Kilkenny’s Jack Holden representing Greenan College, Thomastown capped a terrific year in the 60x30 court when he captured the 2nd level colleges Boys Senior Singles title while Kildare’s Mollie Dagg, Colaiste Chiarain, Leixlip took home the Girls Senior Singles title also in Williamstown today.
Connacht clubs Collooney, Ballymote and Williamstown hosted the semi-finals and finals of this year’s 60x30 All Ireland Colleges. Titles went to the four corners of the country as the cream of the crop came to the top. Greenan College and Castlecomer CS both from Kilkenny took home THREE titles each while four other schools took home one titles a piece. It was a very good day for Kilkenny handball as they took home SIX titles while Clare, Galway, Kildare and Monaghan follow with one each.
In the Girls Junior Singles Final Kilkenny’s Amy Brennan of Castlecomer CS won this title when she overcame Sadhbh Ni Fhlaithearta Colaiste na Coirbe 15-4, 15-3. The Girls Junior Doubles title went to St Joseph’s Tulla for the second year in a row as Chloe Philpott and Eimear Murphy defeated Shonagh Mitchell/Siofra Cooley of Salerno, Galway. In the Girls Blue Riband event the Senior Singles, Mollie Dagg of Colaiste Chiarain, Leixlip overcame Clare Conway (Southwest College, Omagh on a score-line of 15-6, 15-0. While the Girls Senior Doubles title went to Kilkenny with sisters Dearbhail and Roisin O’Keeffe (Greenan College) defeating last year’s winners Mayo’s Cuilleann Bourke/Claire Reynolds who were representing Balla Secondary School 15-10, 15-5.
In the Boys competitions, the Junior Singles final was won by Galway’s Mikey Kelly of Clarin College when he accounted for Luke Flanagan of Castlecomer CS. The Junior Doubles title went to Kyle Jordan/Billy O’Neill Greenan College when they overcame Cormac Finn/Shane Rafferty of Coláiste Muire, Sligo. The Boys Intermediate Singles final was won by Eoghan McGinnity of St. Macartan’s College Monaghan after a tight two game victory over Billy Drennan (Kilkenny CBS). While the Boys Intermediate Doubles was won for the second year in a row by Kyle Dunne/Billy O’Neill representing Castlecomer CS as they overcame Brian McAleer/Jack Darcy of Omagh CBS 15-0, 15-2.
The Boys Senior Doubles title went to the strong Kilkenny pairing of Ciaran Cooney/Jamie Maher of Castlecomer CS when they overcame Konrad Kowal/Justas Dumbinskas of St. Macartan’s 15-11, 15-2. Finally the Boys Blue Riband event namely the Boys Senior Singles turned out to have the game of the day in the semi-final which was a repeat of the Minor Singles Final from a few weeks ago. Game one was a brilliant game with little between both players but Kerry’s Daire Keane representing Tralee CBS took the first 15-10 against Jack Holden (Greenan College). Game two was equally as good with great Softball shots by both players but Holden led 14-7 but Keane then fought back to level the game at 14 all and was a whisker away from taking the title only for a long range kill attempt to miss by an inch. Holden made no mistake with his second chance and closed out the game 15-14 to setup a tie-break to the delight of everyone in attendance. In the end the tie-break was won quite conformably by Holden to win the match 10-15, 15-14, 15-5. In the final Jack Holden received a walkover from his opponent.
GAA Handball would like to thank all the venue official’s, referees, players, teachers, parents and coaches for making these finals such a success.
GAA Handball 60x30 All Ireland Colleges Championships 2018 – Results
Collooney, Sligo
- BJS SF1: Luke Flanagan (Castlecomer CS, Kilkenny) W/O William Beresford (St. Augustine’s, Dungarvan) No Show
- BJS SF2: Mikey Kelly (Clarin College, Galway) dft Sean Callan (St. Macartan’s, Monaghan) 15-5, 15-6
- BIS SF1: Billy Drennan (Kilkenny CBS) W/O Rory Grace (Nenagh College, Tipperary) inj.
- BIS SF2: Eoghan McGinnity (St. Macartan’s, Monaghan) dft Lorcan Conlon (Moyne College Ballina) 15-5, 15-11
- BSD SF1: Ciaran Cooney/Jamie Maher (Castlecomer CS, Kilkenny) W/O Conor Walsh/Cian O’Driscoll (Patrician Academy, Mallow) inj.
- BSD SF2: Konrad Kowal/Justas Dumbinskas (St. Macartan’s, Monaghan) dft Shane & Enda Lawless (C Bhaile Chlair, Galway) 15-0, 15-12
- BJS Final: Mikey Kelly (Clarin College, Galway) dft Luke Flanagan (Castlecomer CS, Kilkenny) 15-1, 15-0
- BIS Final: Eoghan McGinnity (St. Macartan’s, Monaghan) dft Billy Drennan (Kilkenny CBS) 15-4, 15-10
- BSD Final: Ciaran Cooney/Jamie Maher (Castlecomer CS, Kilkenny) dft Konrad Kowal/Justas Dumbinskas (St. Macartan’s, Monaghan) 15-11, 15-2
Ballymote, Sligo
- BJD SF1: Kyle Jordan/Conor Holden (Greenan College, Kilkenny) dft Cathal Ducey/Eoghan Daly (Boherbue Comp, Cork) 15-13, 15-11
- BJD SF2: Cormac Finn/Shane Rafferty (Coláiste Muire, Sligo) dft Niall Magee/Matthew Smith (Virginia College, Cavan) 15-3, 15-6
- BID SF1: Kyle Dunne/Billy O’Neill (Castlecomer CS, Kilkenny) dft Aidan Lenihan/Darragh Ducey (Boherbue Comp, Cork) 15-1, 15-0
- BID SF2: Brian McAleer/Jack Darcy (Omagh CBS) dft P. Kearns/L. Davoren (St. Mary’s, Galway) 15-0, 15-2
- GJS SF1: Amy Brennan (Castlecomer CS, Kilkenny) dft Leah Minogue (Scarriff CC, Clare) 15-4, 15-3
- GJS SF2: Sadhbh Ni Fhlaithearta (C na Coirbe, Galway) Bye
- BJD Final: Kyle Jordan/Conor Holden (Greenan College, Kilkenny) dft Cormac Finn/Shane Rafferty (Coláiste Muire, Sligo) 15-4, 15-3
- BID Final: Kyle Dunne/Billy O’Neill (Castlecomer CS, Kilkenny) dft Brian McAleer/Jack Darcy (Omagh CBS) 15-0, 15-1
- GJS Final: Amy Brennan (Castlecomer CS, Kilkenny) dft Sadhbh Ni Fhlaithearta (C na Coirbe, Galway) 15-0, 15-9
Williamstown, Galway
- GJD SF1: Chloe Philpott/Eimear Murphy (St Joseph’s, Tulla Clare) dft Emily & April Moran (Bridgetown VC, Wexford) 15-8, 15-9
- GJD SF2: Shonagh Mitchell/Siofra Cooley (Salerno, Galway) Bye
- GSS SF1: Mollie Dagg (Col Chiarain, Leixlip) Bye
- GSS SF2: Clare Conway (Southwest College, Omagh) dft Chloe Lydon (Salerno, Galway) 15-6, 15-0
- GSD SF1: Dearbhail & Roisin O’Keeffe (Greenan College, Kilkenny) dft Ciara McCarthy/Aisling Shanahan (Hazelwood College Dromcollogher, Limerick) 15-0, 15-14
- GSD SF2: Cuilleann Bourke/Claire Reynolds (Balla SS, Mayo) Bye
- BSS SF1: Jack Holden (Greenan College, Kilkenny) dft Daire Keane (CBS, Tralee, Kerry) 10-15, 15-14, 15-5
- BSS SF2: Nathan Corbett (Balla SS, Mayo) Bye
- GJD Final: Chloe Philpott/Eimear Murphy (St Joseph’s, Tulla Clare) dft Shonagh Mitchell/Siofra Cooley (Salerno, Galway) 15-1, 15-0
- GSS Final: Mollie Dagg (Col Chiarain, Leixlip) dft Clare Conway (Southwest College, Omagh) 15-0, 15-1
- GSD Final: Dearbhail & Roisin O’Keeffe (Greenan College, Kilkenny) dft Cuilleann Bourke/Claire Reynolds (Balla SS, Mayo) 15-10, 15-5
- BSS Final: Jack Holden (Greenan College, Kilkenny) W/O Nathan Corbett (Balla SS, Mayo) No Show