Collooney handball tournament final
June 11, 2013
Collooney handball tournament winners.
After 3 weeks of competitive & sparkling handball the final the title went to Team A. After an initial onslaught in the form of Jason Earlis & Seamus Duffy who opened proceedings Team A had to come from behind to take the title in a nail biting comeback. It looked very comfortable for Team A in the opening skirmishes with Duffy & Earlis blitzing the hapless Peter Davey & Micheal Jones only allowing the Team B players 2 points in the entire match. Jason Earlis was in sublime form and with the experienced Seamus Duffy Team A went into a huge lead.
In the second match Team A combination of Joe McCann a senior star with Mayo along with Ballymote's Martin Golden had a battle royal with Team B of Martin Cooney & Peter Chambers. It was a very close and exciting contest throughout with Team A taking game one by 21-17. Cooney & Chambers hit back immediately in game 2 winning it by 21-12 thus forcing the deciding tie break game to decide the winning team. In the tie breaker McCann & Golden did just enough to get over the line by 11-8.
In match 3 Team A pairing of Padraig Maye & Gerry Coleman faced the inform Tom Foody & Joe Gorman both from the Castleconnor Club. The Castleconnor men combined well on the way to a comfortable victory in the end by 21-10, 21-5.
It was down to the final match and Team A Aoife McDonagh & Ross Taheny went into battle to wrestle the title back against Emmett & Martin Branning Team B. McDonagh & Taheny set out their stall out straight away and with a determined and gritty displayed put their team back into contention with drive & intent. McDonagh & Taheny were resolute against the Brannings who took an early lead. McDonagh & Taheny rallied strongly taking the first game by 21-10.
After 3 weeks of action it was all down to the final game to decide the winners. A battling performance from The Brannings opened brightly for Team C early in the final game. However McDonagh & Taheny replied brilliantly. In a frenetic finale McDonagh & Taheny drove on and with a greater desire to win went into the lead. Both teams displayed moments of magic but it was McDonagh & Taheny that had the slicker moves. With the large crowd urging both teams on for a final push it was Team's A star players McDonagh & Taheny displaying the more methodical efficiency that went on to take the second game and the tournament by 21-8. The final score in favour of Team A was 138-108. Chairman of the Sligo Handball Board Shane Bruen congratulated both teams on an exciting final. Bruen also thanked Connell Cannon the Co.Secretary who organised the tournament.
Collooney handball 60 x 30 team tournament final result:
Team A - Seamus Duffy, Jason Earlis, Joe McCann, Martin Golden, Padraig Maye, Gerry Coleman, Aoife McDonagh & Ross Taheny dft Team C- Micheal Jones, Peter Davey, Martin Cooney, Peter Chambers, Larry Jones, Tom Foody, Michael & Emmett Brannigan & John Colleran 138-108 Tweet
