The quality of Handballers produced in Tyrone these days is no longer based on All-Ireland medals, it is based on World titles. At the 2015 World Handball Championships in Canada, Tyrone have picked up ten medals, 5 gold and 5 silver, in the One-Wall grades, before the Four Wall Championships have even started.
Carrickmore’s Clodagh Munroe claimed the first of a unique family treble by winning the 11&U Singles title, holding her nerve to win 21-16, 21-20 in a brilliant display of courage against Sadbh Ni Flaitherta. Clodagh narrowly fell short in her bid for the slam as teamed up with Cork’s Sarah Walsh to take silver in the 11&U Doubles.
Cahir Munroe teamed up with Galway’s Jason O’Toole to win the 13&U Doubles by the minimum margin 11-10 in the tiebreak in a nail biting encounter against Australian’s Brodie Winter & Jack Doyle.
The family treble was completed with eldest brother Cormac storming to the 15&U Doubles title with Clare’s Tiarnan Agnew. Ironcially the class of the Irish and indeed Tyrone youth shone brightly in the 15&U grade, as it was Carrickmore’s Lorcan McBride & Loughmacrory’s Antoin Fox who took the silver as the top two seeded Irish pairings saw off all challengers en route to the final. In the final however it was the Munroe/Agnew combination that took the title 21-8, 21-1.
Breacadh’s Johnny Woods had an eye catching win in the 19&U grade, taking down Team Ireland’s Darren Doherty in the final. Woods had previously ousted New York’s highly rated Kody Yan 25-10 in the SF, with Doherty also seeing off Europes finest in Saxa Perrella of Valencia.
The final medal claimed for the red hand county was Michelle Warren in the Ladies C Doubles, as she teamed up with Armagh’s Avoureen Coleman to take the title.
Eilise McCrory also claimed silver in the 17&U Doubles with her Roscommon team mate Fiona Tully.
The exciting news is that the Four Wall Championships only fully kick into action on Monday 17th, and going on the current showing from the Tyrone Handballers, several more medals will be expected to be taken back across the Atlantic.
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