The cream of Ireland’s Juvenile Softball players converged on Loughmacrory, Garryhill & Cashel last weekend to battle it out for the 2022 All Ireland titles in the Softball code. Nine counties in all competed with Kilkenny topping the medals table with an amazing tally of SIX titles. Tipperary & Tyrone took home two each while Wexford, Cork, Laois & Roscommon all taking one title back to their respective counties to complete a very successful weekend of Handball.
The game of the day was the Girls U14 Singles Final with Cork’s Amy Brosnan in sensational form against Tyrone’s Lucy McCullagh in a high-quality match. Brosnan took the first game 15-9 showing an array of shots that many players her senior would be proud to have in their artillery. Tyrone`s Lucy McCullagh, who was roared on by a large home crowd fought back brilliantly in the second game to bring the match to a tie breaker. Bothy girls played some excellent Handball with Brosnan running out the winner in the third 15-9.
The Boys U14 Doubles between Clare & Kilkenny produced a mouth-watering clash. The Kilkenny pair of Rian Dowling & Dan Carroll raced to victory in the first game 15-7. To their credit the Clare lads Sean Considine & Donnacha Mahon got off to a flyer in the second and found themselves 12-2 ahead, the Kilkenny lads fought hard to get back into the game and before you new it we were level at 12-12. Clare regained their composure and claimed the next 2 points to put the pressure back on the Kilkenny players. And the Kilkenny lads could handle the pressure to bring the game back to 14 all. After an excellent long rally, it looked as though the Clare men had won the rally by killing the ball in the left corner, but Rian Dowling dived in and picked up the ball before it bounced the second time to re-kill the ball and clinch the title for the Kilkenny pair. There were joyous scenes both in the court and in the gallery at the end and well done to all players who served up such an exciting final.
The Boys U15 Singles went to Kilkenny`s Anthony Clifford after an impressive victory over Galway’s Gavin Kelly.
Congratulations to all the players, parents, coaches, referees and sincere thanks to the host clubs of Loughmacrory, Garryhill, Cashel & talbots inch for their hospitality and finally thanks to all that travelled to support these Juvenile Softball Finals.
GAA Handball Softball Juvenile All Ireland Finals - Results