HARPS HANDBALL
Congratulations to Juste Audiejaityte and Emily Mc Ginnity, the new County Under 12 Doubles champions. In the semifinal they played the St Mellan’s pairing of Keeva Treanor and Maria Flood. Emily contributed 5 early points for the Harps players and they won both games to advance to the final. There they met Emma Keenan and Sarah Mc Kenna. This time it was Juste who scored heavily with excellent serving to win the final over two games.
Congratulations to Juste Audiejaityte and Emily Mc Ginnity, the new County Under 12 Doubles champions. In the semifinal they played the St Mellan’s pairing of Keeva Treanor and Maria Flood. Emily contributed 5 early points for the Harps players and they won both games to advance to the final. There they met Emma Keenan and Sarah Mc Kenna. This time it was Juste who scored heavily with excellent serving to win the final over two games.
Tiarnan loses out in Tyrone League Final
Tiarnan O Rourke made it through to the Final of the Tyrone League Dark Blue Competition. He has been playing in the league over the last six weeks and played all his matches in Courts in County Tyrone. It has been a great experience for Tiarnan, who is so consistent and fit. He won two matches in the League and drew two others. He was unable to play in one match, and despite losing points from that match, Tiarnan made it through to the Semi-Final last week-end. In the Semi-Final, he defeated Caolan McCartan by a scoreline of 15-5,15-1.
We always knew this was going to be very tough Final, as his opponent, Brian Mc Aleer had a convincing win in his semi-final, but Tiarnan is “Mr Consistent” and will nearly always retrieve the ball back to the front wall. He is an all round sports person and was very much up for this final. He entered the competition to enhance his prospects for the forthcoming Ulster Championships and to gain more experience. He has certainly achieved that.
Tiarnan played the final in Beragh, Co Tyrone on Monday night. As expected, Brian Mc Aleer used sheer power to storm into an early lead. Tiarnan was nervous and I suppose he could not get used to the powerful serving and fisted ceiling shots by the older Tyrone player. He lost the first game 15-4. In the second game, Tiarnan started off with a few early points, but then Brian found his good serves again and got in to a slight lead. Tiarnan had changed his serve and it appeared to be working. During play Tiarnan could cope with the rallies and there was one rally that lasted almost thirty shots. Brian continued to exert his power game, combined with good use of the ceiling, and won the second game and match 15-4.
County Championships : Martin Mc Entee who defeated Conor Mc Donnell in the County Senior Singles Championships last week, met fellow Harps player Terry Mc Elvaney, in the quarter final. It was a good battle by the elder statesman of Monaghan Handball and he narrowly lost the first game 21-20. In the second game Terry produced a better display and won 21-13. which will prove a more difficult affair with the “Master facing his Pupil”. We wish Terry the best of luck in the rest of the competition.
Worlds Presentation Night.
The Ulster Handball Council is hosting a Presentation night At Kellys Inn on the 21st January for all Winners and Runner-up players from the World Handball Championships last August. More details to follow next week
MELLANS HANDBALL
Liathroid Laimhe.
Juvenile County Doubles Championships. The girls played the U12 & U13 Doubles competition Saturday past the 9th in St.Mellans, we had 6 pairs of girls in the U12’s and it was an all club affair in the U13’s, first in was Keva Treanor & Maria Flood where they took on a Harps pairing of Juste Audiejaityte & Emily Mc Ginnity, the first game could have went anyway with all girls trading shots but it went the way of the harps girls 15-4, in the second Juste power in the serve proved too strong and they took the second 15-0, the 2nd semi was an all club game with Emma Keenan & Sarah Mc Kenna up against Aoife Maguire & Holly Haligan, these was a close and very entertaining game, the first game Sarah & Emma won it 15-12 with some great serving from allgirls and some nice rallies inbetween, the 2nd game was even closer, going tit for tat throughout point for point, then after being 12-12 Aoife & Holly went 14-12 in frontand serving seemingly to take it to a tie-breaker but the other girls had a different plan and put Aoife & Holly out and then Emma & Sarah served and won 15-14, the final was more of straight forward affair for the Harps girls as Juste serve yet again proved too powerful for Emma & Sarah and they lost it 15-1, 15-0, but the score line in the final didn’t reflect on how the girls played throughout, the U13 final saw Eythna Boyle & Sarah Lavery take on Mia O Reilly & Clodagh Mc Meel, Mia & Clodagh steam-rolled the first game 15-3 and were more clinical in their finishing and also seemed to be in the 2nd game when winning 12-1 Ethyna called a time-out, then theyput Mia & Clodagh out they went into a 14-12 lead and also serving to bring it to a tiebreaker where put out again and Mia & Clodagh took the game and title 15-14, it was a pity Eythna & Sarah didn’t get a 3rd game because their fight back in the 2nd game definitely deserved it, a big “Well done to all girls that took part on the day even though not everyone can be a winner iwould think that all there in attendance on the morning would agree that handball was the winner. Some of the boys competitions takes place this weekend, the U12’s are in St.Mellans this Saturday the 16th @ 10am, the U13’s in Tydavnet this Saturday the 16th @10am, the U14’s in the Harps also this Saturday the 16th @11am and the U15’s are the following Saturday the 23rd in St.Mellans @10am, good luck to all taking part.
Mono League. The Mono league is being drawn up this week, keep an eye at the alley for fixtures.
Adult County Single Championships. The club have 20 players going forward to represent the club in the county championships in minor, U21, Junior and from Nov1-Nov4, good luck to all and please ensure that all games are fulfilled, if a serious problem arises and a fixture can’t be fulfilled then you must contact the club secretary “Brendie” and then he will make contact with the county secretary to re-fix the game, “Do not leave a player standing in the alley waiting on YOU”.
Refurbishing. We must apologise for and inconveniencecaused in the glass alley as the seating area is being refurbished, even though it is an inconvenience at a verybusy time of the season unfortunately it is a necessary evil as to get this problem sort once and for all, we thank you for your patience.
