Report by Marie Millane
A mighty day's handball was enjoyed by all at the Girls' Interprovincial Team of Ten which took place yesterday in Clarecastle, Co. Clare.
The first round saw Leinster take on Ulster. The five doubles pairings from each team played with passion and pride but the Leinster lassies proved too strong for the Ulster girls.
Munster faced Connacht in the second semi-final. Munster got off to a flying start with strong wins from their U13s ,14s and 15s. The Connacht ladies prevailed in the final two games however which ultimately led to a tally of 94-53 in favour of Munster.
The stage was now set for an enthralling final between Leinster and Munster. Once again, the Munster girls started brightly with the Under 13s winning 21-6. However, the Leinster ladies battled on, fighting for every ball and winning the next three games until they eclipsed the deficit. By the time the U17s took to the courts the sides were separated by a lone ace in favour of Leinster. The tension was palpable among the crowd who were delighted with the spectacle. Great displays of skill, grit and determination from both pairings produced a truly fitting conclusion to this epic final with the Leinster team claiming the spoils. A mighty win for Leinster, defeating Munster in their home patch!
In the 3rd/4th place playoff match the Connacht team proved too strong for Ulster and they won this match on a score-line of 75-58 to take the bronze medals.
A great day's handball was enjoyed by all, and the prevailing sentiment was one of sheer delight that the game of handball which had been sorely missed for so long was well and truly back!
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- SF1: Munster dft Connacht 94-53
- SF2: Leinster dft Ulster 105-28
- 3rd/4th: Connacht dft Ulster 75-58
- Final: Leinster dft Munster 90-79
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