Oisín Ó Cualáin (Micheál Breathnachs) retained his Premier Division title against Kieran Hanley (Williamstown) in a cracker of a game that finished 21-11, 21-8.
The first game started with Hanley taking a 7-4 lead. Ó Cualáin came roaring back and took back the serve and began pounding out inch high serves over the serving line. Even with these top class serves, the Williamstown man was able to get a return and kept the game in line for another 20 minutes.
A time-out was called at 15-9 and after this, the Breathnachs player turned on the power and rattled out more low thunder serves to help him win the opening game 21-11. The first game was a battle that lasted 50 minutes.
Ó Cualáin opened the serving in the second game, but it was Hanley who pulled ahead to lead 2-0 after five minutes of hand-outs.
Hanley changed tactics and slowed the game down to bring take the power shots away from his opponent. This tactic worked well to bring his score to 4-2, but last year’s champion soon regained his composure and his low power shots turned the tide in his favour.
Ó Cualáin led 11-6 at the first time out but and the time out seemed to favour the Connemara man as he rattled out power serves to bring the score to 17-6. Hanley put up a very admirable defence against the inch perfect corner serves and regained two aces in the dying stages.
Ó Cualáin again got back into serve and served it out to regain his title.
The crowd's approval of a cracking 90-minute battle was evident in their applause and roars at every long rally with both players getting a standing ovation.
The final was a great reflection of the current standard of top-level Galway Handball. We would like to thank our new title sponsor RITEWAY ENGINEERING for their continued support of our sport into 2019.
The league continues for Divisions 1, 2 & 3 from December to February with the finals set to be held as a festival of Handball in Late February 2019.
All players are invited to apply through their club secretaries to enter the County Championship & we hope to see you all in the alley in the coming months.
Moycullen Handball Open
The Moycullen Open takes place from 14th to 16th December with Martin Mulkerrins leading the Galway charge at an action packed weekend of handball. This is an Elite Men's Open Ranking Event will see tournament ambassador and reigning All-Ireland champion Martin Mulkerrins compete against Golden Gloves champion Diarmaid Nash & multiple All-Ireland champion Robbie McCarthy on what promises to be a cracking weekend of handball.
Photo: (from left to right) Eric O'Brien - League Secretary and Cisteoir Galway Handball Board, league champion Oisín Ó Cualáin (M. Breathnach) and league runner-up Kieran Hanley (Williamstown).
