40x20 Connacht Championships
Junior Singles
Lisacul's Denis Creaton overcame his long-time rival Ciaran Bourke from Newport in their 40x20 Junior Singles Connacht semi-final last Saturday.
Played in Bourke's home court this was expected to be tight and it turned out to be a ding-dong battle. Although not killing as much as normal Creaton used his all-round game to take the first 21-17.
Bourke really turned on the style in the second, repeatedly killing the ball and punishing every little error from the West Roscommon man.
There was little Creaton could do as he went down 12-21. Under the new rules the tie-breaker is just up to 11 and Creaton got the bit between his teeth once again and ground out a very close 11-8 victory to set up a Connacht final against Galway's former underage star Peter Donoghue next weekend.
Junior 'B' Singles
St. Coman's Dylan Hanley had a busy few days when he played the delayed 40x20 Junior 'B' county final on Tuesday and then the Connacht semi-final on Sunday.
Hanley faced club-mate Colm Walshe in the county final and their contrasting styles meshed perfectly to produce a superb encounter. Hanley picking and mobility finally overcame Colm's pinpoint killing 21-13, 16-21, 11-3.
Hanley then travelled to Bofield, Co. Mayo to face local lad Eoin Fox. Fox wasn't the classiest handballer but showed fantastic determination and guts to push the St. Coman's player to the limit in the first before Dylan pinched it 21-20, coming from 15-20 down.
Even though Fox never showed any quit, the classier Hanley really turned the screw in the second and won 21-4 to set up a Connacht final against Galway's Darragh Mulkerrins, brother of senior champion Martin.
Minor Singles
St. Coman's Rory Carthy had a comfortable victory over Leitrim's late entry Ciaran McMorrow in the 40x20 Minor singles Connacht semi-final played in St. Coman's last Saturday.
McMorrow was a fine juvenile, but like so many other handballers Covid interrupted his career and he looked quite rusty.
Rory in the meantime has been working hard at his game and looked very impressive winning 21-7, 21-0. Next up is a potential cracker of a Connacht final against Sligo star Cormac Finn.
Masters 'B' Singles
St. Coman's Glenn Walsh was narrowly beaten in his 40x20 Masters 'B' Connacht semi-final against Mayo's Paul Judge. Glenn took some time to get to grips with his very mobile opponent and Judge impressively took the first 21-9.
Glen started killing the ball in the second and turned the tables winning 21-10. The tie-breaker could have gone either way but the Mayo man just pipped Glenn 11-7.
Juvenile Connacht Finals
This Sunday sees St. Coman's host the 40x20 Juvenile Connacht finals.
Roscommon have four finalists: Seamie Carthy in the Boys U13 singles, his brother Eoghan in the U16 singles, Lisacul's Shauna Corrigan in the Girls U16 singles and Kilglass Gaels Allanah Coggeran in the U17 singles.
