Tag Archives: Handball

Other Sports, Other Sports

Kerry Handball: Stories From The Wall

By Padraig Harnett

Dominic’s 50 not out:

Is there another sports person in the county with 50 Munster titles? Glenbeigh’s Dominic Lynch reached that landmark this week when he beat David Moloney in the Munster final of the Masters Singles 40×20 Final.

He told the media this week that he was thrilled to reach such a milestone. “When I started playing I never thought I would be still at it and still winning titles. But there is a great sense of achievement to win 50 Munster titles. I won my first ever handball title in 1991, the Munster 40×20 u14 doubles, so it’s a long time ago and I have faced some great players over the years.

“I have been lucky to win World titles as well as numerous All Ireland finals but to win 50 in your home province is something very special especially because you know everyone involved and there will never be an easy win in Munster.

“I am lucky that I have stayed fit and relatively injury-free over the years but I am not finished yet! I still love the game and love winning. But there are some great players coming through in Kerry and beyond so I will need to be at my best if I want to keep adding titles to my collection.”

 News from the Wall:

In the Juvenile section Glenbeigh’s Sean Quirke had a very good win in the u14 Boys40x20 Munster Singles semi-final as he defeated Limerick’s Robert McCarthy 15-1, 15-5.

Glenbeigh’s Ronan Sheehan lost to Charlie Treen from Waterford in the u13 Singles. The score line saw the Waterford boy winning 15-8, 15-7. The Kerry boys Diarmuid McGillicuddy and Darragh Blennerhasset lost out on the u15 Doubles. They went down to the Waterford pairing of Charlie Treen and Sean O’Sullivan 15-9, 15-7.

The Junior B doubles pairing of Pat and Eamon Lacey lost out to Waterford’s Jamie Nagle and Darragh O’Connell 21-12, 21-11.

Fixtures:

Broadford, Co Limerick is the venue for two big games this Saturday. At 2pm in the Munster 40×20 Junior A Singles Final Glenbeigh’s Jack Ryan takes on Cork’s Ryan Harkin.

At 3pm Dominic Lynch will take on Diarmuid Nash of Clare in the Last 16 of the Munster 40×20 Senior Singles at the same venue.

Other Sports, Other Sports

Words From The Wall: Kerry Handball News

Words from the Wall

Kerry’s winners at the Munster 40×20 Juvenile Championship semi-final:

There were a number of Kerry players in action in the Munster 40×20 Juvenile Handball Championships where Kerry took on Waterford in Dungarvan.

Going through to the semi-finals are Dara Lynch in the Boys under 12 singles after he defeated Waterford’s Billy O’Connell 12-15, 15-9, 15-5. Kerry’s Sean Quirke beat William Beresford 15-14, 15-9 in the Boys u14 singles. Dara Keane also progressed as he was a 21-9,21-5 winner over Daithi Breanach in the u17 singles.

In the u13 Doubles Aoife Page and Danielle Griffin of Kerry went down to Ella Grantley and Saoirse Kelly 15-3,15-14 in a very tight encounter. Waterford’s Michael Kelly and Oisin Hallahan got the better of Kerry’s Tommy Quirke and Liam Smith 15-5, 15-9.

Already Through: There are three Kerry handballers through to the Munster Semi-Finals before last weekend’s action. Roisin Smith and Lea Morris are through in the Girl’s under 12’s Doubles while in the under 14 Girls Singles Samantha Riordan is in the last 4.

Semi Finals: The semi-finals of the Munster Juvenile 40×20 Championship will take place on the weekend of February 3td to 5th with the finals on March 11th/12th.

In the Alley: In midweek Jack O’Shea will be playing John Ferncombe of Tipperary in the Munster 40×20 Junior A Singles quarter final. The game is set to take place in the handball alley in Broadford, Co.Limerick. We will have the result of that game in next week’s Words from the Wall.

Dates for the Diary: The Cumann Na mBunscoil Munster Finals will be on the weekend of February 17th and 19th. March 11th and 12th will see the first round/semi-finals and finals of the u12/u13, u14/u15, u16/u17 40×20 Juvenile Team Championships.

GAA, Sport

Munster Champ Daire Continues Ballymac’s Great Handball Tradition

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Munster U16 60x30 Handball Champion 2016, Daire Keane from Ballymacelligott. Photo by Gavin O'Connor.
Munster U16 60×30 Handball Champion 2016, Daire Keane from Ballymacelligott. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.

CBS THE GREEN student, Daire Keane, is the latest Ballymacelligott handball player to win a prestigious competition.

Last weekend he captured the U16 Munster Handball 60x3o Championship in Cullen, Co Cork.

On his way to clinching the title. Daire fought off the best that Munster could throw at him. In the final he defeated Sean McAdams of Tipperary and in the semi-final, Cork’s Niall Delaney.

Daire almost made it a double in Cullen but lost out narrowly in the 40x2o alley final.

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Great achievements but getting there was not easy.

“I was training three or four nights a week,” said a beaming Daire Keane. “There’s a few people below in the alley that gave me a great hand, it was unbelievable for the parish.”

The Ballymac parish is very close to Daire’s heart and he was delighted to do it proud. “We’ve world titles in Ballymac so it was nice to bring another Munster medal back,” he said.

Last year he lost out in the two All-Ireland finals at U15 level. Daire Keane is now back on track to go one step further in the future.

News, SCHOOLS, Sport

CBS Student Dáire Triumphs In Handball Munster Final

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CBS The Green’s Dáire Keane won the Munster U15 handball final recently.

A CBS The Green student is certainly in a celebratory mood after he recently triumphed playing handball at provincial final level.

Dáire Keane, a third year student in the school, won the Munster Final in the U15 handball category recently to add another feather to his already burgeoning cap of accolades, when since 2007, he has been the reigning champion at both 40ft x 20ft and 60ft x 30ft.

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With two handball competitions run each year, one in a 40ft x 20ft space and the other in 60ft x 30ft, Dáire emerged as the winner in both of these at the county and provincial levels.

After suffering a close defeat in the 40 x 20ft All Ireland Final, he is currently awaiting his opponent for the 60 x 30ft level.

Good luck in the rest of your campaign Dáire!

News, Sport

Death Of Handballing Legend Tom ‘Roundy’ McEllistrim

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The late Tom ‘Roundy’ McEllistrim.

ONE of the legends of Irish handball has passed away.

Tom ‘Roundy’ McEllistrim from Ballymac, who won several All-Ireland titles in an illustrious career which spanned decades, passed away on Sunday morning. He was 75.

In his career he won four Junior Singles All Irelands [Softball and Hardball] in 1966, and also the Gael Linn Trophy; 60X30 Senior Doubles All Ireland 1968, 1970.

He was a brother of Murty, another illustrious handballer. His father, Jimmy Mc Ellistrim donated the site on which Ballymac Handball Alley now stands.

Roundy, aka “The Champ” passed away on Sunday, December 7, at 8am in Tralee Community hospital.

In a long and illustrious career, Roundy was a specialist in the 60X30 alley, winning numerous big court competitions in softball and hardball.

The ability to control games from the centre of the court marked him out as one of true greats of the game; his “soft” corner kill from the centre of the court or passing lob shot were only two of the hallmarks of this brilliant handballer.

The Champ, delighted in showing the youngsters in Ballymac his “party piece”, standing a box of matches against the front wall in the big alley, and hitting it with a handball from the back of the alley-fully sixty feet away.

Roundy’s parents-Jimmy and Bridie, were the genesis of handball in Ballymac, as the Mc Ellistrim family gave the site for the alley on which Ballymac Handball alley now stands.

Their generosity has touched the lives of many families within the parish, and indeed throughout the County. Roundy is survived by his brother-Murty, and two sisters-Philomena and Joan; and he is predeceased by Richard “Dick” Mac, and his sister Kathleen.

Funeral arrangements as follows; removal on Monday 8th December from Tangney’s funeral home in Castle island 6pm-8pm to St Brendan’s Church, Clogher, Ballymacelligott; funeral mass in St Brendan’s Church, Clogher, Ballymacelligott on Tuesday December 9th at 12 noon, burial afterwards in Clogher graveyard.

Roll of honour

Four in one year: 1966 was a momentous year for “The Champ” as he dominated the 60X30 alley, in both softball and hardball. Unique achievement of four Junior All Ireland Titles in one year as follows:

1966: Junior Hardball Singles All Ireland; Junior Softball Singles All Ireland;

Junior Hardball Doubles All Ireland, with his brother Murty; Junior Softball Doubles All Ireland, with his brother Murty

Gael Linn Cup: Only Kerry player to win this National Cup in 1967

Senior Titles: 60X30 Senior Doubles with his brother “Murty” in 1969 and 1971

60X30 Senior Club All Ireland, with Ballymac in 1975; team members, Thomas “Roundy” Mc Ellistrim, Murty Mc Ellistrim, Kelly Leen, Nicholas Kerins, J P Leen

Roundy won the “Hall Of fame Award”, at the 2010 Handball All Stars National Awards, in Croke Park.

Roundy was one of forty recipients, at a Kerry County Council Civic Reception held in Kerry County Council Buildings, Rathass, and Tralee on Monday 19th November 2012

The ability to control games from the centre of the court marked him out as one of true greats of the game; his “soft” corner kill from the centre of the court or passing lob shot were only two of the hallmarks of this brilliant handballer.