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Overall it was a great weekend for Mayo’s handballers young and old, male and female, and a one hundred per cent record in all competitions, two All-Ireland titles and the possibility of two further titles this Saturday.

It was a good week for Ballaghaderreen handballer Dessie Keegan who partnered Joe McCann to reach the last four of the all-Ireland senior doubles championship with a comfortable 21-8, 21-7 victory over Munster’s only challengers, C J Fitzpatrick and Paul Hedderman of Limerick.

Galway Mayo Institute of Technology is offering 120 free part-time places on six courses as part of this year’s Springboard initiative for jobseekers announced at the weekend.

Dessie Keegan and Joe McCann’s long held dream of a senior softball title was well and truly shattered once again as the Ballaghaderreen duo had to give second best to the impressive Tom Sheridan and Brian Carroll of Meath in the senior decider at Abbeylara on Saturday last.

On a particularly busy weekend for handball with the first series of all-Ireland adult and juvenile finals, the overall picture was one of great joy for many of Mayo’s contenders although there were some disappointments also.

Handball took centre stage in Roscommon town last weekend with St Coman’s handball club hosting the Connacht senior handball finals. It was an all Ballaghaderreen affair, with established star Joe McCann and up-and-coming Stephen Cooney playing for the spoils.

On one of the busiest weekends in the 60x30 season there were some top class performances and results for Mayo’s handballers, who secured three All-Ireland titles and a place in the senior singles decider this weekend. The excellently appointed Williamstown court was packed for the two senior doubles semi-finals and ladies senior singles final last Saturday, and all three matches lived up to expectations. Dessie Keegan and Joe McCann were first up as they faced legendary 40x20 champion Paul Brady and long-time partner Michael Finnegan, in a somewhat unique pairing. Keegan and McCann beat the duo two years ago to claim their one and only senior doubles title in the 40x20. Keegan and McCann started at a blistering pace, with McCann in particular on top form, and with the Cavan men struggling to come to terms with the power and killing ability of the Mayo duo the opening game was won impressively 21 aces to 9. In the second Keegan and McCann looked to close out the contest as they led 13 aces to 3 at one stage. However a determined fight back from Brady and Finnegan soon had matters level at 14 aces all. The Mayo duo should have pushed on from there but they let matters slip further and lost this game 21-16. Any concerns that the Mayo camp might have had in the deciding third were swiftly allayed as Keegan and McCann once again found their feet and they ran out comfortable enough winners, 21 aces to 10, to book a place in Saturday’s final. The second semi-final was a also a thrilling affair and it saw Wexford duo Gavin Buggy and Colin Keeling get the better of Kilkenny’s Michael Ducksy Walsh and Michael Clifford on a 21-18, 18-21, 21-4 scoreline.

Mayo’s Amy Corrigan and Pauline Gallagher secured a hard-earned first ever senior ladies 60x30 all-Ireland title against hot favourites and reigning champions, Maria Daly and Ashley Prendiville at Abbeylara on Saturday afternoon last. However Mayo’s Dessie Keegan failed in his bid to reach a first ever men’s senior singles at the same venue.

It was not been the best of weekends for Connacht counties competing in all-Ireland finals with the tally of just one title won out of seven contested. That sole winner came to Mayo's Ciara and Clodagh McManamon who, as widely expected - claimed the All-Ireland Ladies Junior B doubles title at the expense of Kilkenny's Rachel Hogan and Maria Walsh on a 21-10, 21-10 scoreline at Crinkle on Saturday and a second title for Ciara McManamon who defeated Hogan in the singles final last weekend.

Stephen Cooney heads the list of Mayo hopefuls into the second series of All-Ireland semi-finals at various venues this weekend. A former minor champion, his next logical step is to earn his senior spurs by capturing an intermediate title. Such titles are far from easily won and his showdown with the highly rated Diarmuid Nash from Clare this Sunday promises to be a top quality affair. Nash and partner Niall Malone reached the intermediate doubles final when they did just enough against Chris Doolin and Niall McGrath of Roscommon in a refixed semi-final match at Clooney on Saturday. The Cooney v Nash match is currently scheduled as the third of three games at Claremorris but may be moved to Ballaghaderreen the same afternoon.