Mayo’s Dessie Keegan remains Connacht’s only senior softball singles quarter-finalist after the third round matches were decided over the weekend. Keegan had the expected victory over Limerick’s Seamus O’Carroll in two games at Roscommon on Sunday. Always quick out of the blocks, the Ballaghaderreen club man won the first game impressively 21 aces to 3 and added the second 21-13 to advance to a quarter-final meeting with Wexford’s Gavin Buggy this weekend. However it was a different story for Keegan’s club mates, Joe McCann and Vinnie Moran, as they lost out heavily to Barry Goff (Wexford ) and Eoin Kennedy (Dublin ) respectively at the weekend. Pauline Gallagher recorded a hard-earned win over Cork’s Aisling O’Keeffe in her senior singles match at Ballina on Saturday last. The Swinford star showed a lot of determination to win out on a 8-21, 21-6, 21-19 scoreline.
Mayo were involved in a number of provincial softball matches at the weekend. Pat Moylette gave it everything before losing out to a very impressive Jamie Murray of Leitrim in the provincial junior C singles final, while Ciaran Burke was beaten 21-6, 21-13 in the junior singles semi-final by Chris Doolin of Roscommon who must now be odds-on favourite to clinch the title when he meets Galway’s Kevin Craddock next weekend. Ollie Cassidy retained his intermediate singles title as he got the better of Galway’s Ollie Conway on reasonably comfortable 21-8, 21-9 scoreline and he will now face Kilkenny’s Timmy Clifford in the All-Ireland semi-final at the end of the month. Joe Dowling as expected had a comfortable victory over Newport native Peter Chambers in the provincial silver masters B singles final on Wednesday evening last and the Ballaghaderreen man will have every chance against the Leinster champion in the semi-final.
The juvenile provincial championship gets under way with a number of county finals taking place last night (Thursday August 12 ) at Castlebar ahead of the semi-final against either Sligo or Leitrim opposition in the following boys grades this Sunday at Collooney from 1pm. The u13, u15, u16, u17 singles and u14 and u16 doubles are all down for decision. Galway play Roscommon in further semi-final matches at Williamstown this Saturday and the finals are scheduled for Williamstown and Ballymoe on Saturday August 21 at 11am, subject to court availability on the day.
