The first ever GAA Handball 40x20 Senior Championship Qualifiers take place this weekend, with some interested match-ups promised.
This year’s championship format is province based, with the first round losers now in the ‘back-door’ qualifiers.
There are a number of appetizing games in store at the Kingscourt (Cavan) and Ballymore Eustace (Kildare) venues on Sunday.
First up at the Ulster courts is the meeting of Antrim’s Owen McKenna and Dublin’s Egin Jensen.
McKenna lost out to Cavan’s Michael Finnegan after a thrilling three-game affair last week and will be confident of victory over the Dubliner.
In the second game on the programme, Mayo’s Vinny Moran takes on Wicklow’s Johnny Willoughby, while Roscommon’s Rikki O’Gara and Tyrone’s Darragh Daly also take to the court.
In the final game at Kingscourt, Wicklow’s Michael Gregan, who lost out to Westmeath’s Robbie McCarthy in the Leinster semi-final, meets Armagh’s James Doyle in his first qualifier game.
Gregan is one of the top contenders to come through the back-door system and should have too much in the tank for Doyle.
Meanwhile, at the Kildare venue, Meath’s Brian Carroll, who lost out to Wexford’s Gavin Buggy in the Leinster Championship, faces Tipperary’s David Maloney and Carroll will be hoping to get his season back on track.
Buggy is also in action, having lost out to Eoin Kennedy in the Leinster semi-final, and faces Cavan’s Raymond Cunningham.
In next weekend’s Munster Final, Kerry’s Dominick Lynch will take on Cork’s Colm Jordon, which the Leinster showdown pits Eoin Kennedy (Dublin) against Robbie McCarthy (Westmeath).
The final of the Connacht Senior Championship will be contested by Mayo doubles pairing, Dessie Keegan and Joe McCann, while the Ulster semi-finals take place this weekend, where Cavan’s Paul Brady, the reigning champion, takes on fellow Breffni man, Michael Finnegan, and Armagh’s Charly Shanks faces Antrim’ Ricky McCann.
On the juvenile handball scenes, all roads lead to Kingscourt (Cavan) on Saturday, where the Girls Team of 10 40x20 Inter-provincial Finals take place. In total, 48 girls will take part in the event, which will also see the presentation of specially commissioned jerseys for the participants.
Connacht will bid to defend the crown the won in 2009, with Munster likely to pose the toughest opposition.
