Cork's Killian Carroll will fine tune his final preparations this week on home soil before jet setting to Tucson, Arizona for the upcoming 56th USHA Junior Nationals.

Teenager Carroll is no stranger to the international game in the junior cohorts and he has already amassed an impressive three junior singles titles in the underage grades.

The Mallow club player showed star qualities as he captured the 17 and under title in 2010 in California. Then, Carroll dominated the field and went on to capture the title without any opponent managing to fashion double scores. In the final, he out scored San Diego's Brant Bidegain 21-5, 21-9.

This time around, he will however face his sternest challenge as he embarks on the 19 and under division, always regarded as the elite event in the junior echelons.

But after an enthralling victory in the Irish Nationals in Kilkenny last month when he edged Galway's Martin Mulkerrins in a thrilling tiebreak, few would bet against Carroll from scooping a fourth USHA junior crown. Carroll is well aware of the task in hand and knows of the calibre of opposition that lies in store.

"The main challengers this year I would think would be Daniel Cordova (Juarez, California), Brant Bidegain (San Diego) and Erik Matiasek (Illinois). A year has past since my last win out there and I'm pretty confident that they will all be gunning for the title so I will be expecting some tough opposition to reach the final and to win it," said Carroll.

Both Matiasek and Cordova have an extra year's experience over Carroll and enjoyed semi-final appearances twelve months back in the 19 and under grouping. Even so, the current 23 and under Irish Nationals victor, Carroll, has trained meticulously and is relishing the trip to Arizona next week.

"Training with the Irish team this year has been a big benefit to me where I trained with Ireland's best juveniles at my own age and younger. This training will replicate the type of standard in America. Also, to have coaches with a massive experience in the game and getting their knowledge has helped us to prepare better for the US trip."

"I'm looking forward to playing in the State of Arizona as it is a hotspot for handball in America and it is also a place where I have always wanted to play a tournament."

Carroll will arrive in Tucson with the official Irish outfit a few days prior to the tournament which swings into action the day after Boxing Day. He will be concentrating on putting in the final measures to ensure another successful US adventure whilst postponing the holiday celebrations until the New Year.

"My final preparations for the upcoming event will be trying to acclimatise to the courts at the Tucson Handball Club and also the four day competition. From past experiences, I know that this will be very important for the tournament.

Casey leads Irish girls in Tucson

The official Irish Junior handball team travel to Tucson, Arizona (USA) next week with one of the strongest sides to have crossed the Atlantic to date for the annual Christmas battle with the hottest juniors in world handball.

Ireland's 19 and under representative in the ladies bracket is the highly talented and experienced Cork teenager, Catriona Casey.

Casey has won every major honour in the junior ranks to date and alongside an amazing nine GAA Handball minor medals safely tucked away in her trophy cabinet; she has two USHA Junior National wins at under 15 and 17.

Twelve months ago in California, the Mallow club girl controlled the 17 and under division and in just under a fortnight's time, she may well be doing a similar job in the grade above. Competition will obviously be at a higher level but the progress displayed by Casey since last December would suggest she is well up for the challenge.

In 2011, she firmly established herself as one of the top senior players in the country whilst still competing in the junior codes. Casey's highlights this year include the Munster senior 40x20 singles and doubles titles and the Irish Nationals 19 and 23 and under crowns.

"I was delighted to win the Irish Nationals and therefore secure my place as captain of the Irish ladies team going to Tucson. It is a fantastic opportunity and I really look forward to the trip. I was in Tucson in my first year on the team and the facilities are outstanding out there," she said.

"We have a great management team and a strong team of players, many of whom have represented Ireland before, together with some very competent newcomers. The Irish always tend to feature prominently in the US Junior Nationals and have dominated their grades in recent years."

Brooklyn's Sandy Ng finished a close second behind Down's Lorraine Havern in last year's 19 and under showdown and the New Yorker is certain to be the player to beat for Casey, if she is to get her hands on a third USHA junior singles title.

"The American girls tend to improve considerably when they move to University level and Sandy Ng seems to be the up and coming player over there and she is a very strong one wall player. Hopefully it will be a successful trip for the Irish and we can secure lots of titles over there."

The official Irish team which was decided as a result of the Irish Junior National winners last month have gone through a rigorous training regime both on and off the court, led by team manager and former All-Ireland senior champion, the astute Tom Sheridan from Meath.

"As members of the Irish team, I took part in a coaching clinic 'Developing the Athlete' which I found extremely beneficial. We looked at the areas of flexibility, speed and agility and core strength."

"To be honest these were parts of my game which I have never really focussed on but which could undoubtedly give you the edge over opponents, especially in tournament situations. Our training this year has been incorporated with that of the National Development Squad and luckily, we have been granted access to the top coaches and players in the country, which has been a great help to me." Tweet

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