Reigning champion Killian Carroll (Cork), current All-Ireland champion Robbie McCarthy (Westmeath), All-Ireland Finalist Charly Shanks (Armagh) & US #1 Sean Lenning (Arizona) are the big names in this weekends John Gaffney Memorial Ranking event hosted by Ballaghaderreen HC, Mayo.
Carroll takes top seed and will open his account on Saturday morning against the 2015 All-Ireland Minor Champion Niall Joyce, who received the now annual wildcard entry to the event for the reigning Minor winner. It is a daunting prospect for Joyce, thrown in at the deep end against the World Silver Medalist, but an invaluable encounter in terms of experience in his maiden Open event.
Carroll is many peoples favourite for the event, and should he win his opener he will face the winner of an intriguing encounter between Limerick's gifted CJ Fitzpatrick and Kilkenny's Peter Funchion who announced himself on the scene with a final appearance in November's Golden Gloves in Belfast. But should seeds hold through, Carroll will face Armagh's Charly Shanks in the SF on Sunday morning. Again, if seeds prevail, Shanks has a tricky QF on Saturday evening against Meath's Brian Carroll, who is the current Irish #5.
Clare's Colin Crehan & Galway's Martin Mulkerrins is the pick of the opening round on Saturday morning, with both men vying for a potential QF showdown with US #1 Sean Lenning. Crehan and Mulkerrins meet in the Golden Gloves where the Kilkishen club man edged a sensational encounter 11-10 in the tiebreak.
Lenning himself, whilst seeded #3, is possibly the biggest draw for spectators eager to see how the Arizona man adapts. A mouthwatering repeat of the World QF last August between Lenning and Robbie McCarthy is also on the cards come Sunday mornings SF. Last time round it was Team Ireland captain McCarthy who prevailed in an epic 11-10 tiebreak.
Standing in McCarthy's way by the QF stage is local man Joe McCann, Irish ranked #7. That is if the Ballaghaderreen man sees off the winner of former Irish #2 Michael Gregan and current World 19&U champion Johnny Woods.
All in all an exciting weekend of action lyes ahead, with opening matches kicking off tonight with several Round of 32 matches commencing in Ballaghaderreen & St Comans, Roscommon. For regular updates throughout the weekend, please check GAA Handball's Facebook page and website.
