Big weekend ahead for Galway Handball

Galway Interest in All-Ireland Senior 40x20 Finals
Weekend

The biggest weekend of the handball year sees Galway handballers one game away from claiming 40x20 All-Ireland titles. Galway’s Niamh Heffernan faces Leah Doyle (pictured) in the All Ireland Minor final in Kingscourt tomorrow in what is the latest instalment of their rivalry. The Kildare woman won last year’s All-Ireland final while her Claregalway opponent lost in the semi-finals.

The Leixlip player was expected to come through the Junior Nationals to qualify for the Worlds but Heffernan pulled off an upset to win and seal her place on the plane to Minnesota. Heffernan beat Doyle once more at the World Championships in the U17 four wall singles before Doyle evened the score when winning the Wall-ball final against her Connacht rival. Both players have comfortable qualified for the final in a grade in which great players such as Caitriona Casey and Aisling Reilly have won.

Kicking off the action on Friday
will be Williamstown’s Kieran Hanley who plays John Kennedy of Tipperary.
Hanley beat Tyrone’s Seamus McRory in the semi-final on a tiebreak and knows he
will need a big performance to claim All-Ireland glory. Morgan Darcy plays
Eugene Kennedy in the Over 70s final in what promises to be a close encounter.

On Saturday, Eimear Ni Bhiadha, who won the Ladies Junior B title last year is now one game away from winning the ladies junior singles. The Micheál Breathnachs player faces Clare’s Caitriona Millane in the final. Last year’s 60x30 U21 All Ireland champion Diarmuid Mulkerrins will look to add the 40x20 title to his collection when he plays Kildare’s Kevin Diggins in the U21 final. Mulkerrins had an excellent victory against Antrim’s Dean Fox and will fancy his chances of another All-Ireland title.

Kingscourt, Cavan
Friday 22nd March, 6pm
Senior Masters B Singles: Kieran Hanley v John Kennedy (Tipperary)

Over 70s: Morgan Darcy v
Eugene Kennedy (Dublin)

Saturday, 23rd March, 9:45am
Ladies Junior Singles: Eimear Ní Bhiadha v Catriona Millane (Clare)

U21S: Diarmuid Mulkerrins v
Kevin Diggins (Kildare)

Court 2, 4:30pm
Ladies Minor Singles: Niamh Heffernan v Leah Doyle (Kildare)

Sunday 24^th March

All-Ireland Juvenile Finals

• Boys U15 Doubles: Cathal & Dara Ó Laoire (Galway) v Harry Delaney/David Sherman (Kilkenny)
• Boys U16 Singles: Galway (Mikey Kelly) v Kilkenny (Billy Drennan)

Court 2

• Girls U14 Doubles: Leah Ni Mhainnin/Cliodhna Ni Chonghaile (Galway) v Hannah Grace/Leanne Gold (Tipperary)
• Girls U15 Doubles: Amanda Ni Bhradaigh/Meabh Ni Chualain (Galway) v Jennifer Nicholas/Aoife Dooley (Clare)
• Girls U16 Doubles: Eadaoin Nic Dhonnacha/Skylyn Ni Mhaille (Galway) v Chloe Philpott/Leah Minogue (Clare)
• Girls U14 Singles: Emma Kinane (Galway) v Jodie Keeling (Wexford)

CONNACHT 4-WALL
DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS 2019           
                     
             

This weekend the first two Connacht doubles finals take place. Graham Casburn and Morgan Darcy travel to Claremorris while Naoise Ó'Flatharta and Máirtín Seoige travel to Roscommon to face Gordon Nolan and Michael Egan.

SATURDAY 23rd MARCH

CLAREMORRIS, Co Mayo@ 5pm

SMBD Martin McAndrew & Kevin Cox (Mayo) v Graham Casburn &
Morgan Duggan (Galway)

SUNDAY 24th MARCH

St COMANS, Co Roscommon@ 1pm

Junior B Doubles: Gordon Nolan & Michael Egan (Roscommon) v Naoise Ó Flatharta & Máirtín Seoige (Galway)