goresbridge (4pm) Jun BS, Dan Breen (Kells) v Kevin Law (Mullinavat); 5pm Jun S, Padraig Maher (Clogh) v Noel Doherty (O’Loughlin’s); at Windgap (7pm) Sp Jun BS, Aaron Buttler (Windgap) v Sean Foley (Windgap).
Monday at O’Loughlin’s (1) 8pm Diamond Mas, Seamus Reade (Talbot’s Inch) v Jim Dooley(O’Loughlin’s) or Pat Savage (Talbot’s Inch); 9pm Mas BD, David Bourke/Danny Bourke (Mothel) v Pat Funchion/Paddy Fennelly (Kells).
Today (Wednesday) at Leixlip, Masters A doubles, Michael ‘Ducksie’ Walsh/D.J. Carey v Tom Sheridan/John Leahy, Meath.
The following Kilkenny players are in action in the All-Ireland semi-finals next weekend. No fixtures were available at time of print.
Leinster venues - Diamond Masters B singles, Kilkenny (Michael Dalton) v Cork (Dave Stack); Ruby Masters singles, Kilkenny (Paddy Reilly) v Clare (John Kirby) or Tipperary (Jim Ryan); ladies junior ‘B’ singles, Kilkenny (Rachel Hogan) v Clare (Ashling Fitzgerald); under-21 singles, Kilkenny (Patrick Funchion) v Cork (Arthur O’Neill); Masters A singles, Kilkenny (Michael Walsh) v Cork (Stephen Palmer).
Munster venues - Golden Masters B singles (John Cawley, Clare) v Kilkenny (Eamonn Purcell); ladies minor singles, (Martina McMahon, Limerick) v Kilkenny (Mary Phelan); over 35 B singles (Paul Hedderman ,Limerick) v Kilkenny (Stephen Barcoe); junior ‘B’ singles (John Ferncombe, Tipperary) v Kilkenny (Brendan Burke); silver Masters ’A’ singles (Paul McGrath, Tipperary) v Kilkenny (Billy Bourke).
Saturday (12 noon) at O’Loughlin’s, under-12 S, Kilkenny (Ciaran Cooney) v Carlow (Dinny Farrell); under-12 D, Kilkenny (Eoin Brennan/Jack Hayes) v Carlow (Eoin Hosey/Cormac O’Brien); under-13 S, Kilkenny (Conor Murphy) v Carlow (Liam Murphy); under-13 D, Kilkenny (Cathal Barry/Eoin Regan) v Carlow (Joseph Byrne/Shay Byrne); under-14 S, Kilkenny (Shane Dunne) v Kildare (Sean Muddiman).
Under-14 D, Kilkenny (Mark Purcell/Roy Cullen) v Kildare (Kevin Diggins/Kevin Tobin); under-15 D, Kilkenny (Padraig Cooney/Niall Walsh) v Carlow or Kildare; under-16 S, Kilkenny (J.J. English) v Carlow (Jim O’Leary); under-16 D, Kilkenny (Emmett Landy/Brian Mahon); under-17 S, Kilkenny (Brendan Hyland) v Carlow (Joey Curtis).
Under-12 S, Kilkenny (Dearbhail O’Keeffe) v Kildare (Leah Doyle); under-12 D, Kilkenny (Margaret Foley/Edel Mulholland) v Kildare (Mollie Dagg/Niamh Masterson); under-14 S, Kilkenny (Aoife Holden) v Kildare (Hannah Dagg); under-15 S, Kilkenny (Karen Walshe) v Kildare (Saoirse Sunderland).
Girls - under-12 S, Dearbhail O’Keeffe (Kilfane) bt Sian Cooke (Offaly); under-12 D, Margaret Foley/Edel Mulholland (Windgap/O’Loughlins) bt Roisin Byrne/Shannon Byrne (Offaly); under-13 D, Sorcha Delaney/Margaret Purcell (Clogh/Windgap) bt Bronagh Byrne/Soirse Hart (Offaly); under-14 D, Aine Dunne/Caoimhe O’Shea (Windgap) bt Avril Deegan/Elaine Spencer (Laois); under-15 S, Karen Walshe (Kells) bt Laura Walsh (Laois); under-15 D, Aoileann Hennessy/Eilis Regan (Clogh) bt L. Dunphy/E. Delaney (Laois); under-16 S, Kirsty Maher (Kells) bt Niamh Nolan (Laois).
Boys - under-12 S, Ciaran Cooney (Clogh) bt Eoghan Doheny (Laois); under-12 D, Eoin Brennan/Jack Hayes (Kells) bt C. Kelly/C. Mulhall (Laois); under-13 S, Conor Murphy (Kells) bt Padraig Delaney (Laois); under-13 D, Cathal Barry/Eoin Regan (Clogh) bt L. O’Neill/E Deegan (Laois); under-14 S, Shane Dunne (Clogh) bt Aaron Blake (Offaly); under-14 D, Marc Purcell/Roy Cullen (Clogh/Kells) bt C. Smith/D. Geugan (Offaly); under-15 S, Sean Carey (Goresbridge) bt Jack Murphy (Offaly).
Under-15 D, Padraig Cooney/Niall Walsh (Clogh/Windgap) bt D. Doheny/S. Fitzpatrick (Laois); under-16 S, J.J. English (Goresbridge) bt David Mulhall (Laois); under-16 D, Brian Mahon/Emmet Landy (Clogh/Windgap) bt C. Costigan/T. Fitzpatrick (Laois); under-17 S, Brendan Hyland (Kells) bt Eoin Hickey (Offaly); under-17 D, Ronan Egan/Eoin Doyle (Clogh) bt David Rigney/Cathal McNamee (Offaly).
In ladies Junior BD Rachel Hogan/Marie Walshe(Kilfane/Kells) bt Ellen O’Connor/Aileen Quinn (Kildare); Brendan Burke(Kells) had a great win in the Junior BS over favourite Peter Flanagan (Meath). Patrick and Peter Fuchion defended their title with a good win over Eghan Hennessy and Padraig Maher (Clogh).
Kilkenny players defeated in Leinster finals - Junior D Niall O’Connor/Paul Moran, Kildare defeated Ger McGrath/Ciaran Neary; LJBS final Rachel Hogan (Kilkenny) dft Marie Walshe (Kilkenny); junior BD final D O’Toole/M Whelan defeated Brendan and Diarmuid Burke (Kk) lost 21-6 21-8. In Intermediate Doubles Nickey Anthony /Brian Manogue lost to Wexford’s M.Cash/M.Berry. Masters players Joe Anthony/Gerry Murphy (Mullinavat/Goresbridge) lost to Carlow’s M.Doyle/E Sunderland. In Masters Billy Bourke/ Billy Walsh lost to E.Jensen/F.Daley Dublin.
Minor S Sean Tierney (Kells) bt Ronan Egan (Clogh) in third game; Junior BS James Burke (O’Loughlin’s) defeated John Fitzgerald (Kells) 21-6, 21-9; minor singles Stephen O’Dwyer(Kells) bt Fergal Lalor (Talbot’s Inch); Masters BS Tom OKeeffe (Kilfane)bt Pat Funchion(Kells); junior BS Stephen Hally (O’Loughlin’s) w/o Dan Breen (Kells); minor singles, Brendan Hyland (Kells) defeated Cillian Treacy (Kells); Masters BS, Gerry Murphy (Goresbridge) bt Paddy Fennelly (Kells).
Minor doubles, Cillian Treacy/Stephen O’Dwyer (Kells) defeated Sean Tierney/Brendan Hyland (Kells) 21-19 21-8; junior BS, Andrew O’Dwyer (Kells) bt Andy Smith (O’Loughlins); senior S, D.J. Carey (Goresbridge) w/o Ger McGrath (Kells) injured.