It was a busy week on almost all handball fronts with action for seniors, juniors, masters, and students alike. Vincent Moran and Campbell Brennan have reached the provincial senior doubles final as they recorded a hard-earned two games to one victory over determined Roscommon pair Neil McDermott and Niall McGrath at Roscommon on Friday evening. The Ballaghaderreen club men won the first game 21 aces to 10 but lost the second 21-13. They had to battle all the way in the third before winning it by a singe ace 21-20 to set up an all-Mayo final. The second semi-final, postponed due to the US Collegiates, features Dessie Keegan and Joe McCann against Stephen Cooney and Ian McLoughlin.
In the second series of provincial semi-finals against Roscommon opposition Sean Ryder and Brian Quigley lost out to St Coman’s duo Oisin Naughton and Shane Hennelly in two games in the junior B doubles at Ballaghaderreen. Tim Hughes and Michael Corbett were also defeated in the diamond masters’ doubles match, despite winning the first game 21-17 against Pat Clarke and Noel Raftery, the duo lost the next two games 21-9, 21-14 to exit the championship. Martin Vahey and Ger Prendergast from Claremorris also came off second best against Lisacul duo Anthony O’Donnell and Martin Bruen in two games. John Kenny was called in as a later replacement for the injured Sean Heany in the ruby masters’ doubles but the Mayo duo lost out in three games to Clooncans’ Michael Nolan and Francis Daly.
The news was not all bad as late entrant Ollie Cassidy chalked up a good win against Roscommon’s Chris Doolin in his intermediate singles semi-final on a 21-16, 21-6 scoreline while Aidan Bell and Sean Cunnane marched on to the provincial silver masters’ B doubles final with an easy win over Roscommon duo Robert Hill and Adrian Duffy. They are likely to face a much stiffer test from Galway in the decider in two weeks time.
