Club presentations to Shane Bruen & Paddy Walsh

Bruen & Walsh feted by Collooney handball club

To mark the achievements of club players Shane Bruen & Paddy Walsh winning All-Ireland handball titles this year the Collooney handball Club made  special presentation of Galway Crystal to club handball champions. In what was one of the best years ever for Sligo handball at adult level with 6 All-Ireland titles coming to the Yeats County. 

Paddy Walsh at just 73 years of age claimed his 30th All-Ireland title with a hard fought win over great rival in Dublin's Mick O'Brien by 17-21, 21-14, 21-1 in Crinkle. From a man winning his 30th to Shane Bruen winning his first. Bruen's long wait  for an All-Ireland medal is over. Bruen won both All-Ireland Masters B 60 x 30 singles & doubles titles. Bruen defeated Wexford's  John Roche 21-17, 21-9 in the Na Fianna Club in Dublin. One week later Bruen was back in action in the doubles with partner Castleconnor's Martin Cooney. Bruen & Cooney came through  with an  excellent 21-18, 21-10 victory over Wexford's John Roche & Damien Kelly played in Crinkle. 

Pictured below from left to right: 

Hugh McGarry Collooney handball development chairman presenting Shane Bruen while Peter Davey Assistant Chairman present's Paddy Walsh with their Galway Crystal Awards 

Group photo of Collooney handball club players and officials celebrating Bruen & Walsh's awards.

(photos Michael McGee)

Irish 40 x 20 Nationals November 15th & 16th in Kilkenny/Carlow/Laois venues

Adult 40x20 Nationals Entry Details

Click here to Enter & For Grades/Eligibilities  Please Note: Entries will only be accepted through the online system on www.gaahandball.ieand can be paid for by credit card, laser, cash or cheque.   No entries can be accepted after the closing date. Players can only enter one grade.   All matches in the Irish 40x20 Adult Nationals will be 2 games to 21 and tie-break to 11. The O’Neill’s International Ball (Men’s Events) and Macsports Dark Blue Ball (Ladies Events) will be the official tournament balls. GAA Handball reserves the right to amend grades or entries if they feel it is necessary. If numbers are low in certain grades, that particular grade will not be run, with that grade being merged with another grade. GAA Handballs decision will be final in such matters. By entering this competition you automatically agree to be available to play on both the qualifying weekend and the nationals weekend – as above. Please note you will get a conformation email back from myclubfinances.com to confirm that your entry was successful. If you don’t receive this email conformation then you must complete the registration process again.

Joe Bergin shield presented to Collooney handball club

Jim Gilligan representing the Bergin family presenting the Joe Bergin Perpetual Shield to Hugh McGarry Collooney handball development Chairman.

Hugh McGarry Collooney Handball Development Chairman, Shane Bruen Colloney handball Secretary, Jim Gilligan & Connell Cannon Connacht Handball Council Representative

Following on the historic opening of the impressive Collooney handball 40 x 20 court in late August the club was recently presented with the "Joe Bergin Perpetual Shield." The Bergin's were described by Collooney Development Chairman Hugh McGarry as "legends in the game." The brought great success to Collooney at club, County & All-Ireland level

At the official opening of the Collooney handball court in 1928 Joe & Paddy Bergin were residing in Tipperary played Jim Hunt & Eddie Perry from Sligo. In 1937 Joe Bergin partnered Michael O'Gorman to win the Junior Softball doubles All-Ireland title. And five years later in 1942 Joe Bergin and playing partner Stephen Bergin took on the Collins brothers from Tipperary Connie & Anthony. The Bergin's had already declared for Sligo. However as it turned out Tipperary took the All-Ireland from Sligo that day. It was an unique final as all four players were from North Tipperary.

"The presentation has come at a very opportune time with the emphasis on the opening of the new 40 x 20 handball court. The Joe Bergin Shield will be used for a Juvenile Tournament each year, and will herald a new era with a new batch of eager young handball players all aiming to win this prestigious Joe Bergin Shield. The club are indebted to the Bergin family for their very generous and welcome sponsorship, enthused McGarry."

Shane Bruen & Martin Cooney All-Ireland Masters B doubles 60 x 30 champions 2014

                  All-Ireland Masters B doubles 60 x 30 champions: Martin Cooney & Shane Bruen

              Martin Cooney, Shane Bruen, pictured with runners-up  Damien Kelly & John Roche Wexford

                                                  All-Ireland Champions: Martin Cooney & Shane Bruen

My thanks to Connell Cannon, Seamus Duffy & Tony Breen for the photos


Congratulations to Sligo's Shane Bruen & Martin Cooney who won the All-Ireland 60 x 30 Championships Masters B doubles final with an 21-18, 21-10 win over Wexford's John Roche & Damien Kelly in Crinkle today.

An excellent year for Shane with 2 All-Ireland medals winning both Masters B singles & doubles title while Martin Silver Masters B singles (40 x 20) Silver Masters B singles (60 x 30) and Masters B doubles (60 x 30) capped off a brilliant year for the Castleconnor Club man

Meet Sligo's All-Ireland handball champions

                              The victorious All-Ireland handball singles champions from Sligo: 

Shane Bruen Masters B, Paddy Walsh Over-70's & Martin Cooney Silver Masters B winners.

Bruen & Cooney aiming for doubles success

Shane Bruen & Martin Cooney go in search of another handball title on Saturday in Crinkle

Confidence will be high for Sligo doubles pairing of Shane Bruen and Martin Cooney following their terrific singles success in Dublin on Saturday. The duo are aiming for more success this time in the Masters B doubles final. Both Bruen & Cooney are very strong at this level as has shown in their Connacht final win over Roscommon's John Kennedy & Seamie Connolly by 21-15, 21-2. The duo made the long journey to Dungarvan to take on Tipperary & Munster Champions Paul Maher & David Tobin and again had an excellent 21-8, 21-10 victory. Their opponents again will be from Wexford . John Roche & Damien Kelly will provide the opposition. A tough task awaits the Sligo men but the Connacht champions have trained very hard for this one and will want to end the season on a high with another All-Ireland title. On current form Bruen & Cooney will fancy their chances of going all the way in Crinkle.

All-Ireland handball championships  60 x 30 finals:
Saturday 27th September in Crinkle at 11 am
Masters B doubles:  Shane Bruen & Martin Cooney (Sligo) v John Roche & Damien Kelly (Wexford)

Sligo's 3rd handball title today while its handball title Number 30 for handball legend Paddy Walsh

            
 Sligo's 3rd & Paddy Walsh's 30th  All-Ireland handball title

Saturday September 20th 2014 will go down in Sligo handball folklore as one of the County's best every day's in handball, writes Michael McGee.

In an historic day for Sligo handball  which started with Castleconnor's Martin Cooney capturing the Silver Masters B singles title with a hard fought win over Wexford's Robert Doyle in the Na Fianna G.A.A. Club in Dublin. This was quickly followed up  by Collooney's Shane Bruen winning his first All-Ireland singles title with a solid 21-17, 21-9 win over Wexford's John Roche. Attentions quickly turned to Crinkle but updates were hard to come by. When news did filter through it was an another historic win for Sligo handball legend Paddy Walsh.  Sligo's most decorated handball player of all time kept up his relentless pursuit of more All-Ireland winners medals and he did not disappoint.

Today in Crinkle he faced his old adversary in Dublin's Mick O'Brien in the Over 70's singles final. O'Brien took the 2012 title from Walsh's grasp but this time Walsh was waiting, willing for the battle to commence. But he had to do it the hard way. He lost the first narrowly by 17-21 but manfully fought back to level the match with an 21-14 win in the second. In the third and deciding set  Walsh's runaway train got up a head of steam and there was no stopping him as he saw off the Dubliners challenge to seal an historic win in the third by 21-1.  Last year Walsh (now 74)was honoured with a Civic Reception from Sligo's then Lord Mayor Marcella McGarry. On today's historic win he should be feted  yet again for his extraordinary achievement. Seventy four years young, 30 All-Ireland handball titles.  What a handball legend we have here in Sligo. Not alone that the likes of Shane Bruen & Martin Cooney should be feted as well.

All-Ireland handball 60 x 30 championships finals:
Silver Masters B singles:  Martin Cooney (Sligo) dft Robert Doyle  (Wexford) 21-10, 21-19.
Masters B singles: Shane Bruen (Sligo) dft John Roche (Wexford) 21-17, 21-9
Over 70's singles: Paddy Walsh (Sligo) dft Mick O'Brien (Dublin) 17-21, 21-14, 21-1.
Golden Masters A singles:  Francis McCann (Sligo) lost to Mickey Dowling (Kildare) 15-21, 17-21