Ireland ’Basque’ in historic handball challenge victory

Even though Ireland took the compromise handball rules at the third time of asking against their Basque counterparts, the real winners were both the Irish and Basque handball associations. A new dawn in Irish and Basque handball relations is looking very promising following the compromise challenge matches in Roscommon and Carrickmore writes Michael McGee.

The Irish Handball Council, who have been critisized in the past for not doing enough for international relations, pulled out all the stops at very short notice to make the Basque’s trip a truly historic and momentous occasion for all concerned. The Basque team and officials were met at Dublin Airport by the Irish Handball Delegation led by Irish Handball President Tom Walsh, National Secretary Lorcan O’Ruairc and International Officer Tom O’Connor. The group were brought on a sightseeing tour of Croke Park. After a meal in Croke Park the Basque team headed for Ballaghaderreen. The following day, after coaching with John Gaffney’s young stars, a civic reception was held in Durkans Hotel in the Basque team’s honour.

Oscar Recalde, the International Officer with the Basque Association, then spoke and he was delighted with the warm welcome in Ballaghadeereen. The Basque team wanted to play the Irish game and did not want a compromise game so that his players would get a better idea what level they are at the present time.

Oscar mentioned that he would very much like to return to Ballaghadeereen again and hoped one day that the club would travel to the Basque Country. He ended his speech by saying the Irish and Basques are so similar and yet so different at the same time.

After some photos the entourage headed for Claremorris where the Basque team were special guests at the Connacht Handball Awards evening. Lisa Mitchell was the compere for the evening. Lisa was making one of her last public appearances as Handball Promotions Officer and will soon take up a new position as Press Officer with Queens University Belfast. Lisa welcomed Tom Walsh, Lorcan O’ Ruairc, Michael McDonald Marketing Officer of the Connacht GAA Council, Past Presidents Tony Hayes, Peter Carter and John Carty TD.

Coonan gets Ireland going
The St. Comans’s Club in Roscommon town hosted the first of the Challenge games in 60 x 30. Ger Coonan from the Ballina Club in Tipperary was against a tall athletic agile player called Oinatz Gonzalez from the Basque Country. Gonzalez proved a formidable opponent for Coonan. With very little practice in the 60x30 code the determined Basque player quickly adapted to the court and to Coonan’s challenge. At 9-9 it looked that, Coonan could be in a spot of bother.

Coonan when questions were asked of him responded in great fashion. He upped his game and began moving Gonzalez all over the court and allowing the Basque player only one further score as he closed out game one by 21-10 scoreline. If Coonan did not fully realise how skilful Gonzalez was in the first game he certainly did in the second. Gonzalaz began serving to Coonan’s left hand possibly from getting instructions from his coach Kepa Arroitajauregi who stood up for the entire second game quietly giving instructions. Gonzalez was leading by 6-4 when Coonan bravely went for a ball close to the right side wall and crashed heavily into it. Clutching his left elbow in his right hand, he was in some distress. The referee gave him as much time as needed to recover which thankfully he did. The Basque played opened up a nice 11-5 lead with Coonan struggling a little with his elbow. Gonzalez is a fine player with two great hands and will be a star player in the future.

Coonan realising he had to do something and quick fearing the contest was going away from him. He stepped up a gear when required and using all his experience managed to draw level at 13-13. Coonan got a nice score into Gonzalez right side and the following score was won when Coonan with a strong returned passed the Basque player in the centre as Gonzalez could only look on as the ball was quickly hurtling to the back wall. Coonan went into the lead at 16-13. Gonzalez did extremely well to return an awkward ball from the back of the court and Coonan somehow with the ball at his mercy drove the ball into the floor very close to the front wall giving the Basque player a rather lucky score. To his credit Gonzalez got three more scores as Coonan’s greater knowledge in the big court stood to him. The Ballina club man took the second game after Gonzalez failed to return a high serve to his right side. Gonzalez can be very proud of his efforts at his first attempt at 60x30 and he gained many new admirers from the Irish handball fraternity as a result.

Martin and O’Gara stamp their authority
Damien Martin and Ricki O’Gara Intermediate doubles Champions of 2005 had things very much their own way against the young pairing of Eric Fernandez and Koxme Elurbe both only seventeen years old. Tony Hannon introduced the Basque players with some difficulty much to the amusement of the Basque players.

Looking physically stronger Martin and O’Gara went about their task in business like fashion. Fernandez on the right side was finding the high lobbing serves from the Irish pair difficult to return in his corner and the Roscommon pair exploited this to the full. Elurbe on the left tried his heart out to try to get the Basques into the game. A number of wayward volleys and rushed shorts was not helping his cause as the Irish strolled to a 21-4 win the second.

It did not get much better for Elurbe/Ferandez duo in the second but they did take an early 2-0 lead. Fernandez got a lucky rollout and his facial expressions told he could not believe it himself. The Irish supporters in the gallery warmed to see the Basques rolling the ball out.

The Irish had the better teamwork O’Gara taking the inside court while Martin mopped up at the back. In the end, it was a comfortable win for the Roscommon men by 21-5.

Ballaghaderreen duo win pulling up at the finish
Vinnie Moran and Dessie Keegan both from the Ballaghaderreen club were up against Iker Etxebarria and Maixi Castillo in the Senior Doubles. The Basques could not find their feet in the first as the Balla boys took the first game all too easily. In the second our handball heroes were made to fight all the way. With the court, getting slippy and somewhat dangerous it gave the Basque players an opening and they greatly made the most of the opportunities given to them. Scores were level at 6 and 9. Captain Eoin Kennedy seeing the Basques boys improving gave encouragement to the Irish pair from the gallery asking for more effort. They must have been listening to him as immediately they got a number of scores to lead by 14-9. After that Keegan and Moran took the foot off the pedal. Etxebarria, a World One Wall Champion in Ireland in 2003, was the more industrious and looked threatening every time when he hit the ball. Moran had to be alert at all times to the Basque player’s intentions. Castillo with a great dive first and then a volley tied the scores up at 14-14. Dessie with a high lobbing serve over on the left wall and landing in Castillo’s right hand corner helped Ireland back into the lead with two more points and Castillo shot into the roof from Vinnie’s strong serving. It was game ball to the Irish but the Basques bravely got into serve and edged closer. Moran and Keegan were clearly enjoying themselves with warm smiles on the court but they were nearly caught at the finish line. In the end, the Mayo men took the second game narrowly by 21-19.

Kennedy is a class act
The Senior Singles match was between Eoin Kennedy and Mikel Gonzalez, the Basque Singles Champion. The Basque camp were hoping for a good performance from Gonzalez but straight away Kennedy was in no mood to show any complacency. When Kennedy gets into a free flowing rhythm, he is a joy to watch. His movement and his great handball brain was awesome and Gonzalez could only admire the Dublin man’s exploits in the court

In the end the Basque player only made two points in either game was gained against the Irish Champion. With the games officially over the Basque team produced their handball - a large weighty grey ball weighing 100 grammes - more than twice the weight what the Irish players are used to. Even our esteemed officials Tom Walsh and Lorcan O’ Ruairc could not leave the court without taking a swing against the big Basque Ball

With the team heading to Carrickmore the following day for the One Wall challenge the Basques knew they would be in with a good shout of doing well against the Irish. In the Under 22 singles Padraig McGlinchey beat Mikel Extebarria 21-18, 21-8. Gary McRory and Darragh Daly were shocked by Koxme Elurbe and Eric Fernandez in the first game of the Under 22 doubles but made amends in game two winning by 21-13. Charly Shanks and Ryan Daly fell to Maixi Castillo and Mikel Gonzalez by 21-15, 21-11. James Doyle and Iker Extebarria met in repeat of the World B One Wall semi-final of 2003 and despite pushing the Basque star all the way in game one Doyle couldn’t keep up the momentum and overall went down by 21-16, 21-7. The Basque team won the One Wall by 144-127 but overall Ireland won 313-182.

As the crowds drifted away from the St. Coman’s club on the Saturday evening one man in particular even in defeat had much to celebrate. For Oscar Recalde the Basque International Officer who has worked very hard at getting the links established with the Irish. The warm smile on his face and the glint in his eyes leaving the court told its own story. After 73 years of isolation the Basque Handball Country is back in business and Irish handball has a new family member.