By Martin Lalor
This Saturday, the All Ireland 60 x 30 Minor and Senior Handball finals return to Croke Park after an absence of a number of years.
In a three match programme at headquarters, Kilkenny will be represented in the Minor Singles decider when Shane Dunne attempts to go one better than last year where he finished runners up to Mayo. The Clogh player came through the Leinster championship with a good win in the final against Wexford.
In the All Ireland semi-final against the highly rated Tipperary player, James Prentice, Shane put on a top class performance when winning 21-12, 21-4. This win sets him up for the decider against Diarmuid Mulkerrins (Galway), who qualified for the final with a 21-16, 18-21, 21-5 victory over Tyrone in his semi-final match.
The Minor final is the first match of a three match programme which also features the Ladies and Mens Senior Singles deciders.
Elsewhere this weekend, the All Ireland Singles semi-finals are due to be played.
At Thurles on Sunday, William Love (Clogh) plays Padraig O’Carroll (Limerick) in the Intermediate grade. This will be a tough assignment for William, but having come through a competitive provincial championship, he should be well prepared to face the challenge of the Shannonsider.
In the Ladies Intermediate Singles championship, Rachel Hogan (Kilfane) has received a Bye into the All Ireland final, where she will face either Roscommon or Tyrone. In other Ladies Handball news, Ciara Mahon and Mary Phelan (Clogh) defeated Niamh Dunne and Ciara Dowling (Laois) to secure the Leinster Senior title.
On the Senior front, Kilkenny’s involvement in this season’s All Ireland Championship ended on Saturday when Eddie Bourke and Brian Minogue were defeated by David Moloney and Ger Coonan from Tipperary in two games, 21-10, 21-14.
