Handball: Championship down to last eight
There was plenty of excitement in the GAA Handball 40x20 Senior Qualifiers on Sunday, with all three games down for decision going to third games.
The meeting of Armagh's Charly Shanks and Wexford's Gavin Buggy at Leixlip proved a thriller, with Shanks just edging his Model County opponent on a 21-13 scoreline in the third game.
Shanks opened with intent and settled into a comfortable stride, taking the first game 21-11. Buggy, who has already caused quite a stir in the senior singles and doubles championship thus far, then turned over a new leaf in the second game, commanding rallies to take a 21-16 win. In the third, it was nip and tuck for most of the early points before Shanks pushed into top gear to take a hard-earned victory and seal a quarter-final spot.
There was also a gripping finish at the meeting of Cork's Colm Jordon and Wicklow's Michael Gregan, with Jordon upsetting the Garden County man early on as he took the first 21-19. Gregan, clearly incensed by his first game showing, then turned in a clinical performance in the second and third games to seal both games on an emphatic scoreline of 21-2, 21-5.
In the final game of the day, Antrim's Ricky McCann and his namesake, Mayo's Joe McCann met at the Kells venue in Meath. The Belfast handballer controlled the first game, winning 21-4, but Joe upped his game in the second and closed out a 21-18 win to force a third game. Ricky pulled out all the stops in the final game and with some sublime finishing, ran out victorious on a 21-2 scoreline.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Open Doubles titles were decided on Saturday, reigning champions, Mayo's Joe McCann and Dessie Keegan emerging as winners in Connacht, while Cavan's Paul Brady and Michael Finnegan took honours in Ulster. Rising Limerick stars, Seamus O'Carroll and CJ Fitzpatrick took their first provincial senior crown in Munster while it was Meath's Tom Sheridan and Brian Carroll were victorious in Leinster.
In the Ladies Provincial Finals, Antrim's Aisling Reilly secured glory in Ulster at the expense of World Under-17 champion, Lorraine Havern (Down), while Kerry's Maria Daly defeated Cork teenager, Catriona Casey, to collect the Munster crown. Roscommon's Marianna Rushe had a comfortable win over clubmate, Leona Doolin, in Connacht, with Kildare's Anna Spence taking victory over Wicklow's Patricia Doyle in Leinster.
