Bruen & Walsh into All-Ireland handball 60 x 30 finals

                                     Mike O'Connor Limerick and Sligo's Shane Bruen.

Collooney’s Shane Bruen & Paddy Walsh are through to the All-Ireland handball 60 x 30 championships finals. In today’s action in Ballymote Shane took on Limerick’s Mike O’Connor and won in straight games by 21-10, 21-14. Paddy Walsh got a bye into the final.

Ballymote’s Francis McCann & Castleconnor’s Martin Cooney have also reached the singles finals. Next weekend is the doubles with Bruen & Cooney favoured to progress in the Masters B doubles.

All-Ireland Handball Championships 60 x 30 semi-finals:

Results:  Masters B semi-finals:  Shane Bruen (Sligo) dft Mike O’Connor (Limerick) 21-10, 21-14

Bruen & Walsh play in All-Ireland semi-finals in Ballymote

All-Ireland Handball 60 x 30 Championships semi-finals

Saturday 6^th September in Balllymote at 2 p.m.

Over 70’s Singles:  Paddy Walsh (Sligo) v Mossy Butler (Waterford)

Masters B Singles: Shane Bruen (Sligo) v Mike O’Connor (Limerick)

Connacht Masters B 60 x 30 doubles title for Bruen & Cooney

Congratulations to Collooney & Sligo star Shane Bruen who teamed up with Castleconnor’s Martin Cooney to win the Masters B Connacht title with a 21-15, 21-2 victory over Roscommon’s John Kennedy & Seamie Conneely

Collooney handball club celebrate

                         Mick Kelly & Paddy Walsh cut the tape to open the new court

                                                   Collooney handball club committee

Collooney handball club celebrate

After many years of dedication, hard work and commitment the Collooney handball Club Committee were at last able to celebrate the opening of their state of the art 40 x 20 handball court last Friday evening, writes Michael McGee

A huge gathering of people from all over Ireland attended the opening of the Collooney handball 40 x 20 court on Friday evening last. In attendance was Joe TaaffeSligo G.A.A Chairman, Eamonn McMunn Sligo G.A.A Administrator. Shane Malone Main Contractor, P.J. Moran Engineer on the project. Wexford Handball Secretary Tony Breen and his wife Betty made the long journey to Collooney.  Amongst the attendance was Michael McElroy son of William McElroy the Club’s first Secretary in 1928. Also there was Brian Cooper of Markree Castle the family who kindly donated a plot of ground on the Fairgreen where the handball courts are now situated. With the viewing gallery full to capacity the evening started with an Ecumenical Blessing by Fr. Pat Peyton P.P. Collooney and Rev Adam Pullen Ballisodare.   After the blessing two of the legends of the game in Sligo Paddy Walsh & Mick Kelly who between them have won 39 All-Ireland handball titles had the honour of cutting the tape to open the new €200,000 state of the art handball court. It was a case of double celebration for Walsh as he also celebrated his 74^th birthday. D.J. Charlie Brown provided the musical entertainment.

Development Chairman Hugh McGarry gave the speech and began by sincerely thanking the Cooper Family of Markree Castle who kindly donated the ground in the Fairgreen back in 1928 where the handball court is built. McGarry had a warm “Cead Mile Failte” for Brian Cooper who was in attendance.  McGarry praised Fr. Pat Peyton PP Collooney who launched the plan back in 2011 and said “that the people of Collooney are very lucky to have him.”  “Fr. Pat is a tremendous help to us over the last 3-4 years”.   The Development Chairman thanked Tony McLoughlin T.D. who was instrumental in helping the club receive the €50,000 sports lottery funding from the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport in January of last year which greatly aided the project.   He also thanked all the support received from the weekly Bingo in Collooney hall and acknowledged “that this would not have happened only for the support of their loyal supporters”. P.J. Moran a lecturer in Engineering was described as a “great guy” by McGarry.  “This was his ideas and plans and great credit to him.”  McGarry was full of praise for the main contractor Shane Malone “when Shane came on board my problems was solved.”  Shane is an absolute gentleman McGarry added.   Malone’s team of contractor’s Jimmy Kilgallon, Eamon Waters, Padraic Harte, Michael Harte & the Walsh brothers were also thanked for their excellent work.

 McGarry remembered great friends of the club who are now deceased people like Willy Loftus, Ned Connelly, Mrs Jackson, Mickey Finn, Kathleen Finn, Gabriel Walsh & John O’Hara and with that there was 30 seconds of silence for those departed.   McGarry mentioned past players the Clifford brothers, Mannion brothers, Kenneth McKenna, Bergin brothers, Flynn brothers, Johnson brothers Ballisodare, Harry Colleary, Sonny Hennessy &Tom Colleary. The Development Chairman reiterated his desire to continue their development during the winter months to renovate the 60 x 30 court and have an Official opening  in Spring of next year.  All of the committee were individually thanked for their extraordinary dedication and commitment in the last number of years.  McGarry was delighted to see Michael McElroy son of William McElroy the first Club Secretary in 1928 looking hale and hearty at the opening.   McGarry looks forward to seeing the club players reach their potential in the years to come and that the new generation will also bring great success to the club.

Collooney handball 40 x 20 opening Friday August 29th in photos

Sean Reilly, Angela McLoughlin, Pat Connolly & Anthony McGarry

                                  Michael & Mona Elroy, Jim Gilligan & John Leydon

Liam Kelly, Rian Kelly, Mick & Sally Kelly, Enya Kelly & Angela Killalea

Betty & Tony Breen our great friends in Wexford. Thanks Tony & Betty for sharing with us on our historic opening

Connell Cannon, Rev Adam Pullen & Fr Pat Peyton PP Collooney

Shane Bruen, Martin Golden, Francie Cawley, John Cawley & Johnny Banks

Brendan Carey, Mick McMorrow & Francis McCann

Councillor Tomas Healy, Shane Bruen & Daniel Gallagher AKA D.J. Charlie Brown

John McGarty, Jean Connell, Ailish & Eimear McGarry, Peter Davey, Mairead Philips & Annabella Nolan

Shane Malone Main Contractor, Hugh McGarry Dev Club Chairman  & P.J. Nolan Engineer

Carl Brennan Champion photographer, John McLoughlin Connacht Handball Secretary, Mick Kelly & Hugh McGarry

Larry Jones & Michael Ginley

Connell Cannon, Fr. Pat & Rev Adam Pullen at the Blessing

Mick Kelly & Paddy Walsh cut the tape to open the alley

Collooney handball committee

Paddy, Eugene & Mick

Michael & Mona Elroy, Maureen Mullin & Jim Gilligan

Still got it: PJ Moran displaying his handball skills

Tony Breen Wexford handball secretary, Hugh McGarry & P.J. Moran

Tony Breen, Hugh McGarry, P.J. Moran & Michael McGee

Michael Flynn & Hugh McGarry

Hugh McGarry's Interview with Darragh Cox Ocean FM

Listen to Hugh McGarry's Interview with Ocean FM'S Darragh Cox form last Friday. Click HERE to listen to the recording.

   

Tony Breen visits Collooney

A very welcome visitor to Collooney is Wexford County Secretary Tony Breen.  Tony is doing a magnificent job in Wexford as an handball Official and looks after the the very impressive Wexford handball website  http://www.gaahandballwexford.ie/ well worth looking at. Tony is an All-Ireland handball Champion and received the Water Crystal Handball Awards "Official of the Year in 2000. Another award for this very hard working & affable handball official is over due. Tony is also a World Handball Champion.

Tony with Paddy Walsh

Tony with Connell Cannon Sligo County Secretary