The curtain came down on the 2013 Tyrone Attic Stairs GAA Handball League series with the Premier League decider involving Shane O’Neill and Johnny Woods on Sunday evening in Beragh. O’Neill had been in impressive form in the current campaign and his experience proved decisive in securing a fourth league crown against the rising star, 17 year old, Woods. This completed another hugely successful weekend for the Breacach Club who have undoubtedly enjoyed one of the most memorable years on record, as they captured four of the five Adult league titles on offer.
The Premier League final brought some fantastic low power serving and shooting from both players in the opening game but it was O’Neill’s clinical use of court that saw him claim the opening game 21-14. The second game again had some brilliant rallies and proved finely balanced for long periods before O’Neill secured the title with a 21-13 win. This concluded an exciting Tyrone GAA Handball league series with County Chairman, Paul Allison, commenting “We are delighted to see the Tyrone leagues back and the finals this weekend have shown how invaluable this competition can be for our juvenile players.” With the leagues having previously ran from 2001 to 2009 in the county and resuming again in 2013 there is no doubt that the level of competition is set to get stronger and stronger again in the years ahead.
The penultimate final of the Tyrone Attic Stairs GAA Handball Leagues saw a fantastic contest involving Breacach’s Niall Kerr and An Charraig Mhór’s Ryan Mullan. The opening game was a finely balanced encounter for almost the entire duration of play, with brilliant retrieving and shooting from both players, before Kerr won through 21-18 at the end of 47 minutes of play. Niall took a firm grip on proceedings on the resumption also and opened up a commanding 15-3 lead before Ryan put in a very brave fightback to stand at 11-15. Kerr held the aces in the closing stages though and some superb killshots saw him claim the Division 1 honours with a 21-14 win in the second game. This completed a very unique double on the weekend with the father and son combination of Niall and Sean Kerr taking the Division 1 and 2 league titles from the five divisions of the series.
Sean Kerr, at just 15 years, produced a highly impressive display to claim the Division 2 crown. In a brilliant opening foray in the first game against Eamon McCrory, Kerr opened up a 15-3 lead but the game then took a dramatic turn as McCrory gained considerable momentum for a superb comeback. With a series of excellent spin serves proving significant, he clawed his way back in the game and prevailed in a thrilling finish, by 21-20. Kerr then exhibited why he is regarded as one of the most exciting young talents around in the sport when he settled into the second game with precise attacking play and retrieving. He levelled the match with a 21-14 win in the second and captured the honours with an 11-3 win in the tie-break game.
Breacach’s Matthew McCartan was the first title winner of the 2013 Tyrone Attic Stairs GAA Handball 40×20 League series when he denied An Charraig Mhór’s Conor Keenan in the Division 3 Final. The tie, which took place in front of a large crowd in Loughmacrory on Saturday evening, saw McCartan maintain his impressive form in the competition as he ran out a winner on a 21-11, 21-16 scoreline.
The last of the league finals was in the Division 4 decider and saw An Charraig Mhór’s Pauric Mullan take the first league honours of 2013 to his club. Pauric showed impressive form in a highly entertaining tussle with talented Breacach teenager, Turlough Clarke, before taking the Division 4 league crown, courtesy of a 21-12, 21-16 victory.
With over 140 players now entered in the upcoming Tyrone GAA Handball 40×20 championships, all eyes will turn to that event next with the action to get underway from 5th January 2014. Full fixtures will be released for all competitions before Christmas.
Eight Ulster Colleges titles for Tyrone Schools
Tyrone GAA Handball’s excellent season on the courts was finished in style with a series of Tyrone winners at the Ulster 40×20 Colleges Championships last week. Following a comprehensive programme of fixtures over 4 days of competition, Tyrone GAA Handball enjoyed success in eight of the fourteen events played.
Dean Maguirc College, Carrickmore, enjoyed success in the Girls Senior Doubles thorugh Aoife Kelly and Eilishe McCrory while Ronan Curran had an eye-catching success in the Boys Under 13 Singles final. Sean Kerr made it a triple success for the Dean when he denied Darragh Canavan from St. Ciaran’s in the Boys Junior Singles final. St. Ciaran’s also took the runner-up medal in the Senior Singles event when johnny Woods lost out to Darren Doherty in an excellent final.
Omagh CBS picked up two Ulster Colleges titles on the day with Lorcan McBride and Antoin Fox teaming up to beat Dean Maguirc’s Dara Curran and Cahir Munroe in the Boys Under 13 Doubles while Pól Clarke and Niall Allison had a fine win in the Senior Doubles championship. Loreto Grammar School also enjoyed success in Girls Under 13 Doubles through Elizabeth McGarvey and Ciara Mullan with Maeve McElduff adding the Girls Senior Singles title.
Tyrone also competed in a number of finals over the course of the series and all players who have secured provincial titles will be preparing for All Ireland Championships semi finals/finals on Saturday 15th February 2014.
Girls Ulster Colleges 40×20 Final Results
U13 Singles: Dearbhla Coleman (St. Mary’s H.S.) dft Caitlin Conway (Dean Maguire) 15-2 & 15-2.
U13 Doubles: Elizabeth McGarvey & Ciara Mullan (Loreto G.S., Omagh) def. M. McCambridge/B. Doris (St. Mary’s H.S.) 15-10 & 15-6.
Junior Doubles N. Coleman/A. Doran (St. Michael’s G.S.) def. Sinead Donnelly & Aoibheann McAnespie (Dean Maguirc College, Carrickmore) 15-2 & 15-0.
Senior Singles: Final still to be played – Maeve McElduff (Loreto GS, Omagh)
Senior Doubles: Final still to be played – Aoife Kelly & Eilise McCrory (Dean Maguirc College, Carrickmore)
Boys Ulster Colleges 40×20 Final Results:
U13 Singles: Ronan Curran (Dean Maguirc College, Carrickmore) dft J. Dombinskas (St. Macartan’s) 15-5, 7-15, 15-11.
U13 Doubles: Lorcan McBride & Antoin Fox (Omagh CBS) defeated Dara Curran & Cormac Munroe (Dean Maguirc College, Carrickmore) 15-1 & 15-1
Junior Singles: Sean Kerr (Dean Maguirc College, Carrickmore) defeated Darragh Canavan (St. Ciaran’s College, Ballygawley) 15-5 & 15-4
Junior Doubles: Pauric Mullan & Turlough Clarke (Omagh CBS) def. Cormac Munroe & Ciaran Cuddy (Dean Maguirc College, Carrickmore) 15-0, 13-15 & 15-1.
Int. Singles: Gavin Coyle (Ballybay) defeated Ryan Mullan (Omagh CBS) 15-8 & 15-10
Int. Doubles: S. Smith / C. McManus (St. Pat’s Cavan) def Ronan McKay & Matthew McCartan (Omagh CBS) 15-1 & 15-9.
Senior Singles: Darren Doherty (St. Macartan’s) dft Johnny Woods (St. Ciarans College, Ballygawley) 15-10 & 15-14
Senior Doubles: Pól Clarke & Niall Allison (Omagh CBS) def. R. Ramanauskas/D. Hughes (St. Macartan’s) 15-12 & 15-5.
All Ireland semi finals & finals are taking place on Saturday 15th February 2014 in Kingscourt.
