The curtain came down on the 40×20 handball season at the weekend with a massive weekend of Juniors action in the 2015 Irish Junior 40×20 Nationals. Six Limerick handballers went into the weekend with high hopes of a big showing and certainly did the county proud in what must rank as one of the most competitive junior nationals events to date.
What made the 2015 event even more special was that the title winner in each age grade would also secure a place on Team Ireland for the 2015 World Handball Championships, scheduled for Calgary, Canada in August. Those highly coveted places are very special indeed with just six places up for grabs every three years. Limerick claimed one of those slots for the 2015 Worlds and it went to the Girls 15 & Under singles champion, Caitríona Millane of the Model School Handball Club.
Each grade had seen the top 16 players in the country qualify for the World Trials weekend. Broadford’s Ben Walsh and Evan Murphy gave an excellent account of their handballing skills in the Boys’ U17 grade despite having been drawn against the top seeds in their competition. Both were knocked out by the eventual winner, Daniel Kavanagh of Wexford. Broadford’s Nigel O Callaghan took part in the u17 Plate but had no luck on the day. Shane Murphy also of Broadford took part in the U19. He was knocked out of the main event but went on to win the Plate.
The Model’s Clodagh Neville competed well in the Girls 17 and under competition but was ultimately defeated by the number one seed, Fiona Tully of Roscommon.
However Limerick’s proudest achievement was that Caitríona Millane went all the way, thus winning a slot on Team Ireland. In round one she faced Wexford’s Cora Doyle whom she overcame to win. 15-6, 15-6. In the quarter finals Caitríona had to dig deep against a very talented Armagh opponent, Dearbhla Coleman, winning out in the end by 15-13, 15-6.
That set up a semi final with Clare’s Brídín Dinan, the current She’s Ace Champion. The Tulla teenager was very much on top early on and won the first game 21-12. However in the second game, the Limerick lass really came into her own with an all out attacking burst which saw her power ahead to a 21-11 victory. The nail biting tie breaker game eventually yielded a score line of 11-6 in favour of the Limerick girl.
In the final she faced Megan McCann. There is no doubt she was up against it as the Armagh girl delivered a series of inch-perfect low serves and followed up with sensational pinpoint corner kills. Caitríona held her nerve however ultimately winning the first game 21-12. The second game was a tighter affair with the Armagh girl inching ahead to close it out at 21-18.That set up the final tie break in which Caitríona took an early lead which she refused to relinquish despite the best efforts of the athletic Armagh player and the Limerick lady ran out the winner by 11-2.
That victory secured the Model School player’s place on the Official Team Ireland for this Summer’s World Handball Championships in Canada. She was joined on the World’s team then by Clare’s Colin Corbett (Boys 19 & Under Singles), Wexford’s Daniel Kavanagh (Boys 17 & Under Singles), Clare’s Tiarnan Agnew (Boys 15 & Under Singles), Galway’s Ciana Ní Churraoin (Girls 19 & Under Singles) and Tyrone’s Eilise Mc Crory (Girls 17 & Under Singles). So far Westmeath’s Robbie McCarthy and Antrim’s Aisling Reilly have been confirmed as the Men’s and Ladies Team captains on the Official Team Ireland following their All Ireland senior wins. The Men’s and Ladies Open Doubles trials this weekend ahead will decide a further four places. The last four places will then be decided at the One Wall Nationals in July with the Men’s and Ladies Open singles winners and Boys and Girls 19 & Under winners also joining Team Ireland.
