Charly Shanks from the Clann
Eireann club in Armagh won his first ever National One Wall open title with a
blistering display of power serving over James Doyle also from Armagh on Sunday
July 1st .
The Eleventh One Wall Nationals
were hosted by Sligo yet again. It
proved to be the biggest entry in the history of Irish One Wall with the
overall entry of 165 exceeding all expectations. There was an extra incentive
for the players in the Men’s & Ladies Open and Boys & Girls U-18
winners and runners-up going onto represent Ireland in an International
handball tournament in the Basque Country next November.
Because of the unavailability of
Sligo IT games were also played in Ballaghaderreen & Williamstown in
Galway. There was exceptional handball
played in the qualifying games particular where Abbeylara’s Damien O’ Connor
was given a stern test by Barry Devlin from Tyrone and Sean McNally from Down
before reaching the final in the C grade. Over in Collooney there was exciting
action too in the Boys U-18 grade where Ian McLoughlin from Newport and Steven
Cooney from Ballaghaderreen met for the second time in a week. McLoughlin took
the Connacht title the previous week but Cooney learned a lot in those 7 days
as he reversed the previous weeks result to set up a final meeting with Caolin
Daly of Tyrone.
Games were played down to the
finals late on Saturday evening but still there was the Men’s Open singles
semi-finals played in Ballymote on Sunday morning. Charly Shanks defeated 4
times champion David King from Carlow by 18-14 while James Doyle just make it
through after extra time over Michael Gregan from Wicklow in a cliff hanger by
20-19. Collooney hosted the adult
finals while Ballymote was used to play the Juvenile finals. First final to be played in the 2007 One
Wall Nationals finals was the Diamond Masters between Morgan Darcy and Nicholas
Clancy both from the Moycullen Club in Galway. Darcy took the first game by
15-5 but some how escaped with a narrow 15-14 win in the second with both
players serving for the second game.
Doolin’s strong finish
In the Girls U-18 final there was
an all St. Coman’s Roscommon final between Leona Doolin & Marianna Rushe.
Even a power cut could not take away from an exciting final. Michael Naughton
the girls coach was in the inevitable position of now knowing who to shout
for. Rushe taking the first game
impressively by 15-8. Even the 2 swallows perched high overhead could only look
down in amazement with the feast of handball being shown by the two young
stars. The second game was very tense
with no player getting any great lead.
Rushe continued her form in the second game and had a small advantage
leading by 7-3. Doolin came more into the contest and applied plenty of
pressure. She forced Rushe into a
number off errors and tied the game at 9-9. Rushe looked to be on the way to a
win when leading 13-9. Doolin, however
refused to panic and with excellent returns and angled winning points was just
13-12 behind. Rushe looked to have it
wrapped up after Doolin slipped in the centre but somehow on game ball tossed
her hand out. Doolin seen her chance
given to her and made no mistake bringing the contest to a tie breaker. Rushe got the better start in the tie
breaker leading 3-0. But from there to the finish Doolin excelled. Last years World 15 & Under world
champion got stronger and Rushe began to wilt under the constant
onslaught. Doolin was composed and
showed maturity beyond her years. Rushe panicked and began making mistakes. In
the end it finished 11-3 in Doolin’s favour.
Gordon win’s Men’s C final
Next final was the Men’s C final
between Abbeylara’s Damien O’ Connor & Niall Gordon from Roscommon. Gordan had the brighter opening lead of
5-1. Gordan scored an excellent ace
straight down the right with the Abbey man hardly even moved. 0’Connor has great potential as a One Wall
player and fought hard to get back into it but he wasn’t firing on all
cylinders as the previous day. Still he was only 2 adrift at 11-9. It was the nearest he was going to get as
the St. Coman’s player taking game 1 by 15-11.
O’Connor came out for the second game with renewed hope and was
full value for his 5-1 lead. Abbeylara’s supporters in the packed gallery got
behind their player but instead it uplifted Gordan and then the game began to
sway in Gordan’s favour. The match was now tied at 5-5. O’Connor put 2 returns
wide of the front wall and these were to cost him dearly in the end. Gordan getting the scores as O’Connor forced
into making hurried returns which invariably had not the accuracy to trouble
the Roscommon man. Gordan eventually taking the title after O’Connor’s high
return landed over the back line.
Daly delivers another one wall
title for Carrickmore
In the Men’s B final seen Niall
Flynn from the Abbeylara club in Longford up against Darragh Daly from the
Carrickmore club in Tyrone. This was
the match of the day. Flynn’s high
tempo game is exciting to watch but his hurried returns helped Daly into a 9-4
lead. Flynn fought back to be only 9-7 behind.
However the Abbeylara star could not get any closer as Daly great
experience and better use of the court helped him to a 15-7 win in game
one.
One thing about Flynn he never
stops trying and he was rewarded in the second game going into a 9-1 lead. Still he somehow he let a big lead slip and
Daly very nearly caught him at 10-9 behind.
It was gripping handball as Flynn finished strongly winning 15-9 and
forcing the tie break.
Daly’s great fitness told in the
tie break as he kept gaining winning scores as Flynn’s resolve began to
unravel. At 8-1 he was as good as home
and dry but Flynn gave every ounce of energy to get back into it and got two
scores. Daly was not going to be denied
and he moved up to senior ranks at last after a great battle.
In the Ladies final Ashley
Prendiville from Kerry faced Katie Costello another St.Coman’s star. Prendiville taking the first game quite
comfortably by 15-5. Prendiville from the Ballymacelligott club went ahead by 6-3
in the second but Costello fought back well to draw level at 8-8. There was nothing separating them as
scores were also tied at 10, 12, 13 & 14.
Prendiville got the winning score with a straight passing shot to
Costello’s right side. I asked
Prendiville shortly afterwards what were her thoughts on winning the Ladies
final? “It was a great game and great
to win as I have lost in Sligo the last 2 occasions third time lucky” said the
relieved Champion.
Shanks spin serves destroys Doyle
in final
The eagerly awaited Men’s final
was now only minutes away. It was fascinating watching the players warming up.
Doyle punishing the ball with such power while Shanks just glides around the
court with such athleticism. Right from
the off Shanks meant business. Doyle
tried to stay in contention at 3-3.
Shanks with awesome power in his serves landing directly in front of
Doyle and suddenly the trajectory of the ball would either go left or right
forcing Doyle doing well to keep the ball in play. Shanks spin on the serves
was a treat to watch but for a struggling Doyle it was a tactic he did not
fully anticipate to such an extent. It
worked a treat for Shanks as Doyle could not get the full power to off load
onto the front wall. As the game wore
on Shanks had great belief as after each point won he would clench his fist. He
was supremely confident. Shanks took
the first game by 15-7. It was a polished performance from Shanks as he never
allowed Doyle to get a foothold into the match. Shanks showed no mercy and Doyle just couldn’t break down Shanks
serves. It was frustrating for Doyle
who came into the championships as the warm favourite in many people minds but
Shanks spin serves cruelly exposed Doyle’s shortcomings. In the end Shanks won
his first Open One Wall singles title by 15-3.
Charly was naturally pleased when I interviewed afterwards. “It was great to get a win under your belt
came the reply from the quiet spoken Armagh man. Next question I put to Charly
that he was very pumped up to win and the spin serve killed James in the end. “Yeah I played James a couple of months
ago. He was serving well up in Lurgan
and I knew when I went in today if he got that serve going I would be in
serious trouble. So I had to get off to a quick start and knew that I had to
spin the ball in on top of him. If he
got that big swing with that right arm the ball was gone”.
I asked Conall Cannon what went
into hosting this years championships? The fact we have done it, this is the 8th
year. There is a template there already. There was an increased entry off 165 and
what we do is actually make the draws, time every single match and then figure
what length of time each competition will take. Not getting the IT this year and the increasing numbers we had to
look for 3 extra venues outside Sligo.
We got Roscommon, Ballaghaderreen & Williamstown and we owe a big
thanks to them for coming to our assistance.
With the standards increasing do
you feel its time now that Ireland sends teams to play in the World One Wall Championships
and the Big Blue Nationals in America?
Conall replied saying “I have been saying that for years on end
especially since I became Connacht Secretary.
The kids that win the 40 x 20 represent Ireland and absolutely yes the
winners of the One Wall should be representing Ireland in the World
Championships.”
Next question put to the Connacht
Secretary was what pleased him most over the weekend? “The fun and the craic and meeting the same people that have been
coming for years and years the Willoughby’s and the Abbeylara crowd. They come back and enjoy it. We become
friends and it’s good to meet them again.”
Finally question put to Conall
will we all be back in Sligo for 2008?
Hopefully! Was the last word from
a satisfied and contented Conall Cannon.
The One Wall Nationals are now an
integral part on the handball calendar. Since 1999 when Sligo took over the
hosting of the One Wall Nationals numbers have risen from 60 in 1999 and been
increasing steadily there after. The
likes of Connell Cannon, Francis McCann, John McLoughlin amongst others deserve
every praise and recognition for their super human efforts each year in
organising the Nationals. Just before Conall Cannon left Collooney after a very
long day Charly Shanks came out of the dressing rooms and thanked the Connacht
Secretary. It was a lovely gesture by Charly and Cannon’s warm smile said it
all.
The
remaining winners are as follows
Golden
Masters Martin Bruen (Roscommon) dft Brian Havern (Down) 15-3, 15-10
BU12 Darren Doherty (Monaghan) dft
Patrick McCrory (Tyrone) 4-15, 15-6, 11-9
BU14 Keith Cavanagh (Wicklow) dft
Niall O’Connnor (Kildare) 15-9, 15-13
BU16 Caolan
Daly(Tyrone) dft Stephen Cooney (Mayo) 15-2, 15-5
BU18 Diarmuid Nash (Clare) dft
Niall Malone (Clare) 15-3, 15-1
GU14 Cianna Ni Churraoin (Galway)
dft Jenna Donohue (Galway) 15-5, 15-14
GU16 Shauna Hilley Wicklow) dft
Lorraine Havern (Down) 15-8, 14-15, 11-4
GU18 Leona Doolin (Roscommon) dft
Marianna Rushe (Roscommon) 8-15, 15-14, 11