Ace Sweeney secures junior handball title for Salthill

SALTHILL handballers made up for the agony of losing the 2009 All-Ireland Junior Club final to Coolboy of Wicklow by just 10 aces to come back strongly to lift the 2010 equivalent at the expense of a game Liscarrol of Cork outfit.

The final which was rescheduled due to the bad weather last month went ahead without a hitch at Cappagh on Sunday last and a good contingent of Salthill supporters made their way to the Co. Limerick venue.

Kevin Craddock had the onerous task of opening Salthill’s challenge as he lined out against Liscarrol youngster Shane Hedigan in the first singles. The Cork man took the first game 21 aces to 14 but the super-fit Craddock stormed to a 21 aces to 13 victory in the second to leave just a single ace between the sides.

Bernie McDonagh and John Ward took on Liscarrol duo, Tom and Denis O’Neill, in the crucial doubles leg and in a thrilling and keenly-contested tie, it was the Tribesmen who won the first game on a 21 aces to 18 scoreline.

The Cork duo restored parity when they won the second 21 aces to 15. It was all down to the last singles and the performance of Tom Sweeney who faced the accomplished Arthur O’Neill in a match that would decide the title.

Sweeney battled for every ace but was matched all the way by O’Neill and there was only one ace separating the pair in the first game. With Salthill leading by just three aces, it was all to play for and Sweeney kept his head in a fitting nail-biting finale to secure a 21 aces to 13 win and an overall 114-103 victory to send the title back to Galway. Mayo club side, Ballaghaderreen, claimed a remarkable six successive senior club title when they accounted for Ballydesmond of Cork in the final at Kingscourt on Saturday last. With Dessie Keegan, Vincent Moran, Stephen Cooney and Joe McCann all putting in top class performances.

In a busy weekend ahead, the opening matches in the county championship take place a various venues this Friday and Sunday while the Ballaghaderreen club host the John Gaffney Memorial senior singles invitational tournament. All the available top names in the 40x20 game will be making the trip to the Co. Mayo venue with two round of qualifying on Saturday and the semi-finals and final on Sunday.

For more, read this week's Galway City Tribune.