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Clare’s young guns bid for All-Ireland glory


THIS Sunday sees the All-Ireland 40×20 juvenile handball championship finals take place. Tuamgraney will play host to five finals, all featuring Clare players. The event starts at 11am.
Clare have had great success in recent years at underage level and this trend continues as the Banner County contest the finals of the girls’ U-15 doubles (Natasha Coughlan and Michelle Nihill, both Clooney); U-16 doubles (Paula Loughnane and Shauna O’Brien, both Clooney); U-17 doubles (Alice Akers and Stacey Wright, both Tuamgraney); boys’ U-14 singles (Colin Corbett, Tulla) and U-16 doubles (Barry Nash, Tuamgraney and Niall Bolton, Tulla). While this is Alice Akers and Stacey Wright’s first championship, the other seven players have plenty of championship experience and have been preparing hard over recent weeks. Clare will be hopeful of at least a couple of titles and a great day’s handball is in prospect for all Clare handball followers.
The following weekend, meanwhile, is the first of two adult All-Ireland final weekends and Clare will be well represented here also. Shannon’s John Cawley plays the Silver Masters final against Brendan Judge of Mayo at Silvermines on Saturday April 18 at Silvermines at 2.30pm, while the following day at O’Loughlin’s, Kilkenny, Pat Donellan (Kilkishen) takes on Michael Dowling of Kildare in the Golden Masters decider at 3.30pm. The weekend after, April 24 to 25) rounds up the 40×20 All-Irelands and the Banner County will be chasing titles in the ladies’ junior B doubles (Ashling Fitzgerald, Edel O’Grady); junior singles (Lisa Loughnane) and junior doubles (Anne-Marie Fitzgerald, Louise Hayes) grades.
On the local handball front, meanwhile, the Clare Leagues reach their concluding stages. Kilkishen were successful in capturing both the Division 2 and 3 titles, defeating Tuamgraney and Clooney respectively. The Division 1 decider will see an eagerly awaited clash between O’Callaghan’s Mills and Clarecastle while it will be an all-Magpies final in Division 4 next Wednesday after both Clarecastle A and B teams came through their semi-finals.

Sunday: GAA Handball All-Ireland Juvenile 40×20 Championship Finals in Tuamgraney commencing at 11am:
Girls
U-16D: Clare (Paula Loughnane and Shauna O’Brien) v Kilkenny (Ciara Mahon and Mary Phelan); U-15D: Clare (Natasha Coughlin and Michelle Nihill) v Galway (Mary Fahy and Shannon Keady); U-17D: Clare (Alice Akers and Stacy Wright) v Dublin (Lisa McKenna and Susan Clinton).
Boys
U-14S: Clare (Colin Corbett) v Wicklow (Daniel Curry); U-16D: Clare (Barry Nash and Niall Bolton) v Carlow (Martin Mullins/Cian Lawlor).

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