Martin Mulkerrins has progressed to the quarter finals of the O’Neills Senior Singles Championship following a routine 21-5 21-13 victory over Kerry’s Dominick Lynch.
The Moycullen man enjoyed a fast start as he sought to bounce back from his tie break defeat to Robbie McCarthy at the Nationals. He eased to the first game before the experienced Lynch fought back in the second, but Mulkerrins was able to pull way and seal a deserved victory.
The Galway man now faces Wexford’s Gavin Buggy in the quarter-finals next weekend as he aims to move one step closer to defending his All-Ireland crown. If he wins that game, he could face McCarthy in the semi-finals in what would be a repeat of their Nationals game.
County Doubles Championships
Last weekend, six county doubles champions were crowned. Diarmuid Mulkerrins and Can O’Conghaile continued their fine partnership after winning the All-Ireland 60x30 Championships last year. They now progress to the Connacht semi-finals.
Moycullen’s Seamus Conneely and Conor Noone also claimed a county title as the Galway winners, and now progress to face Sligo or Leitrim opposition.
U21 Doubles: Diarmuid Mulkerrins and Cian O Conghaile dft Oisín Ó Cualáin and Peter Donoghue 21-7 21-13 Junior Doubles: Seamus Conneely and Conor Noone dft Kevin Craddock and Declan Connaughton 21-15 21-14 Junior C Doubles: Paul Conneely and Fiachra Mulkerrins dft Mike Dillon and Aengus Ó Fatharta 21-16 21-16 Masters B Doubles: Joe Connell and Tommy Duggan dft Domhnall Ó Céidigh and Máirtín Ó Biadha 21-9 14-6 inj Junior B Doubles: Naoise O Flatharta and Mairtín Seoighe dft Martin Lalor and John Lalor 21-19 21-13 Silver Masters B Doubles: Morgan Duggan and Graham Casburn dft Keith Donnellan and Mairtin O'Coisteala 21-13 21-10
Heffernan and McNeela
Sunday saw two great battles in Claregalway Handball Club to wrap up two of the county's adult four-wall divisions.
Newcomers to the league,league, Keith Greally (Claregalway ) and Seamus Heffernan (Salthill ) battled it out for the division three crown.
Greally pulled away to a 6-2 lead, but Heffernan turned on the style to bring the game back to 6-6. Both men refused to give an inch with the contest poised at 11-11. Greally delivered some improved serves to pull clear, but despite his best attempts, Heffernan was the more aggressive, finishing the first game out 21-14.
Heffernan raced into a 10-2 lead in the second game as although Greally continued to chase down every shot, Heffernan eventually claimed victory 21-14, 21-14.
County Junior C Champion Mike Dillon (Michéal Breathnach ) and Jack McNeela (Moycullen ), recently returned from the International Colleges Championships in America, contested the division one final.
From the first shot, the ball never flew above a height of two inches on the serve with both players using power and precision to make their serves and returns count. McNeela's time in America stood well to him and he pulled away to have a strong win in the first game of 21-7.
The second game was not so easy for the Moycullen man, with Dillon really turning on the style, but after a game of kills and sidewall spinners, McNeela eventually won 21-7, 21-10.
The division two title will take place on St Patrick's weekend between Joe O'Connell (Claregalway ) and Cathal Ó Conghaile (Inis Oírr ).
