By Peter Harte
The 2016/2017 intervarsity handball year throws in this weekend with the 60x30 men's and women's singles, women's doubles, and men's team events in Kilkenny. For many, it will be the first coming together of student handballers since the 40x20 singles in Kingscourt, way back in February. Since then, students have endured exams and internships, while the lucky ones have experienced J1s, or just a summer of handball! For some, it will be their first taste of intervarsity handball in their fresher year, and for others, it might even be their first experience of competitive handball, not forgetting that our third level institutions provide a great environment (some might say the best) for introducing people to our sport.
Third level competitions, by their nature, are transient affairs. Through graduation or foreign exchange, those who were successful one year, may not be around, or even eligible to defend their title the following year. This is the case for last year's Men's Singles Open winner, University College Dublin's Martin Mulkerrins. The Moycullen man, although eligible, is stationed in New Zealand for the autumn/winter months, and as a result the Men's Open is as its name suggests; wide open.
Last year's runner-up Brian Mahon, another UCD man, will be hoping to use the experience of his maiden year in intervarsity handball to go one step further than last year and claim the coveted title. This will be no easy task, with opposition coming from colleges all around the country. One of his toughest competitors will be coming from just across the Liffey, in the guise of Dublin City University's former Minor Singles champion, Niall Joyce. The University of Limerick, as always, bring a strong squad of players to the big alley competition, with the two time U21 doubles All-Ireland winning pair, Michael Hedigan and Daniel Relihan, having their eyes set on the top prize. Carmen man, and runner up in this year's U21 singles and doubles finals, Ryan Mullan, will be representing Queen's University, Belfast. Meanwhile, one half of Wexford's 2015 minor doubles winning pair, Keith Armstrong, will be pulling on the NUI Maynooth colours and will have a big say in where the Open title finishes up.
If things weren't heated up enough already, a last minute entry from none other than Athlone IT's Niall "Nocky" O'Connor has ensured that this is gearing up to be one of the best 60x30 intervarsities in a long time.
Likewise, the Women's Open will also be a tightly contested affair. Last year's champion, and all round scholar, sports star, and techno-phobe, Ciana Ní Churraoin, is back representing UL once again, and will be determined to hold on to the title she won by the slimmest of margins in an 11-10 tiebreaker against Trinity College's Ciara Mahon. Mahon, a Kilkenny woman, is back again too, and will no doubt be eager to make amends for last year's narrow defeat in her home county. Roscommon's Aoife Tully, one half of last year's All-Ireland minor doubles winning pair will be carrying the torch for NUI Galway, while DCU have a strong female representation with four time senior All-Ireland winning doubles champion, Aishling O'Keeffe pulling on the gold and navy of the Glasnevin college, and will partner fresher Meadhbh Ní Dhálaigh in the doubles. O'Keeffe was part of the DCU pairing that beat Trinity pair, Mahon and Lisa McKenna, in the final of the Women's Open doubles last year, and you can be sure that DCU will have a big say in where the singles and doubles titles end up this academic year.
The men's teams event were dominated by UCD last year as they saw off UL in both the A and B competitions. Without Mulkerrins, and newly crowned U21 All-Ireland singles champion, Galen Riordan, who is currently undertaking part of his studies in University of California, the Belfield men will have their work cut out for them in the A competition this time around, particularly against a heavily stacked UL team. Of course, one should not discount the chances of DCU and QUB, who will be hot on the trail for a team title. The enjoyment that comes with playing as a team with your college club mates is always a highlight of the 60x30 ICHA weekend.
The big alley in Talbot's Inch lost arguably its greatest hero in August with the passing of Michael 'Duxie' Walsh. With over 50 students taking part in the ICHA 60x30 competitions, perhaps some future heroes will grace the hollowed ground of Talbot's Inch, and the surrounding alleys, this coming weekend. The ICHA would like to thank GAA Handball, and all the club officials who always welcome the third level matches with open arms. Best of luck to all the players involved!