Castleconnor fare well in Feile and McCann carrying Sligo's hopes in Castlebar

Castleconnor Feile teams fare well
Galway hosted this year’s finals with over 8,000 players from all over the Country taking part in Hurling, Camogie and Handball. The Castleconnor Club from Sligo failed to get past the group stages. The Boys team finished runners up in the Boys Division 4 group. In their 1st game they lost to Mallow from Cork and then followed up with a draw against Russell Gaelic Union from Down before suffering defeat at the hands of the Kilfane club from Kilkenny. The Castleconnor team consisted of Brendan Foody, Cian Barrins, Sean Carrabine & Odhran Quinn
Castleconnor also entered a girls team and they were runners up in the Girls Division 2. The girls got off to a great start defeating Clarecastle from Clare but they were defeated by a strong Micheal Breathnach side from Galway and in their last game drew with the Clogh Club from Kilkenny.

McCann carrying Sligo’s hopes in Castlebar

All roads will lead to Castlebar this weekend for this weekend’s National One Wall Championships. With a record 500 taking part in grades from Boys/Girls U-10 to Over 65’s. This year there will be an International competition with teams from England,U.S., Italy, Puerto Rico and Ireland playing off on Thursday with some of the top players in the World in One-Wall handball especially William Polanco and Pee Wee Castro U.S.A, Peter White England, Herman Mendez Puerto Rico & Ireland’s Charly Shanks and Robbie McCarthy. Friday see’s the main action get underway at the Breaffy House Sports Complex with 5 1-wall courts and 2 new outdoor 1-wall courts have been added. Francis McCann in the Golden Masters looks to be the County’s best prospect on winning a National title. In last year’s competition the Ballymote man reached the final following great a great win over Mayo’s Kevin Geraghty but was narrowly defeated by Galway’s Eamon Conneely in an exciting finale.
Sligo will be represented by
Girls U-12 Rachel Foody,
David Walsh, Odhran Quinn, Vincent Harte Boys U-12
Brendan Foody Boys U-14
Marianna Foody, Aoife Quinn Girls U-14,
Barry McLoughlin, Stanley Harte, Ross Taheny, Jason Earlis Boys U-16
Tommy Trill Boys U-18.
Oisin Quinn Mens Challenger
Kevin Meehan & Damien O’Dowd Mens C
Francis McCann Golden Masters
Martin Golden Silver Masters,

Sligo Handball Photoalbum by Michael McGee

Sligo Juvenile 1 wall titles for Harte, Quinn & Swift

County 1-wall handball titles for Harte, Quinn & Swift

Castleconnor hosted the Sligo Juvenile 1-wall championships on Saturday and it was the young Castleconnor players that took most of the main prizes. Catriona Swift defeated her compatriot Rachel Foody in the Girls U-13 final. Aoife Quinn proved too strong for club mate Marianna Foody in the Girls U-14 final. Collooney’s Stanley Harte was the star in the Boys U-15 grade. Harte with his strong left hand using it effectively was the main difference in the final with Castleconnor’s Jason Earlis. Harte ran out a comfortable winner in the end by 15-9.


Girls U-13 singles: Catriona Swift Castleconnor dft Rachel Foody Castleconnor 8-3
Plate final: Mary Foody Castleconnor dft Leah Swift Castleconnor 15-7
Girls U-14 singles final: Aoife Quinn Castleconnor dft Marianna Foody Castleconnor 18-9

Boys U-13 plate final: Conor Booth Ballymote dft Sean Carabine Castleconnor 13-12
Boys U-15 final: Stanley Harte Collooney dft Jason Earlis Castleconnor 15-9
Boys U-15 plate final Barry McLoughlin Castleconnor dft Shane Wright Castleconnor 14-12.

McLoughlin helps Collooney to County Interclub win

McLoughlin inspires Collooney to County interclub win

The final of the Sligo handball Interclub 60 x 30 final took place in Collooney on Friday evening last. Veteran player John McLoughlin showed his experience when helping Collooney to an impressive 113-84 victory over Castleconnor. Collooney who reached the All-Ireland club final in 2009 handed a debut to 17 y.o. Tommy Trill. Trill played excellent handball is his 1st competitive game at senior level when getting the better of strong opponent in Castleconnor’s Mark Murphy. Trill took the 1st game by 21-17. Murphy began to read Trill’s style of play into the second and was able to counteract Trill’s early dominance with some sublime finishing, positional awareness and good serving to the teenager’s left hand. Trill held and early 9-6 advantage but Murphy worked harder and then took a sizable lead that he would not relinquish. Trill could not add to his score and Murphy powered home to an 21-9 win.
For the doubles in came John McLoughlin & Michael Bruen for Collooney and representing Castleconnor were Tom Foody & Tom Tuffy. McLoughlin & Bruen easily took the 1st game by 21-5 and it didn’t get any better for the Castleconnor men as McLoughlin served 17 winners in a row and Tuffy on the right side of court and was hapless to prevent McLoughlin’s onslaught. In the end it finished 21-3 in the Collooney’s men’s favour and the contest was effectively over. Collooney now lead by 72-46 leaving Collooney’s 2nd singles player Michael Bruen only needing 16 points for overall victory. This he did when defeating Joe Gorman 21-17, 20-21. Collooney will now go forward to the Connacht semi-finals where they will face the Mayo winners in Castlebar on Wednesday week.


Odhran plate runner-up in Williamstown

Brother & Sister Odhran & Aoife Quinn from the Castleconnor club recently took part in the Williamstown 1-Wall Tournament. Aoife had a very creditable showing when reaching round 2 of the Girls U-14 singles while brother Odhran reached the final of the Boys U-12 plate singles only to be beaten by Tyrone's Turlough Clarke on a final score line of 25-15.
County Juvenile 1-wall championships take place in Castleconnor on Saturday starting at 11 am in grades U13/15/17 singles
The County will also be organising a Juvenile doubles 1-wall championships in Curry to commemorate Curry’s 125th celebrations. The Championships will take place in the Cully One-Wall Court on Sunday July 31st at 11 a.m.

Odhran Quinn runner up in Boys U-12 plate final in Williamstown 1-wall tournament final

Odhran & Aoife Quinn from the Castleconnor Club


Aoife & Odhran Quinn Castleconnor recently took part in the Williamstown 1-Wall Tournament. Aoife had a very creditable showing when reaching round 2 of the Girls U-14 singles while brother Odhran reached the final of the Boys U-12 plate singles final only to be beaten by Tyrone's Turlough Clarke on a final scoreline of 25-15. Clarke was a member of the recent winning Tyrone team of 6 U12/13 that won the All-Ireland final

williamstown 2011
aoife quinn was in the u14 girls

aoife quinn (castleconnor) 21
v
meabh mcmahon (clann eireann) 4


2nd rd. aoife quinn(castleconnor) 14
v
eimear ni bhiadha (micheal breathneach) 25

Odhran Quinn was in u12

odhran quinn( castleconnor ) 12
v
brian flynn (ballaghadreen ) 13

PLATE
1st rd. odhran quinn 29
v
cathal treacy (mount talbot) 2
semi final odhran quinn got abye

final of plate odhran quinn (castleconnor ) 15
v
turlough clarke (brackey ) 25

Connacht Juvenile B U-16 doubles title for Noel McLoughlin & Shane Wright

Noel McLouglin & Shane Wright Connacht Juvenile B U-16 doubles champions for 2011

Congratulations to Castleconnor's Aoife Quinn member of the Connacht Girls team of 10 that beat Ulster in the Interprovincial final in Kilkenny recently. Aoife is pictured in the front row on extreme right. Also included in Tony Hannon Irish Handball President back row along with Francis Curran team manager back row on extreme right.



Castleconnor's McLouglin & Wright bring back Connacht Handball doubles title back to Sligo

Aoife Quinn Interprovincial title with Connacht



In the last games of the 2011 40 x 20 Juvenile handball season it was left to Castleconnor's Noel McLoughlin & Shane Wright to finally bring back Connacht gold to Sligo and the duo did not disappoint. In Castlebar yesterday the Sligo players playing in the Boys U-16 doubles final with their final opponents Stephen Regan & Ross Melvin coming form Roscommon. In a great final McLoughlin & Wright were composed throughout and with some great finishing held firm despite a spirited comeback from the Roscommon players to record a fully deserved 21-5, 21-14 victory. It was Sligo first Connacht Juvenile B title of the year.

It was a season of mixed fortunes for the young Sligo players Castleconnor’s Marianna Foody & Aoife Quinn representing Convent of Mercy Ballina won the Connacht Colleges 40 x 20 1st year girls doubles and the same duo won the Connacht Girls U-15 A doubles final but were beaten by Clare’s Natasha Coughlin & Michelle Nihill in Invirin in the Girls U-15 All-Ireland doubles semi-final.


Aoife Quinn played her part on the Girls (Connacht) Interprovincial team of 10 that beat Ulster in the final by 101-50 two weeks ago in O'Loughlin's Kilkenny.

The Boys U16/17 of Tommy Trill, Jason Earlis, Barry McLoughlin, Stanley Harte and Sub Alan Gilmartin beat Galway in the final of the Connacht U16/17 team final played in Williamstown by 60-42. However Sligo's "famous five" went down to Tipperary in the semi-final and the Munster champions went on to win the All-Ireland final.

Perhaps the most remarkable achievement by a Sligo Juvenile player this year came when 14 y.o Barry McLoughlin from the Castleconnor Club teamed up with Ballymote's Francis McCann to win the Annual Gerard Jones Memorial doubles tournament in Castleconnor last January with a display of outstanding handball.

World Handball Championships moved to October 2012

World Handball Championships moved to October 2012

Following extensive meetings and, in conjunction with the World Handball Council, a decision has been made as follows:


In light of issues and delays surrounding the preparations for the World Handball Championships in 2012 in Ireland, it has been decided to put back the date for the hosting of this hugely prestigious event in Ireland. This is in light of major work to be carried out in preparation for the event and now that the proposed new National Handball Centre in Croke Park has been ruled out to being ready in time to host this event.


It has already been passed and approved by GAA Handball Ireland Central Council that the World Championships will be hosted in conjunction with the Ulster GAA Council in Ulster Venues (with the use of North Leinster venues if required). Full details on venues will be released by end of May 2011.


This is a World Handball Council sanctioned event and, following discussion and authority by the World Handball Council Executive, it has been agreed to amend the date for the World Handball Championships (both 40x20 and 1-Wall) to a new date as follows:


World Handball Championships in Ireland 2012

(4-Wall 40x20 & 1-Wall)

Commencing Thursday 4th October 2012 and concluding by Sunday 14th

October 2012.