More All-Ireland glory for Clare

AS the 60 x 30 handball season draws to a close, Clare were involved in three deciders on the last weekend of All-Ireland finals, winning two doubles titles, to add to singles medals already captured by Pat Donellan and John Kirby.
All three finals were played at St Coman’s, Roscommon town on Saturday and first up was the ladies’ junior singles final between Tuamgraney’s Ashling Fitzgerald and Aoife McCarthy of Westmeath. Fitzgerald won a great first game 21-19 but, despite putting up a great battle, was defeated 21-11, 21-13 in the next two games.
Pat Donellan and Stephen McInerney played Cavan pair Andy Clarke and Dermot Dolan in the golden masters’ B doubles final. Similar to Donellan’s epic singles final win two weeks previously, the Clare duo were again forced to go the full distance to claim victory in the third game on a 12-21, 21-9, 21-12 scoreline.
After recovering from losing the first game, the Kilkishen clubmen always looked in control and never looked like losing.
Also always in control were John Kirby and Jimmy Walsh, who won the Ruby Masters’ doubles title. In truth, the Dublin pair Michael O’Brien and Pat Ryan were no match and cousins Walsh and Kirby had little trouble in winning 21-4, 21-1.
Ballina man Fergal Collins continued his unprecedented run of success when he captured the 60×30 U-21 singles crown at the weekend.
Collins beat Kilkenny’s Ger Anthony 21-5, 21-14 in Talbot’s Inch in Kilkenny on Saturday and, uniquely, has now won U-21 singles titles in both the big and small alley for the second year in-a-row.
Collins’ Ballina clubmates Martin McInerney and Michael Gleeson reached the Masters A Doubles final, where they had home advantage against Kilkenny legends ‘Duxie’ Walsh and DJ Carey on Monday night last.
After putting up a strong fight, the Tipperary pair eventually lost out in the third game, 8-21, 21-16, 9-21.