The 23rd National eir Handball finals took place in Clarecastle in Clare on Saturday 3rd November. There was a great turnout of players from Munster Leinster & Connaught and there was some great games of Handball played throughout the day. We had 2 Divisions and both were played off on a league basis with the top 4 teams playing off a final and a plate final in each division. The top 3 teams in Division 1 were level on points so aces scored decided who would contest the final.
The division 1 final was a cracker with Paddy Buckley (Cork) & Johnny Coyne (Mayo) up against Pat Donnellan (Clare) & Tom Prendergast (Mayo). Up to the very end it was hard to pick a winner but Buckley & Coyne won by the narrowest of margins 31-30. The plate final was also very close between Seamus Hughes (Mayo) & Jim Sheridan (Mayo) against Pat Collins (Tipperary) & John Sheridan (Mayo). Pat & John looked to be coasting but let Seamus & Jim get the upper hand in the end to win 31-29.
Division 2 was also very close in both the Final & the Plate final. In the Final Dave Mc Hugh (Galway) & Geoff Diskan (Galway) beat Mel Kenny (Mayo) & Seamus O Fatharta from Galway 31-26. In the Plate final Matty Murphy (Wexford) & Billy McElroy (Dublin) Bt Peter Mulryan (Galway) & Pat Lacey (Wexford) 31-27.
A meal & presentation of trophies followed in the Auburn Lodge Hotel in Ennis. Thanks to the ladies Mary & Josie who looked after refreshments and to our Referees Seamus Buggy & Jimmy Heffernan & the Games Co Ordinator Mickey Coyne.
Our Chairman Mickey Coyne thanked the Event Co-Ordinators Pat Collins & Pat Donnellan, Pat Hayes from Clarecastle & the Management and staff of the Auburn Lodge Hotel. The Secretary Pat Collins Thanked our Sponsors The C.W.U., Staff Credit Union, GAA Handball & Matty Murphy “Mowerpower” Wexford. He thanked all who made the event possible and looked forward to November 2019 when we return to Wexford.
By Paddy Collins (National eir Handball Secretary)
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