Search Results for 'Brendan Judge'

The third annual John Gaffney Memorial Tournament hosted by the Williamstown club on Sunday last attracted a record entry of 50 boys and girls from clubs around the province. In the spirit of the late John Gaffney the event was confined to beginners and improvers of 14 years or younger. Following the opening two rounds the four semi-finalists were Daniel Lydon (Moycullen) and Patrick Murphy (Belcarra), Michael McAndrew (Moycullen) and Conor Dohohue (Belcarra), Martin Mulhern (Charlestown) and Brendan Foody (Castleconnor), and Conor O’Toole (Charlestown) and Jason Earlis (Castleconnor). Lydon and Murphy beat McAndrew and Donohue in the first semi-final while O’Toole and Earlis won the second. The final was a slightly one-sided affair with victory on the day going to O’Toole and Earlis on a 15-3, 15-6 scoreline. In a thrilling plate final played at Ballymoe, Martin Byrne (Kiltimagh) and Conor May (Charlestown) defeated Stephen Madden (Ballaghaderreen) and Tony Fox (Collooney) 13 aces to 11.

Dessie Keegan and Joe McCann’s hopes of back to back all-Ireland senior 40x20 doubles titles came unstuck in the feature event at a packed St Coman’s on Saturday evening last as the duo were comprehensively defeated by the superior Cavan pairing of Paul Brady and Michael Finnegan.

Mayo’s handball supporters will be out in force this weekend as the county features in all three matches on an excellent Moycullen card this Saturday from 3pm. Dessie Keegan and Joe McCann bid to reach their second successive All-Ireland senior doubles final when they take on Limerick duo Seamus O’Carroll and C J Fitzpatrick in the semi-final at the Galway venue. The Mayo pair have every reason to feel confident of a favourable result against the intermediate duo. Amy Corrigan gets matters under way as she takes on the impressive Catriona Casey of Cork in the girls’ minor singles final. Corrigan will have it all to do against the ever improving Casey but the Ballaghaderreen youngster has the edge in terms of experience. Stephen Cooney and Ian McLoughlin bid to follow up their great minor doubles success of last year when they take on Tadhg Carroll and John O’Keeffe of Cork in the under 21 doubles final, and on the evidence of their great record to date the pair should be celebrating another title.

Mayo featured in a number of all-Ireland 40x20 semi-finals against Leinster opposition last weekend, and while there was the odd success, it was the Leinster champions who were the better for the exchanges.

Dessie Keegan and Joe McCann’s dream of retaining their all-Ireland senior 40x20 doubles title is still very much alive following a comprehensive victory over Wexford duo Gavin Buggy and Paul Lambert at Roscommon last weekend. The Ballaghaderreen duo were in top form and rarely troubled by the surprise quarter-final qualifiers, the pair wrapped on the tie in just over 40 minutes on a 21-9, 21-5 score line. They now meet Limerick intermediate duo, Seamus O’Carroll and CJ Fitzpatrick, in the semi-final in three weeks’ time. It was also a busy weekend for adults and juveniles with a host of all-Ireland semi-final ties down for decision at various venues.

The main highlights of the weekend were the two provincial senior finals at Ballaghaderreen on Saturday. Much had been made of the all-Ballaghaderreen clash between Joe McCann and Dessie Keegan in the men’s final and a good attendance was expecting a close match. However it was clear from the off that while Keegan was on fire there was something seriously amiss with Joe McCann’s game. Keegan blitzed into a commanding 10 aces to nil lead, thanks to some powerful serving and what can be best described as a nightmare start for McCann. Although the game opened up somewhat toward the end of the first, Keegan maintained a hefty lead and won it comfortably 21 aces to six. Any hopes of a recovery by McCann in the second game were short lived as once again the impressive Keegan piled on the aces and the agony for McCann. While Joe McCann did cut the deficit to six aces at 13-7 and it looked for a brief moment that Keegan had lost his momentum this was quickly regained, as Keegan ran out a comfortable winner on a 21 aces to 9 scoreline.