With winter closing in, and despite the days growing colder, third-level handball is just beginning to warm up. After a great weekend in Kilkenny for the big alley last month, attention now turns to the two other codes of the perfect game, and the upcoming intervarsities in St Joseph's, Wexford. This event was traditionally the annual 40x20 teams tournament, but for the third year running, it takes the format of a 40x20 doubles tournament, enabling many more colleges to enter, and thereby adding a lot more spice to an already heated event.
Given the high calibre of players participating in this year's Men's Open, it is very difficult to predict, with any degree of certainty, who will come out on top. What is certain though, is that there'll be a new pair of names on the roll of honour once the weekend is out. Neither 2015's winning combination, IT Tralee's Peter Funchion and Shane Hedigan, or 2014's top pair, University College Dublin's Martin Mulkerrins and Galen Riordan, are available for this year's tournament.
A great doubles partnership requires a quasi-telepathic connection between players that takes years to build. This type of relationship is rare, but when discussing it some special combinations come to the fore: Brady/Finnegan, Casey/O'Keeffe, Ant/Dec, Conway/Harte. With this in mind, it's hard to argue against Michael Hedigan and Daniel Relihan of University of Limerick being top seeds in this year's Open. The Liscarroll lads have proven it already at county level, and the rest of the pack will relish the opportunity to take a shot at the current U21 All-Ireland champions. In fact, Hedigan and Relihan only have to look within their own college to find another pairing, Colin Crehan and Seamus Conneely, who will too have a huge say in where the Open title finishes up. With former minor champion Niall Joyce representing Dublin City University along with Kevin Diggins, and senior player, Niall O'Connor representing Athlone IT alongside Peadar McCarthy, there can be no doubt that the Men's Open competition is going to produce some fireworks.
For the last two years, the Women's Open has culminated in a UL - DCU final, with UL coming out on top on both occasions. CNC the TNT, or the handballer formerly known as Ciana Ní Churraoin and her partner, Niamh Dunne, will be eager to ensure that the title comes back to UL once again. This is easier said than (Niamh) Dunne, given the difficult field the UL ladies will have to navigate in order to come out on top again. The heartbreak of losing the last three finals will, without doubt, drive DCU's Aishling O'Keeffe on to have another shot at the title. The three-time Senior All-Ireland Doubles champion, will be partnered by up and coming fresher Meadhbh Ní Dhálaigh, giving DCU a strong chance of claiming this year's honours. Hot on the heels of her 60x30 win in Kilkenny last month, Trinity College's Ciara Mahon and her partner, Lisa McKenna, will be quietly confident that they can keep TCD's good start to the handball year going, and will too be a serious force to be reckoned with down in Wexford.
Coinciding with the doubles tournament will also be a beginner's One Wall tournament. Many players only take up handball for the first time in college, and this One Wall tournament gives such players an introduction to competition, and to opponents, who they will face off against many times on the courts in the coming years, but who they will no doubt also become great friends with off the courts.
With seven colleges represented, and two codes on display, Wexford 2016 is sure to be an exciting festival of handball for new and experienced players alike. Best of luck to all involved.