Big alley championships heating up for Clare handballers

WHILE Clare’s early Munster 60×30 championship fixtures have seen defeats in most grades, the tide was turned by Declan Frawley, who had an emphatic intermediate singles semi-final win over Tipp’s Adrian Supple recently.
There was also Golden Masters A Singles victory for Mike Kelly, while Pat Donnellan is also still in the Golden Masters B Singles race after receiving a walkover from his Cork opponent.
This week is again full of fixtures involving Clare players, including Declan Frawley’s Munster final in Cashel on Thursday night against either Cork or Waterford opposition, while Anne Marie Fitzgerald is in the ladies’ intermediate final.
Meanwhile, the TG4 Irish One-Wall Handball Nationals were held recently at the Breaffy House resort in Castlebar. One-wall handball is growing in popularity in a big way and a number of Banner County competitors travelled to Mayo.
The open events were dominated by the visiting American and Puerto Rican players but there were plate final victories for Clare payers John Cawley (Golden Masters A Plate), Ciarán Malone (18-and-under plate) and Niall Malone (Men’s Open Plate), who defeated fellow Clareman Jamie Lynch in the decider.
Diarmaid Nash reached the Men’s Open quarter-final, while Fergal Coughlan and Tiernan Agnew made it to the finals of the boys’ 14-and-under and 12-and-under events respectively. Ella Donellan won the girls’ 12-and-under competition.

Tuamgraney celebrations
TUAMGRANEY Handball Club’s Centenary Celebrations take place this weekend. GAA handball president Walter O’Connor will be on hand to officially reopen the club’s refurbished 60×30 court and also unveil a commemorative monument.
There will be a number of exhibition handball games on Saturday, while at Saturday night’s Centenary Gala Dinner, special guests Pat Kirby, Duxie Walsh and Walter O’Connor will join guest of honour,
Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh in celebrating 100 years of Tuamgraney handball.
The Centenary Celebration Weekend kicks off on Friday night with music in the marquee in the village. Saturday afternoon will see juvenile tournament finals and exhibition games of 40×20, 60×30 and one-wall handball, featuring some of Ireland’s top players, such as Duxie Walsh, Robbie McCarthy, Ger Coonan and Fergal Collins.
There will then be a mass for deceased members at 6.30pm in Tuamgraney Church. Following an after-mass procession from the church to the handball club grounds, led by the Tulla Pipe Band, national handball president Walter O’Connor will unveil a commemorative monument marking 100 years of handball in Tuamgraney. The monument depicts Tuamgraney legend and former world champion, Pat Kirby.
Pat is currently on a visit from Arizona where he now resides and will be present at the unveiling and will also be a special guest at the Centenary Gala Dinner that evening.

Munster 60×30 Championships
Thursday: Cashel – Intermediate Singles Munster Final: Declan Frawley v Philip Butler (Waterford) or Colm Jordan (Cork).
Friday: Bohermore – Ruby Masters Doubles: John Kirby and Jimmy Walsh v Cork.
Monday: Ballyporeen – Ruby Masters Singles: Jimmy Walsh v Michael Jordan (Cork).
Monday: Broadford – Ladies Intermediate Singles final: Anne Marie Fitzgerald v Karen Lawlor (Kerry).
Wednesday: Broadford – Golden Masters B Singles: Pat Donellan v Finn O’Connor (Cork).