Galmoy’s Drennan proves he is alley Cat

Talented Galmoy handballer, Billy Drennan, showed his class in the Leinster minor singles final in Tinryland on Thursday night.

The North Kilkenny player, who is also a member of the Kilkenny minor hurling squad, displayed all the skills of the court when he beat Mark Doyle (Wexford) in three games.

The first set was won fairly comfortably by Billy, 21-11, to put pressure on the Model County player.

In the second game Doyle responded to the challenge. He narrowly won, 21-18, to bring the match to the deciding set.

Here Drennan upped the ante. He was in top form as he disposed of the Wexford player 21-5 to set up an All-Ireland semi-final against the Connacht champion in a couple of weeks time.

Elsewhere in Leinster finals there was defeat for Eddie Bourke (O’Loughlin’s) in his Silver Masters A encounter with Tommy Hynes (Wexford), and on Saturday night in Coolboy, Gerry Murphy (Kilfane) was beaten in the Diamond Masters B singles decider against Jimmy Dunne, Wexford.

In the ladies junior B singles final in Borris, Aine Duggan (Galmoy) lost out to another Model County player, Clioghna O’Connell.

This weekend will see the completion of the Leinster adult singles and all the juvenile championships.

As per the national calendar, all these championships have to be completed by Sunday, February 23. The winners of the provincial championships will play the Connacht champions in the All-Ireland series.

In international handball, Patrick Funchion travelled to New Orleans at the weekend to compete in a Pro Stop event. He reached the quarter-finals against second seed, Daniel Cordova, and was beaten 15-6, 15-13.

Leinster Fixtures
Leinster juvenile finals on Saturday (11am) at Kilfane - boys under-12S, Kilkenny (Andrew Brennan) v Wexford (Connor Doyle); girls under-12D, Kilkenny (Emily Phelan/Sinead Jones) v Wexford (Amber Cronin Kenny/Boo Murphy); boys under-12D, Kilkenny (Timmy Corr/Matthew Murphy) v Wexford (Eoin Kinsella/Nathan Lawlor); girls under-13D, Kilkenny (Blathnaid Mullins/Niamh Ryan) v Laois (Catherine Kirby/ Aoife Kirby); boys under-13D, Kilkenny (Fionn Mahony/Tim Doherty) v Wexford (Sean Fitzharris/Jamie Moran); boys under-14D, Kilkenny (John Hayes/Cathal Buckley) v Wexford (Jamie Barnes/Joshua Roche); boys under-15S, Westmeath (Garreth Mullaniff) v Wexford (Bobby Doyle); boys under-16S Kilkenny (Kyle Jordan) v Laois (Conor Walsh).

At O’Loughlin’s - girls under-12S, Kilkenny (Orla Duggan) v Wexford (Ellie Murphy); boys under-13S, Kilkenny (Sean Morrissey) v Carlow (Daniel Donovan); boys under-14S, Kilkenny (Connor Doyle) v Wexford (Rory Gilbert); girls under-14S, Kilkenny (Katie Brennan) v Carlow (Leah Ryan); boys under-15D, Kilkenny (Rory Glynn/Ronan O’Brien) v Wexford (Conor Horan/Shane Kehoe); girls under-16S, Kilkenny (Amy Brennan) v Wexford (Jodie Keeling); boys under-17D, Kilkenny (Sean Purcell/Adam O’Shea) v Wexford (Ben Keeling/Conor Dobbs).

At Windgap - girls under-13S, Kilkenny (Jenny Saunders) v Laois (Orla Brophy); girls under-15S, Kilkenny (Eimear Barron) v Laois (Caoimhe Doheny); girls under-15D, Kilkenny (Aisling Cooney/Aine Sharkey) v Laois (Lisa Kirby/Emma Delahunty); boys under-16D, Kilkenny (Daniel Hanrahan/Thomas Sharkey) v Laois (Lorcan McGuigan/Brian Holland); boys under-17S, Kilkenny (Sean Barron) v Laois (Rory Dunne); girls under-17S, Westmeath (Joanna Naughton) v Laois (Una Brophy or Danielle Kinsella); girls under-14D Kilkenny (Una Duggan/Holly Byrne) v Laois (Orla Holland/ Aodine Whyte); girls under-17D, Kilkenny (Lauren Power/Nathania Jackson) v Wexford (April and Emily Moran).

Under-12 boys and girls - challenger 2 ball; boys 13, 14, 15, 16 dark blue ball; girls under-13 adult ball; boys and girls games under-13, 14 and 15 3x15 aces; boys and girls under-16, 17 2x21 with tie break to 11.
Today (Wednesday) at Garryhill (7.30pm) JD Maurice Nolan/Kirk Greene (Kilkenny) v Andrew Dowling/Tomas Lennon (Laois); 8pm RMS final, John Rossiter(Carlow) v Sean Ryan (Carlow).
Saturday at Kilfane (5pm) JS final, Brian Mahon (Kilkenny) v Keith Bourke (Kilkenny); 5.30pm LJCS final, Olivia Mahoney (Kilkenny) v Lauren Grace (Kilkenny)
Tuesday at Tinryland (7.30pm) JD Maurice Nolan/Kirk Greene (Kilkenny) v Andrew Dowling/ Tomas Lennon (Laois); 8pm SMBD Paul Murphy/Tommy Armstrong (Wexford) v Brian Bourke / Stephen Halley (Kilkenny).
Monavea (8pm) JCS David Broderick (Kilkenny) v John Rogers (Wicklow).
Ballymore (8pm) JD Kevin Barrett/Aaron Geoghegan (Carlow) v Ciaran McCallan/Cian O’Dhalaigh (Dublin); 8.30pm JD James Gregan/Chris Doyle (Wicklow) v Robert Sheridan / Daniel Farrelly (Meath).
Kilfane (7.30pm) JCS Willie Quaile (Wicklow) v Liam Murphy(Wexford).
Wednesday, February 26 at Garryhill (7.30pm) MBD Noel Doherty/John Morrissey (Kilkenny) v James Stanners/David Stanners (Wexford); 8pm MD Mark Doyle/ Josh Kavanagh (Wexford) v Padhraic Foley/Eoin O'Brien (Kilkenny).