Wexford's Daniel Kavanagh took the honours at the inaugural Kingscourt Shoot-out, which attracted a high quality field of 32 players from 15 counties to the Cavan complex last Saturday.
While many of the elite players were battling it out 90 miles away in Ballaghaderreen at the John Gaffney Memorial tournament, Kingscourt HC was catering for players from intermediate level down (including minors and Junior Bs) in a novel one-day tournament which proved to be an outstanding success.
The innovative format saw all players in attendance for the draw at 9.30am. Each of the 16 seeds drew out their own opponent blindly and games served off at 10am sharp.
After 48 gruelling, 20-minute matches, Kavanagh came through to take the intermediate title, beating Gavin Coyle of Wexford in a well-contested final.
Third place went to Offaly left-hander David Hope, who out-lasted local player Cormac McMahon, who himself was unlucky not to make the decider.
First-round losers dropped into the junior grade, which in itself was a hard-fought competition, with 16 players taking their chances.
James Brady from Cavan, who was stunned by a great display by young gun Ben Devlin in the opening round, regrouped and went on to win the junior grade, defeating young Wexford lefty Adam Walsh in the final.
Among those to impress apart from the finalists were Kevin Barrett of Carlow and Clare youngster Mark Rodgers, who played some excellent handball en route to third place in the junior grade.
Kevin Diggins from Kildare also shone with a 17-15 win over sixth seed Paul Hughes in the round of 16 while in a battle of youth versus experience, Paddy Donovan pipped young Wexford player Josh Kavanagh 18-17 in a first round thriller.
Vouchers were awarded to first, second and third-place finishers in both grades and all players received a free commemorative t-shirt and refreshements. Several matches were live streamed on the Cavan handball Facebook page.
Full results:
Main draw:
- G Coyle dft P Fitzpatrick 23-14
- P Conway dft S Lawless 31-15
- P Donovan dft J Kavanagh 18-17
- A Geoghegan dft P Clerkin 23-8
- D Walsh dft D Di Folco 31-7
- B Devlin dft J Brady 16-13
- D Hope dft M Marley 26-10
- K Diggins dft M Rodgers 23-12
- J Gavaghan dft C O'Gorman 16-15
- C Munroe dft P Cahill 15-11
- P Hughes dft G Byrne 31-6
- D Kavanagh dft S Smith 31-6
- P Graham dft A Walsh 25-13
- K Barrett dft V Mulvey 31-6
- C McMahon dft R Cooke 31-7
- O Conway dft M Clerkin 22-8
Intermediate round of 16
- K Barrett dft B Devlin 29-7
- D Walsh dft P Conway 24-14
- D Kavanagh dft P Graham 21-9
- C Munroe dft O Conway 24-13
- C McMahon dft P Donovan 22-16
- D Hope dft J Gavaghan 15-10
- K Diggins dft P Hughes 17-15
- G Coyle dft A Geoghegan 24-8
Intermediate quarter-finals
- D Hope dft K Diggins 22-9
- D Kavanagh dft K Barrett 18-14
- C McMahon dft C Munroe 14-13
- G Coyle dft D Walsh 20-8
Intermediate semi-finals
- G Coyle dft C McMahon 21-20
- D Kavanagh dft D Hope 22-13
Intermediate final
- D Kavanagh dft G Coyle 20-9
3rd place play-off
- D Hope dft C McMahon 18-10
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Junior round of 16
- M Marley dft C O'Gorman 14-10
- J Brady dft V Mulvey 31-6
- A Walsh dft S Smith 31-15
- M Rodgers dft G Byrne 31-6
- P Fitzpatrick dft P Clerkin 18-15
- S Lawless dft D Di Folco 31-6
- J Kavanagh dft R Cooke 20-14
- C Owens dft M Clerkin 20-7
(J Kavanagh injured, replaced by A Walsh)
Junior quarter-finals
- J Brady dft A Walsh 23-11
- A Walsh dft C Owens 27-14
- P Fitzpatrick dft S Lawless 21-10
- M Rodgers dft M Marley 21-14
Junior semi-finals
- A Walsh dft P Fitzpatrick 29-14
- J Brady dft M Rodgers 18-14
Junior final
- J Brady dft A Walsh 18-14
3rd place play-off
- M Rodgers dft P Fitzpatrick 19-15