Successful First Hosting of Galway She’s Ace Competition
For the first time, Galway Handball hosted a county She’s Ace Competition which over 80 ladies handballers playing in venues across Galway. The action began early Saturday morning in alleys across Galway as players from the different clubs took part in this exciting new event. Ciana Ní Churraoin was present on the finals day in Salthill as she talked to players and answered their questions. This was a great opportunity for our players to learn from the best.
Inexperienced and seasoned handballers were catered for with players participating in two games on Saturday and on Sunday. All participants were presented with a medal and t-shirt. We would like to thank all the venues that played host to this event especially Salthill Handball Club which hosted the finals day.
This was a fantastic warm-up competition for the National She’s Ace weekend in Breaffy which takes place from 18th-20th January.This is a competition that the players love to compete in.
An All-Galway Final in the Curraghboy Doubles Tournament
Diarmuid Mulkerrins (far left) and Cian O'Conghaile (far right) are presented with their medals.
There was an all Galway showdown in the final of the Annual 2019 Curraghboy Doubles Tournament last weekend, when Diarmuid Mulkerrins & Cian Ó Conghaile (Moycullen & Micheal Breathnachs handball clubs) defeated Seamus Conneely & Conor Noone (Moycullen) by the tightest of margins, 31-30.
Galway were well represented in the tournament with nine players participating:
Seamus Conneely & Conor Noone (Galway)
Diarmuid Mulkerrins & Cian Ó Conghaile (Galway)
Pat Conway & Kieran Hanley (Galway)
Ollie Conway & Pat Nolan (Galway & Clare)
Kevin Craddock & Declan Connaughton (Galway)
In the Cup Semi-Finals, Ian McLoughlin & Ciaran Burke lost out to Mulkerrins/O'Conghaile 31-26, while Seamus Conneely& Conor Noone defeated the Roscommon pair of Denis Creaton& Sean Jennings by 31-23.
In the showpiece event, Mulkerrins and O’Conghaile started strongly to take a 7-1 lead but the Moycullen pair of Seamus Conneely and Conor Noone pegged them back to 11-11. The older duo of Conneely & Noone then went to 23-19 up, and eventually got serving twice for the match at 30-23. Their greater experience looked to be telling but this final was far from over.
Mulkerrins and O’Conghaile got one last chance to serve and the reigning 60x30 All-Ireland doubles champions showed great composure to come back and eke out the win on a final score of 31-30.
Championship Begins
The County Handball Championship commenced this weekend with last 16 ties being played in the Junior B and Junior C singles grades. The quarter finals of the Junior Singles, Junior B, Junior C, Silver Masters B and U21 singles competitions must be played by Sunday 13th January.
