Despite some fine performances it was a disappointing weekend for Roscommon Handball representatives with four teams losing Semi-Finals
All-Ireland 40×20 Junior Doubles Handball Semi-Final
St. Coman’s Oisin Naughton and Darren Beatty were well beaten in their Junior Doubles All-Ireland semi-final against Tyrone’s Barry Devlin and Ryan Daly. Even though the game was held in the Tyrone’s lads home court of Beragh, this was expected to be a close encounter. Unfortunately for Roscommon, neither Oisin or Darren ever settled and the Red Hand duo didn’t need to be encouraged to take advantage. The first game was over very quickly and while things improved somewhat in the second the final scoreline of 21-4, 21-12 tells its own story.
All-Ireland 40×20 Ladies Minor Doubles Handball Semi-Final
If ever there was a case of going down in a blaze of glory, it was Fiona Tully’s valiant performance in her Ladies Minor Doubles All-Ireland semi-final against powerful Armagh pair Niamh Coleman and Megan McCann. Played in St. Coman’s Fiona was partnered by the very inexperienced Jennifer McCormack, but it is fair to say this was literally a 2v1 battle for the duration of the match.
Fiona’s killing, court coverage and intelligence stunned the Armagh girls in the first, which Roscommon won 21-14. However, as was only to be expected, Fiona tired in the second. This didn’t stop her from giving it everything, but the well-coached Orchard girls ran her ragged and eventually took the two remaining games 21-10, 21-6.
All-Ireland 40×20 Emerald Masters Doubles Handball Semi-Final
Ger Walshe and Dermot Doolin’s long trip to Belfast to take on locals Thomas Maguire and Anthony Caddell in their Emerald Masters Doubles All-Ireland semi-final last Sunday ended in vain when they were beaten in three games.
Despite defeating Maguire in their singles semi-final Ger was hampered by injury in recent weeks and Dermot is currently ‘domiciled’ in Castlebar, so their preparation was far from perfect. Having lost the first 21-14, the Roscommon lads finally settled in the second and looked comfortable winning 21-14. But the third was all about the Belfast lads again as they turned the screw and won far more comfortably than could have been foreseen at the end of the second. The final score was 21-14, 14-21, 21-6.
All-Ireland 40×20 Junior ‘B’ Doubles Handball Semi-Final
Surprise Connacht champions Padraig Coyle and Enda Ward (Curraghboy) put up a brave performance in their Junior ‘B’ Doubles All-Ireland semi-final in St. Coman’s last Sunday but were outgunned by strong Monaghan duo of Gavin Coyle and Gary McElroy. Monaghan’s Coyle is an outstanding player who recently won the singles equivalent but he and his partner were made work very hard for their victory by the determined South Roscommon pair who went down fighting 21-9, 21-13.
Cormac O’Brien and Aengus Cunningham had to withdraw from their Silver Masters Doubles All-Ireland semi-final when Cormac sustained a serious back injury a few a days prior.
There was some positive news however as Linda Connolly and Siobhan Tully received a walkover in their All-Ireland Ladies Junior ‘B’ Doubles Semi-Final when their Tyrone opposition made a late withdrawl.