Lastes news from Citywest World handball championships

World handball championships 2012

                                                

Sligo players struggling in World championships

The County's handball players are finding the competition in the World championships challenging. Gavin Cawley & Shane Bruen exited the Men's C singles in round one as did Martin Cooney in the Silver Masters B singles and Aoife Quinn in the Girls U-15 singles. Odhran Quinn in the Boys U-13 reached the 3rd round in the singles.

.
Mens C singles   (Sligo names first)
Shane Bruen lost out to Monaghan's James Gavaghan 9-21, 10-21
Gavin Cawley lost to Tom O'Shea of Wexford 10-21, 10-21


Boys U-13 singles: Odhran Quinn  dft Conrad Martin 15-4, 15-9
rd 2:  Odhran Quinn dft Neil Delaney 15-14, 15-3
rd 3. Odhran lost 10-15, 4-15

Girls U-15 singles: Aoife Quinn lost to  Roisin Cahill 8-15, 11-15

Silver Masters B singles: Martin Cooney  lost to Steven Brady 12-21, 18-21

Golden Masters A singles: Francis McCann lost 15-21, 18-21 to Paul Williams U.S.A


One Wall results:
Gavin Cawley  lost  to  Seamus Casserly 2-0
Shane Bruen lost to Eoin Mc Cafferty 2-1


Upcoming fixtures
Boys U-13 doubles:  Odhran Quinn & Liam Egan v Lawless & Heery
Girls U-15 doubles: Aoife Quinn & Leslie Amminson U.S.A v Alena Doonan & Aibhinn Henderson (Armagh)

Silver Masters B doubles:  Martin Cooney  & Aidan Bell (Sligo/Mayo) v Pat O' Flaherty & John Mc Quaid  (Tipperary)

Sligo handball press release on World handball championships

Sligo handball team

 

The waiting is almost over for the most eagerly awaited world handball championships that begin tomorrow in Dublin’s Citywest Hotel Convention Arena. The Convention centre will house 21 courts specially constructed for these championships. GAA Handball have pulled out all the stops in the last 10 months of planning  with preparations ready to fall into place into  the hosting of  the biggest & best  World  handball championships ever to take place.

 Thirty countries are taking part with 2,000 competitors all vying to become champions.  Sligo will be well represented in these championships with 8 players from the Yeats County aiming for World titles.  It won’t be easy for the likes of Shane Bruen from the Collooney Club and well known Sports Journalist Gavin Gawley from the St. Mary’s club who take part in the Men’s C singles in a grade with 200 players in it.  It will be a case of whoever is super fit rather than skill that will determine who will win this grade.  Martin Cooney & Oisin Quinn both from the Castleconnor club are both in the Silver Masters B singles  while Ballymote’s Francis McCann is entered in the Golden Masters A singles. McCann went to the final of both the 60 x 30 & 40 x 20 All-Ireland finals this year only to be beaten by the same player in Kildare’s Michael Dowling. The Ballymote man could face the lilywhite player again and may make it 3 rd time lucky and gain revenge for those All-Ireland defeats. Mc Cann is seeded no.4 in the singles the highest seeded Sligo player in the championships.

 It is an historic occasion for the Quinn family from Castleconnor with Dad Oisin, son Odhran & daughter Aoife all determined to make an impact.  All the Sligo players will face stern opposition with McCann & Cooney seen as Sligo’s best chance of winning major honours.   

 Ireland look set to dominate the 4 wall events with Cavan’s Paul Brady aiming to win his 4^th successive  Men’s open titles in 9 years  The Cavan star has dominated U.S. Canadian, Irish & World handball and has remained unbeaten since his first Men’s Open World title held in Dublin back in 2003.

Brady is ranked no.1 while Westmeath’s Robbie McCarthy is the number 2 seed. Mexican Luis Moreno is seeded 3 while top  U.S. player Sean Lenning is seeded 4^..   It could come down to an All-Irish Men’s final with Brady favourite to beat McCarthy in a repeat of this year’s All-Ireland final.  Same could be said in the ladies with Antrim’s Fiona Shannon like Brady aiming for her 4^th successive world ladies singles title.  Her main threat is likely to come from her club mate Aisling Reilly who defeated Shannon in the recent Golden Gloves tournament in Belfast just over a week ago. 

 The Main one wall events look to be dominated by players from the U.S  & Puerto Rico.  Timothy Gonzalez from the U.S. is the number 1 seed with Peurto rican players Herman Mendez & Wally Amaro seeded no.2 & 3 respectively.  Mendez on his first visit to Ireland won last year’s Men’s open title held in Breaffy House Castlebar. The highest ranking Irish player is Westmeath’s Robbie McCarthy at 6 the current Irish One-Wall champion. There will be live TV coverage from Tuesday 16^th October with the Men’s final due to be shown live at 9.30 p.m on TG4 that evening. 

 

 The first Sligo players into action will be Shane Bruen & Gavin Cawley in the Men’s C singles. This gets underway at 3.30 tomorrow afternoon.  On Friday sees Odhran Quinn in action in the Boys U-13 singles and later that evening Francis McCann will play the winner of the Paul Williams / Pecheilli English tie in the Golden Masters A contest.

 

 

 

 

 

Sligo Handball team ready for the World Handball Championships

 

 

Sligo Handball team for World handball championships:

 

 back row left to right Oisin Quinn, Shane Bruen, Francis McCann, Gavin Cawley

front row: Odhran Quinn, Fergus O' Donovan General Manager Radisson Blu Hotel Sligo, Peter Chambers Chairman Sligo Handball Board and Aoife Quinn

The Mighty Quinns a  family affair: Aoife, Oisin & Odhran

 

Ready to take on the world: Aoife, Oisin & Odhran Quinn

 

Handball is homeward bound

A select few will become champions for others broken hearts, shattered dreams but  lifelong  memories all rolled into one electrifying showcase of handball action at its very best and maybe,  just maybe a world handball champion will emerge from Sligo writes, Michael McGee.

“Each day I live I want to be a day to give the best of me.  I’m only one but not alone my finest day is yet unknown.” Words from a famous Whitney Houston song and it will have much retentiveness for all Irish handball players taking part in the World handball championships

Ireland will host the World handball championships from October 11^th - 21^st in the Citywest Hotel Dublin.  In a specially constructed handball arena built in the convention centre will comprise of 13 40×20 Four Wall Courts and 8 One Wall Courts

 Overall there will be 2000 competitors from 33 countries ranging in age from Boys/Girls U-11 to Over 80’s in 128 grades of four wall & one-wall handball competitions.  Ireland has hosted the event on 3 previous occasions 1970, 1994 & 2003. In 1970 the new National Handball 60  x 30 Centre was built for the occasion. In that final seen Clare’s Pat Kirby defeat Louth’s Joey Maher (the reigning champion in Toronto 1967) who was representing Canada at the time in the Men’s Open final. The legendary duo Kirby & Maher both went onto win 3 World handball titles respectively. Twenty four years later in 1994 the Waterford Crystal sponsored world championships returned and were held in Clare, Dublin, Kildare and Meath venues.  A total of 650 players from 10 countries took part in 39 events and Irish players won 20 titles.

The 2003 Men’s Open final which was an All-Irish affair will be best remembered when Cork’s Tony Healy generously gave all his time outs to Cavan’s Paul Brady who sustained an injury in the second game.  After receiving treatment Brady returned to the fray. Healy took that 2^nd game. Brady got more treatment during the 5 minute break and he came back to win the tie breaker and world title.  Brady acknowledged Healy’s great sportsmanship in his victory speech immediately afterwards saying “if I could give half the trophy to Tony I would.”  Healy received a special presentation and a standing ovation at the annual handball awards for his outstanding sportsmanship later that year.

 Brady has gone on to become a legend in Irish Handball having dominated Irish, Canadian, U.S. & World handball. The 33 year-old Cavan star will be aiming for an unprecedented 4th World handball title in a row. Brady has won seven Irish Nationals, seven U.S. National titles, a record 8 All-Ireland singles & 7 doubles titles in an astonishing career. Considering the World championships take place every 3 years the Breffni man is the no.1 player for the past nine years and remained top of the pile. He has proven unbeatable in all that time.  Few would bet against Brady winning a remarkable 4^th title.  Antrim’s Fiona Shannon is also aiming for the same equivalent in the ladies open. There will be live TV coverage from Wednesday 17^th October onwards to the final stages.

 In 2003 a thousand players entered. A short nine years has seen huge strides in the sport and  this figure has doubled demonstrating the universal appeal of handball.  GAA Handball is a member of the International Federation called (WWBA) World Wall Ball Association and has teamed up with the World Handball Council and the CIJB (European & South American Associations). 

 Next year handball will be a demonstration sport in the World games in Cali Columbia.  Fifty nations will be needed to advance the games and the real prospect of participation in the next Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro 2016. The question is; when and not if the national sport of GAA handball will become a reality as an Olympic sport. In the last World championships in Portland Oregan in 2009 Ireland came home with 35 titles.  I expect this to be greatly increased and pass the half century mark.

Already our own John Cawley a National School teacher in the Holy Family National School in Tubbercurry is advancing this cause. Last May he brought a number of sixth class pupils to Biecz in Southern Poland to demonstrate handball to the pupils there. Shortly the Polish School will pay a return visit to Tubbercurry and no doubt with John’s efforts Poland will soon be added as a member of the handball family. Fr. Martin Jennings the well known handball Priest is now the P.P in Tubbercurry and it is expected handball will reach new levels with these people involved.  

Sligo players taking part will be Shane Bruen, Gerry Coleman Gavin Cawley Men’s C a grade which has a staggering 200 competitors. Francis McCann Golden Masters A, Martin Cooney Silver Masters B, Odhran Quinn Boys U-13, Aoife Quinn Girls U-15, and Oisin Quinn Silver Masters.  Bruen, McCann, Cooney & Aoife Quinn all reached All-Ireland finals this year and who knows any of our players may win the biggest prize of the lot.   Maybe, just maybe Sligo will be celebrating a first in G.A.A circles with a World champion.  What a prospect that would be. Sligo handball hearts are already beating strongly. Let the championships begin. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Radisson sponsor Sligo Handball

Sligo Handball Sponsorship:

Odhran Quinn, Fergus  O' Donovan General Manager Radisson Blu Health & Spa, Peter Chambers Chairman Sligo Handball Board & Aoife Quinn. Radisson sponsor Sligo Handball by Michael McGee

The Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa Sligo are the new sponsors of Sligo handball. On Saturday Chairman of the Sligo Handball Board Peter Chambers accepted the sponsorship from General Manager Fergus O' Donovan. It could not have come at a better time as an 8 member team will represent the County at the 2012 World Handball Championships which will be held in the Citywest Hotel Dublin from October 11th-21st next. Overall there will be 2000 competitors from 33 countries ranging in age from Boys/Girls U-11 to Over 80’s in 128 grades of four wall & wall handball competitions. Peter Chambers Chairman of the Sligo handball board said “they were delighted to be associated with the Radisson Hotel. The Hotel is very supportive of Sligo G.A.A and now G.A.A Handball in the county. I thank Fergus and the Hotel for their excellent sponsorship.” Fergus O' Donovan in reply stated that “the hotel is delighted to be in a position to support Sligo handball an ever increasing participation sport. It is wonderful to see so many young players involved in Gaelic Games such as handball. I would like to wish all Sligo players the very best of luck in the World handball championships.”

Congratulations to Mick Hoare Ballymote on winning 2 All-Ireland Football final tickets

Photo from left to right: Paddy Egan, Martin Golden Sligo Handball Development Officer, Mick Hoare & Tom Brehony Manager Doddy's Bar Ballymote The winning ticket was sold in Doddy's Bar Ballymote. The winner was Mick "Tott" Hoare from Ballymote. Mick is a Kildare native and has been going to All-Ireland finals for the past 30 years. The winning ticket was sold by Martin Golden Ballymote. The Sligo Handball Board would like to thank everyone who bought tickets. It was a very successful draw and all money raised will go towards Juvenile handball development in the County.

Sligo win 3 Connacht Juvenile handball titles

Connacht handball champions Vincent & Diarmuid Harte receiving their Connacht medals from Connacht handball president Peter Heaney -



Jonathon Devanney Boys U-15 singles Connacht champion

A Towering performance as Padriag O'Dowd Ballymote stands head and shoulders over Francis McCann on receiving his Connacht U-17 singles winners medal - Congratulations to all the winners





Sligo Juvenile players win 3 Connacht handball titles

Ballymote & Collooney hosted the Connacht Juvenile B championships 60 x 30 finals on Sunday and Sligo players secured 3 provincial titles. Ballymote Jonathan Devaney had an exciting victory over Mayo’s Thomas Caffrey in the first final of the day. The Harte's Vincent & Diarmuid celebrated their first Connacht title with a straight sets victory on home soil much to the delight of coach and Vincent's father Stanley. Odhran Quinn was defeated by Roscommon’s Oisin Cusack in the U-13 final while Ballymote’s Padraig O’ Dowd got the better of Sean Leyden in the U-17 equivalent to bag his first Connacht medal.

Boys U-14 Singles final: Jonathan Devaney (Sligo) dft Thomas Mc Caffrey Mayo) 15 -11, 15-11.
Boys U-12 Doubles final: Vincent & Diarmuid Harte (Sligo) dft Canice Bennett & Mark McCoy (Mayo) 15-8, 15-10.

Boys U-13 Singles final: Odhran Quinn (Sligo) lost to Oisin Cusack (Roscommon) 11-15, 10-15

Boys U-17 Singles final: Padraig O'Dowd (Sligo) dft Sean Leyden (Leitrim) 21- 10, 21- 15

The monthly meeting of the Sligo Handball Board will take place in the Teeling Centre Collooney on Wednesday evening at 8 p.m.

The World handball championships take place in Ireland this year in the Citywest hotel from 11th -21 October and Sligo players taking part will be Shane Bruen Men’s C, Francis McCann Golden Masters A, Martin Cooney Silver Masters B,Gavin Cawley Men's C Odhran Quinn Boys U-13, Aoife Quinn Girls U-15 singles and Oisin Quinn Silver Masters. Overall there will be 2,000 competitors from over 30 Country’s taking part.

County Juvenile B 60 x 30 championships , Castleconnor win 3 titles

The Sligo Juvenile B 60 x 30 championships took place in Ballymote. Castleconnor emerged as the top club winning three of the six titles on offer. One of the matches of the day was the Boys U-11 singles final with Collooney's Aaron Bruen defeating the gallant Conor Finn from Ballymote in an exciting final that went to a tie breaker.

BOYS UNDER 11 SINGLES SEMI FINALS:

Jason Dwyer (Ballymote dft Oisin Harte (Collooney) 15 4, 15 5
Aaron Bruen (Collooney) dft Connor Finn (Ballymote) 15 10, 15 12

Final: Aaron Bruen (Collooney) dft Jason Dwyer (Ballymote) 15 10, 10 15, 15 7


BOYS UNDER 12 SINGLES ROUND ROBIN:

Darra Barrins (Castleconnor) dft Vincent Harte (Collooney) 15 10, 15 4
Vincent Harte (Collooney) dft Diarmaid Harte (Collooney) 2 games to 1
Darra Barrins (Castleconnor) dft Diarmaid Harte (Collooney) 15 4, 15 7

Winner: Darra Barrins Castleconnor


BOYS UNDER 13 SINGLES FINAL:

Ordhain Quinn (Castleconnor) dft Tony Fox (Collooney) 15 6, 15 4


BOYS UNDER 14 DOUBLES final:

Brendan Foody Sean Carabine (Castleconnor) dft David Woods & Steven Mulligan (Ballymote) 15 4, 15 10


BOYS UNDER 15 SINGLES SEMI FINALS:

Connor Booth (Ballymote) dft Leigh Kielty (Ballymote) 21 5, 21 17
Michael Finn (Ballymote) dft Mathew Cunnane (Ballymote) 21 9, 21 12

FINAL:Michael Finn (Ballymote) dft Connor Booth (Ballymote) 21 20, 21 11


BOYS UNDER 16 SINGLES SEMI FINALS:

Padraig O' Dowd (Ballymote) dft James Mulligan (Ballimote) 21 4, 21 5
Barry Mc Loughlin (Castleconnor) dft Sean Golden (Ballymote) 21 14 21 8

FINAL: Padraig O' Dowd (Ballymote) dft Barry Mc Loughlin (Castleconnor) 21 8, 21 8

Quinn to win Connacht title

Castleconnor's Odhrain Quinn will be favourite to bring back his second Connacht Juvenile B 60 x 30 title in as many years follwing his success in last year's final. Quinn's clubmates Brendan Foody & Sean Carabine are also expected to do well in the Boys U-14 doubles while Ballymote's Padraig O' Dowd who shocked Castleconnor's Barry McLoughlin in the County final could also go all the way in Connacht.

The Connacht Juvenile B semi-finals & finals will take place in Ballymote & Collooney next Sunday September 16th starting at 11 am. Sligo will be represented by the following

BOYS UNDER 11 SINGLES: Aaron Bruen( Coolooney)

BOYS UNDER 11 DOUBLES: Jason Dwyer & Conor Finn(Ballymote)

BOYS UNDER 12 SINGLES: Darra Barrins (Castleconnor)


BOYS UNDER 12 DOUBLES:Vincent Harte & Diarmaid Harte (Collooney)


BOYS UNDER 13 SINGLES: Ordhain Quinn (Castleconnor)


BOYS UNDER 14 SINGLES: Jonathan Devaney (Ballymote)


BOYS UNDER 14 DOUBLES: Brendan Foody & Sean Carabine (Castleconnor)


BOYS UNDER 15 SINGLES: Michael Finn (Ballymote)


BOYS UNDER 15 DOUBLES: Connor Booth & Leigh Kielty (Ballymote)


BOYS UNDER 16 SINGLES: Padraig O' Dowd (Ballymote)


BOYS UNDER 16 DOUBLES: Barry M c Loughlin (Castleconnor) & Sean Golden (Ballymote)


GIRLS UNDER 12 SINGLES: (Castleconnor)

GIRLS UNDER 13 SINGLES: (Castleconnor)

GIRLS UNDER 15 SINGLES: (Castleconnor)