A PACKED to capacity handball court in Beragh was treated to another thrilling climax to the O'Neills Senior Singles Championship on Sunday.Two players, Shane O'Neill (Brackey) and Gary McCrory (Carrickmore), were contesting their first final in the O'Neill county's most prestigious handball event. However, following a dramatic two hour encounter, it was the Brackey player who claimed the prize and become just the fourth player from his club to emerge as Senior Singles Champion.
Following in the footsteps of Martin Kerr, Stephen Clarke and Niall Kerr, O'Neill had to call on every ounce of resolve to carve out a triumph by the narrowest possible margin, winning 11-10 in the tie-break.
Indeed, Gary McCrory had looked destined to become just the second player from the Carrickmore club to secure the honours as he opened up a 9-1 lead in the deciding game, only to see that cut back in an enthralling conclusion.
Shane O'Neill was firing on all cylinders in the opening game and, despite taking seven serves to secure the final ace at 20, he ran out a winner 21-12. McCrory found an impressive rythm on the resumption though as he went 8-0 up but O'Neill again began to take control and moved ahead by 12-9. In an absorbing see-saw affair, McCrory siezed the initiative again and maintained his momentum this time to run out a winner on a 21-17 scoreline. It all looked very promising for the Carrickmore player in the tie-break game until O'Neills astonishing revival and he held his nerve for the vital ace and become the first player also to capture the 'Hugh Duff Memorial Cup'.
With Sunday's action taking place in Beragh's fantastic new handball complex, it was very appropriate indeed therefore that the Brackey club picked up both Senior championship titles at their own venue at the weekend. The Senior 'B' Singles championship was also decided in the tie-break game as Barry Devlin came from behind to deny rising young Carrickmore star, Conor Grogan. The St. Colmcille's teenager was on fire in the opener and won 21-7 but saw a big lead eradicated in the second as he lost out 21-19. Devlin opened up a 7-0 lead in the rubber game and maintained his momentum to secure the title and the 'Bill Corcoran Memorial Cup' by 11-4.
The Junior Singles Championship final in Loughmacrory saw club colleagues Sean O'Kane and Eunan Donnelly cross swords in front of their home support. The opening game of this contest went to the wire before O'Kane rallied in the latter stages to win 21-19. Donnelly continued to battle resiliently in the second but O'Kane has built up a commanding lead and took the title with a 21-12 win in the second.
Pomeroy lay claim to their first championship title in some time when Martin Begley produced an eye-catching performance to pick up the Junior 'B' Singles championship crown as part of the double bill at Loughmacrory. Recently crowned Under 17 champion, Ryan McCrystall, was eyeing his second O'Neills success of 2007 but found the powerful Begley too hot to handle on the night and the Plunkett's man claimed the Cup with a 21-8, 21-11 victory.
RESULTS
O'Neills Senior Singles Championship Final: Shane O'Neill (Brackey) bt Gary McCrory (Carrickmore) 21-12, 17-21, 11-10.
O'Neills Senior 'B' Singles Championship Final: Barry Devlin (Brackey) bt Conor Grogan (Carrickmore) 7-21, 21-19, 11-4.
O'Neills Junior Singles Championship Final: Sean O'Kane (Loughmacrory) bt Eunan Donnelly (Loughmacrory) 21-19, 21-12.
O'Neills Junior 'B' Singles Championship Final: Martin Begley (Pomeroy) bt Ryan McCrystall (Loughmacrory) 21-8, 21-11.
O'NEILLS SENIOR DOUBLES
The last O'Neills adult championship of the 2007 season in Tyrone will go ahead Tuesday, March 13 in Loughmacrory, with Ulster championships dominating the end of next week. The semi-finals were down for decision over the last couple of nights at the same venue. Last night saw the very strong pairing of Niall Kerr and Darragh Daly take on Barney Corcoran and Ryan Daly while Chris Curran and Martin Toner squared up to singles champion Shane O'Neill along with Ruairi Kelly on Tuesday night.
Fixture: Senior Doubles final: Tuesday 13th March, in Loughmacrory, at 7.30pm: Chris Curran/Martin Toner (Loughmacrory) or Shane O'Neill/Ruairi Kelly (Brackey) v Niall Kerr/Darragh Daly or Ryan Daly/Barney Corcoran
In the Junior Doubles championship semi-finals on Monday night, there were wins for the Loughmacrory and Pomeroy pairings. Joseph Kelly and Ryan Keenan defeated Brendan Kennedy and Barry Kennedy to make it into the championship decider where they will meet Martin Begley and Kieran Devlin (Pomeroy).
Kelly and Keenan contested the Division 2 league final already this year while Begley comes into the higher grade doubles event on the back of his Junior B Singles win. A cracking tie in prospect then at Beragh on Tuesday evening.
Fixture: Junior Doubles final: Tuesday 6th March, in Beragh at 7.30pm: Joseph Kelly/Ryan Keenan (Loughmacrory) v Martin Begley/Kieran Devlin (Pomeroy).
TEAMTALK JUVENILE FINALS
The 2007 Teamtalk Juvenile Championship finals are down for decision this Sunday afternoon in Beragh. The girls juvenile singles championship finals and boys juvenile doubles finals take centre stage with the action getting underway at 1pm with the boys under 10 doubles final. A total of 10 finals will go ahead as scheduled below. The juvenile competitions in Tyrone will then conclude on Sunday, March 11 with the Teamtalk Juvenile under 10 and under 12 club team blitzes. Fixtures and details will be available in next week's issue but all clubs are reminded to have all players who competed at these levels in 2007 present to receive their certificates.
FIXTURES
Sunday 4th March, in Beragh:
1pm: Under 10 Boys Doubles Final: Cormac Harte/Ryan Curran (Loughmacrory) v Niall Allison/Ronan McKay (Carrickmore)
1.15pm: Under 12 Girls Singles Final: Meabh McElduff (Brackey) v Aoife Kelly (Loughmacrory)
1.30pm: Under 12 Boys Doubles Final: Pol Clarke/Gabhan McCrystall (Brackey) v Patrick McCrory/Ryan Mullan (Carrickmore)
1.45pm: Under 13 Girls Singles Final: Ciara Clarke (Brackey) v Kerri Strain (Brackey)
2.10pm: Under 13 Boys Doubles Final: Stephen McAleer/Conall Travers (Carrickmore) v Chris Gillen/Dan Tuohey (Greencastle)
2.20pm: Under 14 Girls Singles Final: Clodagh Donaghy (Loughmacrory) v Lisa McCrory (Carrickmore)
2.50pm: Under 15 Girls Singles Final: Louise McNamee v Cara Grogan (Carrickmore)
3.10pm: Under 14 Boys Doubles Final: Niall Donaghy/Conor Donnelly (Loughmacrory) v Conor Duff/Niall Owens (Brackey) or Ruairi Donaghy/Rory Grogan (Carrickmore).
3.30pm: Under 16 Girls Singles Final: Niamh Murphy (Greencastle) v Lynne Lyttle (Brackey)
A hectic period for Tyrone handballers continues this weekend with a series of Ulster championship finals at adult level in both Beragh and Kingscourt. On Saturday evening (5pm) in Beragh the Ulster Junior Doubles championship final will be an all-Tyrone affair with both Tyrone teams defeating Antrim parings in the last four stage last week. Chris Curran and Martin Toner (Loughhmacrory) will team up against Shane O'Neill and Mark McCartan (Brackey) in the provincial decider in what promises to be an intriguing affair.
On Sunday Niall Kerr and Darragh Daly team up in the Ulster Intermediate Doubles final and will be fancied to claim the honours against their Down opponents. The very strong pairing of Gary McCrory and Padraig McGlinchey will also be very hard to stop as they line out in the Ulster Under 21 Doubles championship decider in Kingscourt on Sunday while Ruairi Kelly (Brackey) holds impressive claims going in against Patrick Clerkin (Monaghan) in the Junior B Singles final, also at Kingscourt.
The final of the Ulster minor singles championship was also down for decision but does not go ahead with Brian Donaghy and Conor Duff still fancied to set up an all-Tyrone final in that grade.
