Intervarsities Team 40x20 Championship 2009 Report

Report and Photos (below)  and Full Results by Brian O’Sullivan & NevanMcCartin

UUJ and Rushes retain Intervarsity titles

Let’s be honest here for a second. Sometimes, when writing handball reports, it’s easy to revert back to sensationalised clichés such as ‘top class’, ‘epic standard’, ‘and remarkable performance’ to describe the standard and quality of the games being reviewed.

This time however, over the course of a wet and waterlogged weekend in the town of Tralee, clichés such as these, frankly, don’t even come close to paying justice to what was quite simply one of the finest finals ever witnessed in the long history of intervarsity teams handball. 

Tralee sports complex was the setting for the four and a half hour long A team final that literally had it all. Suspense. Drama. Heroic effort in abundance. Every box was ticked. 

For University of Ulster Jordanstown, it was job well done and straight to the top of the class as they successfully defended their All-Ireland 40x20 Team Intervarsity title, but not without some top class handball en-route.

UUJ came into the final following a one sided semi-final with the hosts IT Tralee, while on the other side NUI Galway had two comprehensive victories over 60x30 winners Waterford IT and then Dublin IT in the semi final.

The marathon battle began with the first of two singles games where UUJ’s Padraig McGlinchey got the upper hand on NUIG’s Ciaran Burke, especially in the second, where he upped his game to take an overall lead of seventeen aces in a 21-19, 21-6 win. 

Next up and hoping to reduce the deficit was the doubles pairing of Clare’s Diarmaid Nash and Galway’s Kevin Craddock. A blaze of diving picks from Nash and clinical right corner kill shots from Craddock saw NUIG overturn the deficit amassed in the first with a 21-15, 21-7 win over UUJ’s Brian Donaghy and Connor Duff. It was now NUIG ahead 67-64 moving into the last singles of the event.

The defending champions were trailing by three aces as Darragh Daly and Niall Malone got underway. The calculators were on hand to keep track of the overall score, and the 3rd level spectators  maths skills were tested throughout the last singles match. 

Malone and Daly served up the best match of the weekend in their head to head. Malone was on fire midway through the first game killing everything, and looked to have the first game in the bag leading at one stage 14-6. Daly staged a remarkable fight back to take the opener 21-16, to leave the score UUJ 85-NUIG 83 with one game remaining. While their first game was good, this second game between Malone and Daly was a classic worthy of any final. Niall went ahead 15-4 and seemed to be cruising to victory. Even the NUIG supporters had the calculators put away. This one was assured. 

Dara however responded and staged a tremendous fight back and with the score at 20-16 to Ulster it was anybody’s game. Hands changed seven times over the last four marks, to leave the final score 21-19 to Daly.

All the mathematicians clocked up their scores and anyone with honours maths got 104 for UUJ to 104 for NUIG, a draw in a handball team event. The calculators were put away and the rule book was dusted off.

As per the rules of team events, the outcome would be decided by one doubles game to 21, with any combination of doubles for either team allowed to take to the court. UUJ selected Darragh Daly and Padraig Mcglinchey while the westerners went for the formidable Tuamgranny pairing of Diarmuid Nash and Niall Malone. Luck it seemed ran out for NUIG in the end with the northerners taking the biggest prize in Irish collegiate handball for the second year in a row on a 21-9 score line. Burke and Craddock will no doubt be disappointed not to reclaim the trophy they worked so hard to take hold of in 2007, but as the saying goes, there’s always next year. A spectacular performance on both sides and a deserved victory for UUJ.

Across the hall in court two, the Rushe sisters Hillary and Marianna claimed yet another Intervarsity title, having beaten NUIG Leona Doolin and Catroina Casey in the semi final 15-6, 15-2 they faced the daunting UL pairing of Deirdre Donohoe and Karen Lawlor, and in an exciting contest they took the honours with a painstakingly close 21-17, 21-16 victory. In the Ladies B doubles UCD were hoping to do the double with Laura Mannion and Avril Burns taking on NUIG’s Siobhan Tully and Nicola Kelly however the strong westerner pair put in a superb performance winning 15-0,15-4.

In the Mens B grade, last years runners up UCD were expected to make no mistake this year and they didn’t disappoint beating both UL1 and UL2 en route to the final against a three man Trinity who sensationally beat DCU in the quarter finals and NUIG in the semi final to set up an all Dublin showdown with UCD.

Ladies doubles champion Marianna Rushe faced off against Trinity’s Kilkenny ace Eamonn Foley in the first singles with Foley taking the first 21-16 and Marianna taking a tight second game 21-19, it all came down to the doubles as Trinity needed to be more than 43 aces in front to take the title or 42 to level it, as they had only three players. However despite Niall Mullally and Cormac McMahon’s 21-14, 21-17 win over Kevin Mulligan and Hillary Rushe UCD revenged their final defeat on an overall scoreline of 110-82. Who knows what would have happened had Trinity a forth player.

In the Mens C DCU were hoping to add to the 60x30 team title, and after a compressive win over UCD they faced UCC who defeated DIT in the final played in Ballymac. In the first singles John Kearney of UCC pulled out all the strings to beat Colm Grace 21-13 but Colm bounced back in the second winning 21-3.The doubles saw DCU’s Paddy Rowsome and Tom Sinnott adding to DCU lead with a 21-16, 21-8 win over Cathal Reynolds and Colin Keane.

The last singles was a very close affair with Brian O’Sullivan DCU edging out Aaron Geoghegan 21-18, and mathematically finishing the game the second game went as far as 16-11 to DCU when it was decided to go no further thus giving DCU victory 118-77.

Overall it was a good weekend unfortunately the weather didn’t help. It has to be noted the dedication of every single player involved, in particular UUJ and their 10 hour drive and UCC and them even making it out of the city in the first place. Your effort did not go unnoticed. Thanks also to Tralee Sports Complex and Ballymac for providing the alleys and Kirby’s Brogue Inn for food and entertainment.

God be with the days of the old out-door alleys !!  All roads now lead to Kingscourt at the end of January

 

 

Detailed Results Below

Woman’s B Doubles

Preliminary Quarter Final 1 

UCD (Laura Mannion & Avril Watson) 

defeated

DIT (Aoife Whelan & Grainne Byrne)                                                                                       15-3, 15-8

Preliminary Quarter Final 2 

NUIG (Siobhan Tully & Nicola Kelly) 

defeated

DIT2 (Elainne Flynn & Mary McLoughlin)                                                                                15-0, 15-0

Semi Final 1 

UCD 

defeated

UL (Therese Hearn & Laura-Anne Furlong)                                                                           15-2, 15-0

Semi Final 2 

NUIG 

defeated

ITT (Sarah Cunningham & Aoife Dillane)                                                                                                 15-5, 15-11

Final 

NUIG 

defeated

UCD                                                                                                                                                       15-0, 15-4

Womans A Doubles

Semi Final 1

UL (Deirdre Donohoe & Karen Lawlor) 

defeated

DIT (Laura Keever & Sinead Byrne)                                                                                          15-6, 15-1

Semi Final 2

UCD (Marianna Rushe & Hilery Rushe) 

defeated

NUIG (Leona Doolin & Caitriona Casey)                                                                                  15-6, 15-2

Final 

UCD 

defeated

UL                                                                                                                                                           21-17, 21-16

C Team

Preliminary Quarter Final 1 

UCD (Brian Mahon, James Greevy, Laura Mannion Niall McCormack) 

defeated

DIT2 (Aoife Whelan, Mary McLoughlin, Elaine Flynn, Grainne Byrne)                        90-6

Preliminary Quarter Final 2 

DIT1 (Aidan Melia, Sinead Byrne, Stephen Fitzsimons, Eoin McCafferty) 

defeated

UL (John Enright, Sean Egan, EammonMcNichlos, Therese Hearn)                             62-53

Aidan Melia & Stephen Fitzsimons v John Enright & EammonMcNichlos                 15-7 15-4

Eoin McCafferty v Sean Egan                                                                                                      15-3, 15-9

Sinead Byrne v Therese Hearn                                                                                                   0-15, 2-15

Semi Final 1 

DCU (Tomas Sinnott, Colm Grace, Paddy Rowsome, Brian O’Sullivan) 

defeated

UCD                                                                                                                                                       90-17

Tomas Sinnott v Brian Mahon                                                                                                     15-1, 15-4

Colm Grace & Paddy Rowsome v James Greevy & Laura Mannion                             15-6 15-1

Brian O Sullivan v Niall McCormack                                                                                           15-2, 15-3

Semi Final 2 

UCC (John Kearney, Aaron Geoghegan, Colin Keane, Cathal Reynolds) 

defeated

DIT1                                                                                                                                                       90-29

John Kearney v Stephen Fitzsimons                                                                                        15-10, 15-11

Colin Keane Cathal Reynolds v AidenMelia Sinead Byrne                                               15-1, 15-3

Aaron Geoghegan v Eoin McCafferty                                                                                      15-215-2

Final 

DCU 

defeated

UCC                                                                                                                                                       73-107                                                                                  

John Kearney v Colm Grace                                                                                                         21-13, 3-21

Colin Keane & Cathal Reynolds v Tomas Sinnott & Paddy Rowsome                          16-21, 8-21

Aaron Geoghegan v Brian O’Sullivan                                                                                      18-21, 11-16

B Team

Quarter Final 1

UCD (Marianna Rushe, Hilery Rushe, Declan Smith, Kevin Mulligan) 

defeated

UL2 (Fiachra Hayes, Damo Healy, Gary Hassett, John Fitz)                                             90 – 41

Declan Smith v Fiachra Hayes                                                                                                      15-8, 15-5

Kevin Mulligan & Hilery Rushe v Damo Healy & Gary Hassett                                        15-8, 15-10

Marianna Rushe v John Fitz                                                                                                         15-4, 15-6 

Quarter Final 2 

UL1 (Mark O’Donovan, John Peppard, Jamie Geraghty, Ian O’Dwyer) 

defeated

DCU2 (Stephen Travers, Neil McEnaney, Shane Mahon, Conner O’Gorman)       71-57

John Peppard v Conner O’Gorman                                                                                         9-15, 7-15 

Mark O’Donovan & Ian O’Dwyer v Stephen Travers & Shane Mahon                     10-15, 15-6 

Jamie Geraghty v Aileen                                                                                                               15-4, 15-2 

Quarter Final 3 

NUIG (Nevan McCartin, Darren O’Neill, Cliff Yip, Leona Doolin) 

defeated

DIT (Paul Carroll, Seamus Casserly, Laura Keever, ConerGrealis)                                 85-56

Darren O’Neill v Paul Carroll                                                                                                       15-12, 15-12

Cliff Yip & Leona Doolin v Laura Keever & ConerGrealis                                                   15-3, 15-4

Nevan McCartin v Seamus Casserly                                                                                         10-15, 15-10

Quarter Final 4 

TCD (Niall Mullally, Eamonn Foley Cormac McMahon) 

defeated

DCU1 (Cathal Walsh, Ciaran O’Sulleabhain, Paddy Collins, James Smith)                                67-59

Cormac McMahon v James Smith                                                                                             15-6, 15-12

Ciaran O’Sullivan & Paddy Collins v Niall Mullally                                                               15-0, 15-7

Eamonn Foley v Cathal Walsh                                                                                                     15-4, 15-7

Semi Final 1 

UCD 

defeated

UL                                                                                                                                                           77-44

Jamie Geraghty v Marianna Rushe                                                                                           0-15, 2-15

Mark O’Donovan & Ian O’Dwyer v Hilery Rushe & Kevin Mulligan                           7-15, 5-15

John Peppard v Declan Smith                                                                                                     15-9, 15-8

Semi Final 2 

TCD 

defeated

NUIG                                                                                                                                                     60 - 46

Eamonn Foley v Darren O’Neill                                                                                                                 15-2, 15-0

Cormac McMahon & Niall Mullally v Nevan McCartin & Cliff Yip                                   15-715-7

No Player v Leona Doolin                                                                                                              0-15, 0-15

Final 

UCD 

defeated

TCD                                                                                                                                                        110 - 82

Marianna Rushe V Eamonn Foley                                                                                             16-21, 21-19

Hilery Rushe Kevin Mulligan v Niall MullallyCormac McMahon                                     14-21, 17-21

Declan Smith v No Player                                                                                                              21-0, 21-0

A Team

Preliminary Quarter Final 1 

ITT (Fergal Collins, Shane Hedigan, Trevor Vaughan, Danny Riordan) 

defeated

UUJ2 (Paddy Sherry, Sean O’Kane, Michael Donnelly, Sean McCorry)   

Fergal Collins v Michael Donnelly                                                                                              15-2, 15-2

Paddy Sherry v Shane Hedigan                                                                                                  15-5, 15-8

Preliminary Quarter Final 2 

DIT (Tommy McGrath, Niall Gordan, Shane Heraty, Stephen Cooney) 

defeated

NUIG2 (Shane Hayes, Brian Quigley, Caitriona Casey, Nicola Kelly)                            90 - 36

Stephen Cooney v Shane Hayes                                                                                                                15-1, 15-1

Niall Gordan & Tommy McGrath v Caitriona Casey & Nicola Kelly                                15-8, 15-3

Shane Heraty v Brian Quigley                                                                                                      15-12, 15-11

Preliminary Quarter Final 3 

NUIG (Kevin Kraddock, Ciaran Burke, Niall Malone, Diarmuid Nash) 

defeated

WIT (Patrick Funchion, Ger McGrath, Nicholas Anthony, Noel Holohan)                                 69 - 39

Ciaran Burke v Nicholas Anthony                                                                                              15-3, 9-15

Niall Malone & Diarmuid Nash v Noel Holohan & Ger McGrath                                    15-4, 15-9

Kevin Kraddock v Patrick Funchion                                                                                           15-8

Semi Final 1 

UUJ1 (Darragh Daly, Padraig McGlinchy, Brian Donaghy, Conor Duff) 

defeated

ITT                                                                                                                                                          60-23

Padraig McGlinchy v Shane Hedigan                                                                                        15-10, 15-4

Brian Donaghy & Conor Duff v Danny Riordan & Trevor Vaughan                                               15-5, 15-4

Darragh Daly v Fergal Collins                                                                                                        ITT concede

Semi Final 2 

NUIG 

defeated

DIT                                                                                                                                                         86-46

Ciaran Burke v Stephen Cooney                                                                                                                15-12, 11-15

Niall Gordan & Tommy McGrath v Kevin Kraddock & Diarmuid Nash                         8-15, 3-15

Niall Malone v Shane Heraty                                                                                                       15-5, 15-3

Final      

                                                                                                                                                 

UUJ

defeated

NUIG                                                                                                                                                     104 - 104 

Ciaran Burke v Padraig McGlinchy                                                                                             19-21, 6-21

Kevin Kraddock & Diarmuid Nash v Brian Donaghy & Conor Duff                                21-15, 21-7

Darragh Daly v Niall Malone                                                                                                         21-16, 21-19

Tiebreak

Padraig McGlinchy & Darragh Daly v Niall Malone & Diarmuid Nash                           21-9