Clare savours a season of five Munster champions

As the 60 x 30 provincial handball championships come to a close, Clare handball followers can toast five Munster champions at four adult grades but they will reflect on a season that could have delivered more for the Banner County.

Kilkishen clubmates Pat Donnellan and Stephen McInerney claimed the Munster 60 x 30 Golden Masters (over 50) doubles title with an impressive 21-7, 14-21, 21-18 Munster final win over Tipperary’s Martin Ryan and Donal Quinn at Tuamgraney on Wednesday. Donnellan had already secured the singles crown after overcoming Ryan in another three-game decider the previous week, adding to the Munster junior singles title won by Declan Frawley. The Clarecastle man won the provincial championship for the second year running with a comprehensive 21-17, 21-8 win over Limerick’s JP O’Connor in Ballina.
Clare’s other big alley Munster champions are Tuamgraney’s Edel O’Grady and Ashling Fitzgerald, who were awarded the ladies’ junior doubles crown as the only entrants in the grade.
Newmarket’s Mike Kelly and Charlie Coughlan were unlucky to be defeated in their Munster golden masters doubles final against Tipperary after taking the match to a third game while in U-21 doubles, Fiachra Hayes and John Kennedy (Clooney) also reached the Munster final but were well beaten by Ballina pair Fergal Collins and Declan Gleeson.
Anne Marie Fitzgerald of Tuamgraney was beaten in the Munster Intermediate singles final by Catriona Casey from Kerry. Clare’s five Munster champions will play their All-Ireland semi-finals in the coming weeks (August 20 to 27) while the next fortnight will also see the start of the Munster juvenile championships, where the Banner County will also be hoping for success.
The underage grades kick off for Clare on August 7 at the Munster semi-final stage and will see Clare players against the winners of Tipperary and Kerry at the various age levels (U-12 to U-17, boys and girls).
Meanwhile, Ger Coonan of Ballina reached the Munster senior singles final at the weekend but was defeated by Kerry’s Dominic Lynch. The Glenbeigh native won a cracking game at Hospital on a 21-17, 13-21, 21-20 scoreline.