CLARE CREATED handball history by claiming both the mens and ladies Al-Ireland minor titles last weekend.
In achieving victory Claire Minogue (Tuamgraney) and Sean Considine (Clooney/Quin) brought the titles back to the county in the same season for the first time, beating opponents from Galway and Sligo.
Minogue is just the second Clare player ever to win the ladies minor title, while Considine is the fifth Clare player to win the prestigious minor title since 1982.
Tulla’s Tony Leyden also had success in the Junior B grade overcoming Galway opposition in two hard-fought games, while Marie Long overcame Ellen Collins in an all-Clare final in the Junior C grade which required a tiebreaker.
There was disappointment for Diarmaid Nash in the All-Ireland senior singles final against his long-time rival Robbie McCarthy. The match produced a close first game that could have gone either way, McCarthy closed it out and took the momentum into the second game, claiming his eighth All-Ireland senior title 21-19 21-7.
There was also All-Ireland silver medals for Seanie Doyle (Junior), Shane Walsh (Masters B) and Jim Cleary (Golden Masters B), all falling short to Leinster opposition in two games.
It brings an end to a busy few months of singles county, provincial and All-Ireland championships with attention now turning to the doubles championship.
Last week’s All-Ireland singles finals were held in the National handball centre in Croke Park over Saturday and Sunday
Results
Men’s Senior Final: Westmeath(Robbie McCarthy) defeated. Diarmaid Nash 21-19, 21-7
Ladies Minor Final: Claire Minogue) defeated. Galway’s Freya Donnellan)21-0, 21-1
Men’s Minor Final: Sean Considine defeated. Sligo’s Travis Gibbons 21-10, 21-6
Ladies Junior C Final: Marie Long) defeated Ellen Collins) 15-21, 21-3, 11-7
Junior B Final: Kilkenny’s Jack Holden) defeated Seanie Doyle) 21-10, 21-4
Junior Final: Tony Leyden) defeated Galway’s David Donoghue, 21-13, 21-18
Masters B Final: Wexford’s Noel Holohan defeated Shane Walsh 21-8, 21-18
Golden Masters B Final: Wexford’s Shane Rossiter) defeated Jim Cleary 21-17, 21-17
Juvenile B Championship
The Clare juvenile B championship finals were held last week after a busy six weeks of matches to reach this stage.
Results
U16 Boys Cup; Tiernan Garvey (Clooney) bt Danny Griffin (Toonagh)
U17/18 Boys Cup; Tom Moloney (Tulla) bt John Burke (Newmarket)
U15 Girls Cup; Molly McMahon (Clooney) bt Sarah Brodie (Clarecastle)
U13 Boys Cup; Conal O’Murchu (Tulla) bt Ruadhan Fogarty(Tulla)
U13 Boys Shield; Gus Sheedy (Tulla) bt Michael Cahir(Toonagh)
U14 Boys Shield; Leo Danagher (Tuamgraney) bt Luca Ginnane (Newmarket)
U13 Girls Cup; Sarah McGrath (Clooney) bt Aimee O’Hanlon(Tulla)
U12 Girls Plate; Meabh Moroney (Tuamgraney) bt Katie Murphy(Tulla)
U12 Girls Cup; Meabh Coffey (Clooney) bt Kelly Ann McMahon (Clooney)
U13 Boys Plate; Paudi O’Loughlin (Clarecastle) bt Ultan O’Neill (Tuamgraney)
U15 Boys Cup; Brian Philbin (Tuamgraney) bt Alex Davy(Kilkishen)
U12 Boys Shield; Coley Sweeney (Clarecastle) bt Fionn Hennessy (Toonagh)
U12 Boys Division; Benjamin Doherty (Newmarket) bt Liam McMahon (Kilkishen)
U12 Girls Shield; Sophie Lynch (Toonagh) bt Lauren Shannon (Toonagh)
U13 Girls Shield; Aoife Vaughan (Clarecastle) bt Brighid Felle (Clooney)
U14 Girls Cup; Ellen Keogh (Clarecastle) bt Beibhin Slattery (Clarecastle)
U14 Girls Shield; Elisa Kidney (Tulla) bt Orla O’Connor(Toonagh)
U12 Boys Cup; Jack Hogan (Tulla) bt Hugh Donnellan (Kilkishen)
U14 Boys Plate; Jack Casey (Toonagh) bt Rian McNamara(Kilkishen)
U15 Girls Shield; Leah Reilly (Clooney) bt Leah Quinn(Clooney)
Munster Championship Fixtures
Thursday March 19 at Liscarroll Commencing 8pm
Ladies Junior B Doubles semi-final: Cork (Brid Horgan/Anna Dunne) v Clare (Ellen Collins/Emma Considine)
At Tuamganey Commencing 8:00pm
Master B Doubles final: Clare A (Shane Walsh/Mike Baker) v Cork A (Jonathan Lucey/Tim Breen)
Friday March 20 at Tuamgraney, commencing at 6.30pm.
U21 Doubles final: Cork (Cian Dunning/Hayden Supple) v Clare (David Considine/Mici Sheedy)
U18 Doubles final: Clare (Sean Considine/Eoin Shanahan) v Clare (Cathal Noonan/Jack Browne)
At Cappagh Commencing 7:30pm
Intermediate Men’s Doubles final; Tipperary (Rory Grace/Jerome Cahill) v Clare (Sean Coughlan/Niall Bolton)
Monday March 23 at Kilkishen Commencing 8pm
Ladies Junior Doubles final: Clare (Orla O Brien/Niamh O Brien) v Clare (Chloe Philpott/Fina Close)
