Tyrone GAA Handball Officials, players and coaches came together at the weekend to celebrate what has been an unprecedented year of success both on and off the court of play. It has been a remarkable year in which 28 players from the county have secured National or International titles. In addition to the national and international competitions, the County also brought the re-introduction of the Tyrone GAA Handball Leagues and championships for the first time since 2008 with a large programme of A and B leagues and championships also at Juvenile level for the first time. Overall there were 160+ players who competed in those events and with a number of initiatives continuing by Tyrone GAA Handball the numbers look set to increase dramatically again in the year ahead.
There were unquestionably some amazing triumphs in the year gone by with a long list of outstanding achievements by so many players from the county. Breacach’s Johnny Woods and Maeve McElduff possibly lead the way with some fantastic successes in a host of events. Woods became the first player from the county to win an All Ireland Minor Singles and Doubles Championship title in the same year in April and he added an All Ireland Junior Club title, Irish Junior 17 & Under Nationals as well as reaching the final of the Premier league in that period. Maeve McElduff received the Ulster Herald Sports Personality of the month for February in Tyrone and for good reason as she became the first winner of the Tyrone Ladies Open Singles Championship and added Minor Singles and Doubles All Ireland titles, All Ireland Senior Singles Colleges Championship as well as an Irish Nationals 17 & Under Singles triumph also.
At International level, Tyrone also enjoyed considerable success. Breacach’s Ruairi Kelly completed a remarkable International double when he captured the Mens Open Singles titles in both Japan and Australia while Gabhain McCrystal had a massive year with US International Championship wins at Boys 19 & Under Singles and Doubles to add to his All Ireland Junior Club championship success. Eilise McCrory, Antoin Fox and Mairead Fox also added International US Championship triumphs to their record in the same period.
Tyrone Attic Stairs League Champions 2014
Premier League: Shane O’Neill (Breacach)
Division 1 League: Niall Kerr (Breacach)
Division 2 League: Sean Kerr (Breacach)
Division 3 League: Matthew McCartan (Breacach)
Division 4 League: Pauric Mullan (Breacach)
Tyrone Attic Stairs Adult Championships 2014
Mens Open Singles: Darragh Daly (Carrickmore)
Mens Open Doubles: Darragh Daly & Caolan Daly (Carrickmore)
Ladies Open Singles: Maeve McElduff (Breacach)
Ladies Open Doubles: Lisa McAleer & Aoife Kelly (Loughmacrory)
Ladies Junior Singles: Eilise McCrory (Breacach)
Mens Senior B Singles: Niall Kerr (Breacach)
Mens Junior Singles: Eamonn McCrory (Breacach)
Mens Junior Doubles: Rory Grogan & Niall Allison (Carrickmore)
Mens Junior B Singles: Ciaran Mullan (Loughmacrory)
Mens 35+ Singles: Niall Kerr (Breacach)
Tyrone GAA Handball list of National & International Champions since 1st May 2013
40×20 Féile na nGael 2013: Breacach – Girls Division 2: Michaela McCartan, Elizabeth McGarvey, Emer Kerr, Meabh McCrystal
One Wall Nationals 2013: Niall Kerr (Silver Masters Singles), Sean Kerr (Boys 15 & Under Singles), Conor McElduff (Boys 19 & Under Singles), Maeve McElduff (Girls 17 & Under Singles)
60×30 All Ireland Championships 2013: Eilise McCrory (Girls Under 15 Singles), Conor McElduff (Junior B Singles & Doubles), Pól Clarke (Junior B Doubles)
40×20 All Ireland Club Championships 2013/14: Breacach Intermediate Club Champions: Shane O’Neill, Barry Devlin, Barney Corcoran, Conor Kerr; Breacach Junior Club Champions: Johnny Woods, Gabhain McCrystall, Pól Clarke, Conor McElduff
40×20 All Ireland Colleges Championships 2014: Pauric Mullan, Omagh CBS (Boys Junior Doubles); Turlough Clarke, Omagh CBS (Boys Junior Doubles); Sean Kerr, Dean Maguire, Carrickmore (Boys Junior Singles); Aoife Kelly, Dean Maguire, Carrickmore (Girls Senior Doubles); Eilise McRory, Dean Maguire, Carrickmore (Girls Senior Doubles); Maeve McElduff, Loreto Grammar School, Omagh (Girls Senior Singles)
40×20 All Ireland Gael Linn Championships 2014: Loughmacrory – Dara Curran, Mairead Fox
40×20 All Ireland Championships 2014: Darragh Canavan (Boys U14 Doubles); Cormac Munroe (Boys U14 Doubles); Sean Kerr (Boys U16 Singles); Johnny Woods (Minor Singles & Doubles); Ryan Mullan (Minor Doubles); Maeve McElduff (Minor Singles & Doubles); Aoife Kelly (Minor Doubles)
40×20 Irish Junior Nationals 2014: Sean Kerr (Boys 15 & Under Singles); Johnny Woods (Boys 17 & Under Singles); Mairead Fox (Girls 11 & Under Doubles); Dearbhail Fox (Girls 11 & Under Doubles); Caitlin Conway (Girls 13 & Under B Singles); Michaela McCartan (Girls 15 & Under B Singles)
INTERNATIONAL
Japan Mens Open Singles: Ruairi Kelly
Australian Mens Open Singles: Ruairi Kelly
USA Junior Nationals Championships: Mairead Fox (Girls 11 & Under OW & 40×20); Antoin Fox (Boys 13 & Under OW & 40×20); Eilise McCrory (Girls 15&Under Singles & 19&U Doubles); Pól Clarke (Boys 19&U Doubles); Gabhain McCrystal (Boys 19&U Singles & Doubles).
One Wall Nationals & Féile 2014
Entry information has been released for both the 2014 Féile na nGael, which will be hosted in Ulster venues, and players in all clubs and schools should take note of deadline dates. The 2014 Ulster One Wall Handball Championships will also be hosted for the first time as part of the launch of the new ground-breaking One Wall Handball outdoor covered complex in Loughmacrory on 28th and 29th June 2014. Entry forms and information on all have been issued and is available on the official Tyrone GAA Handball Facebook page.
Condolences to the Clarke family
Tyrone GAA Handball would like to offer our sincere condolences to the Clarke family following the sad passing of Philomena Clarke (RIP). The Clarke family have been synonymous with Tyrone Handball for many years and Philomena’s son, Sean Clarke was former chairman and secretary of the county committee and current Tyrone GAA Handball Finance Officer and Ulster GAA Handball Chairman while Stephen Clarke and Paul Clarke are former Tyrone Senior championship winners. The entire family circle have played a huge role in the progress of the Breacach club and Tyrone handball and we pass on our sincere sympathies to husband Johnny, Sean, Terry, Stephen, Paul, Rose, Kathleen and Anne.
Loughmacrory Handball Club
Loughmacrory GAA Handball Club held it’s annual AGM on Sunday evening and the following new Committee was elected for the year ahead until end of 2014: Chairman: Chris Curran, Vice Chairperson: Lisa McAleer, Secretary: Martin Toner, Asst. Secretary: Kelly Conway, Treasurer: Pat O’Brien, PRO: Kenny Curran, Children’s Officer: Barry Fox. Committee Members: Ciara Fox, Shane McCullagh, Ciaran Meenagh, Paul Curran, Kieran Kelly, John McCullagh, Conal Curran, Finbar Fullen.
The club reflected on a great year both on and off the court and now look ahead to the completion of the renovation at the 40×20 court, which includes a complete new roof and lighting, and the launch of the full new Community Project on 28th June, which includes the new One Wall Handball & Multi Use facility. The Club will also be hosting Féile na nGAel National Handball grades on weekend of 21st/22nd June, will look at holding a Mid Ulster 60×30 League Tournament in August and build-up will begin in preparation for the World Handball Championships in 2015.
Work is well underway on the renovation works on the 40×20 handball court which will see a complete new roof, indoor ceiling and lighting. The court will be closed until 23rd May until completion of these works.
The first full event to be staged at the new One Wall Handball Facility will be the Ulster One Wall Handball Championships and Entry forms and information on this event will be released this Weekend. The Club will also host a first ever National One Wall Handball Tournament on Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th July with a host of grades from Under 10 up to Golden Masters – full details and promotional information will be released soon.
Saturday 28th & Sunday 29th June: Ulster One Wall Handball Championship 2014, in LOUGHMACRORY ONE WALL HANDBALL FACILITY. Sat 28th includes Launch of the new Full Community Project including One Wall Handball & Multi-Purpose Facility
SATURDAY 26th & SUNDAY 27th JULY 2014: Exciting New One Wall National Handball Tournament “One Wall Handball by the Lough”. A series of Grades including Under 10 up to Golden Masters. Special Open Grades in Mens & Ladies with drop down to C Grade for 1st Rd losers & B grade for 2nd Round losers.
