D-day in Kingscourt
It’s judgement day in Kingscourt, Co. Cavan for the remaining Juveniles that came through the minefield of yesterday’s action in the 2015 Junior Nationals/World Trials. On a day of high drama there were shocks, thrills and spills as the battle for coveted places on Team Ireland came to a head.
The quality on display was exceptional as our game’s top Juveniles continue to impress with their outstanding fitness and skill levels. Such is the depth of talent at underage level in the country that no seed was safe yesterday in a day of high drama.
In the Boys 15 & Under Grade four young men are left standing as Tiernan Agnew (Clare), Cian O Driscoll (Cork) Antoin Fox (Tyrone) and Peter Donohue (Galway) remain in the hunt for a seat on the plane to Canada. Top seed Agnew survived a scare in his Quarter Final first game as Ciaran Cuddy from Tyrone battled his way to 13-13. However Agnew remained calm and booked his place in the Semi Finals courtesy of a 15-13, 15-4 win. He will play Mallow’s Cian O Driscoll in today’s Semi Finals who overcame Tyrone’s Darragh Canavan in a cracking 11-10 tiebreak victory. In the other side Galway’s recently crowned Juvenile Champion Peter Donohue defeated Tipperary’s Sean McAdams 15-5, 15-6 while Fox survived a scare against Michael Egan of Roscommon to prevail 11-9 in another tie-break.
The Girls Under 15 grade served up equally as entertaining fare as the four remaining girls all displayed great courage and skill to reach the final four. In Sunday’s semi finals Armagh’s Megan McCann will take on Kildare’s Leah Doyle while Limerick’s Catriona Millane will take on Clare’s Bridín Dinan after the Limerick girl had a fantastic 15-14, 15-6 win over Armagh’s Dearbhla Coleman.
The Boys 17&Under Grade produced one of the shocks of the day as recently crowned Minor Champion Mayo’s Niall Joyce fell to Cork’s Tadhg O’Neill in a quarter final epic. He will face Daniel Kavanagh from Wexford after the 2015 Minor Doubles Champion overcame the challenge of Limerick’s Evan Murphy. In the other side of the draw Sean Kerr (Tyrone) progressed to the semi finals courtesy of an 11-8 tiebreak victory over Tipperary’s Jason English in another top quality encounter. He will face Clare’s Fergal Coughlan who defeated Kilkenny’s Shane Dunne in the remaining Quarter Final.
The Girls 17&Under grade produced another shock as top seed Fiona Tully from Roscommon was defeated in an 11-6 tiebreak by Galway’s Eimear Ni Bhiadha. The Galway girl will take on Tyrone’s Eilise McCrory after the Breacach lady defeated Tipperary’s Sinead Meagher in a close encounter. Armagh’s Niamh Coleman takes on Clare’s Doireann Murphy in a mouthwatering tussle in the other semi final following wins over Clare’s Ella Donnellan and Galway’s Anna Ni Odhrain Ni Murchu.
The Boys 19&Under Final promises to be a titanic tussle as Monaghan’s Darren Doherty will take on Clare’s Colin Corbett in Sunday’s Final. Corbett had an eye catching win over 2014 Minor champion Tyrone’s Johnny Woods in Saturday’s Semi while Doherty defeated another Tyrone man in 2014 Minor Doubles champion Ryan Mullan.
The Girl’s 19&Under Final has a familiar ring to it as Galway’s Ciana Ni Churraoin and Tyrone’s Maeve McElduff will do battle following semi final wins over Tyrone’s Aoife Kelly and Laois’ Niamh Dunne respectively.
Elsewhere on an action packed day there was plenty of thrills and spills in the 13&Under and 11& Under Grades as Tyrone’s Lorcan McBride, Kilkenny’s Kyle Dunne, Monaghan’s Eoghan McGinnity and Clare’s Mark Rodgers are left standing in the Boys 13&Under while Galways Niamh Heffernan, Tyrone’s Caitlin Conway, Kildare’s Mollie Dagg and Tyrone’s Elizabeth McGarvey are the remaining four in the Girl’s 13&Under .
The Boys and Girls 11&Under produced some outstanding action in St Pat’s Cavan as the young players produced some outstanding Handball that belied their young years. In Sunday’s Finals Sadhbh Ni Fhlaithearta (Galway) and Chloe Philpott (Clare) take on Clodagh Munroe(Tyrone) and Cliodhna Phillips (Antrim) in the Girls while Roscommon’s Phillip Halliday and Eanna Moran take on Kilkenny’s Billy Drennan and Daniel Hanrahan in the Boys.
Action commences on Sunday in Kingscourt at 9.30am.