Hannon and Cawley go for gold

Two Clare players will challenge for national honours this weekend when a number of All-Ireland 40×20 finals will take place.
Tulla’s Cathal Hannon plays the junior singles final against Monaghan man Terry Kiernan in Curraghboy on Sunday. Hannon had an impressive win over Wicklow’s Pat O’Donnell in the semi and hopes are high that he can claim the title this weekend.
On Saturday, Shannon man John Cawley will be in action in the golden masters B singles final. Cawley travels to Silvermines to take on Galway’s Denis Phelan having defeated Eamon Purcell of Kikenny in the semi-final.
The All-Ireland minor doubles final, which pits Colin Crehan and Niall Bolton against Tyrone pair Pol Clarke and Gabhainn McCrystal, will take place Saturday, April 7, in Cappagh, on the same programme as the men’s senior doubles and ladies’ senior singles deciders. There are also two attractive All-Ireland final triple-headers in Tulla and Tuamgraney this Sunday, including the intermediate singles final where Ballina man Ger Coonan flies the Tipp flag against recent All-Ireland minor champion Martin Mulkerrins.
On the underage front, meanwhile, Clare Munster juvenile champions play their All-Ireland semi-finals this weekend. The continuing strength of underage handball in the Banner County is underlined by the fact that seven Munster titles were picked up recently at girls U-12 doubles (Aoife Floyd, Niamh O’Brien), U-13 doubles (Evelyn Duggan, Laura Philpott), U-14 doubles (Doireann Murphy, Clodagh Nash), boys U-12 singles (Tiernan Agnew), U-15 doubles (Cathair Agnew, Jake Kearney) and U-16 singles (Colin Corbett).
The U-12 and U-13 championships only go to provincial level while the other winners all play their All-Ireland semi-finals this Saturday in Clarecastle, where the action starts at 11.30am.

Fixtures
All-Ireland adult finals, weekend 1 (singles)
Saturday, March 24, in Silvermines, Tipperary, 3pm: golden masters B singles: Clare (John Cawley) v Galway (Denis Phelan); masters B singles: Cork (John Kiersey) v Galway (Morgan Duggan); diamond masters B singles: Cork (Dave Stack) v Galway (Gerry Ó Fátharta).
Sunday March 25, in Curraghboy, Roscommon, 2pm: ladies junior singles: Mayo (Clodagh McMenamin) v Westmeath (Aoife McCarthy); junior singles: Clare (Cathal Hannon) v Monaghan (Terry Kiernan); U-21 singles: Kilkenny (Patrick Funchion) v Monaghan (Terry McElvaney).
Sunday, March 25, in Tulla, 1pm: ruby masters singles: Tipperary (Jim Ryan) v Galway (Morgan Darcy); intermediate singles: Tipperary (Ger Coonan) v Galway (Martin Mulkerrins); O-35B singles: Limerick (Paul Hedderman) v Galway (Trevor Hannon).
Sunday March 25, in Tuamgraney, 1pm: ladies minor singles: Limerick (Martina McMahon) v Roscommon (Lauren O’Riordan); emerald masters A singles: Limerick (Tom O’Brien) v Mayo (Kevin Geraghty); ladies intermediate singles: Mayo (Pauline Gallagher) v Cork (Catriona Casey).
All-Ireland Juvenile Semi-Finals (Munster v. Leinster).
Clarecastle, Saturday, March 24, 11.30am: B14S: Tipperary (Jason English) v Kilkenny (Shane Dunne); 12.15pm G14D: (Clare) Clodagh Nash/Doireann Murphy v Wexford (Holly Hynes/Róisín Walsh); 1pm G15D: Kerry (Aisling O’Brien/Michaela O’Donoghue) v Kilkenny (Eilis Regan/Aoileann Hennessy); 1.45pm B15S: Waterford (Daragh Lyons) v Wexford (Oisin Foley); 2.30pm B15D: Clare (Cathair Agnew/Jake Kearney) v Kilkenny (Padraig Cooney/Niall Walsh); 3.15pm B16S: Clare (Colin Corbett) v Kilkenny (JJ English); 4pm B16D: Tipperary (Padraig O’Donoghue/Daniel Hayes) v Kilkenny (Emmet Landy/Brian Mahon); 4.45pm G16D: Clare (Natasha Coughlan/Michelle Nihill) v Kilkenny (Denise Love/Derdrie Purcell).