The first Handball tournament of 2008 saw Team England head off to Sligo for the Irish Singles Open. It was a great weekend and it was heart warming to see that there was more to Ireland than Westlife and Father Ted.

We flew out ridiculously early from Luton on Friday morning on Ryan Air, which we discovered was budget for a reason – the pilot’s landing destroying half the suspension and causing several potholes on the Knock landing strip. Next time we’ll be going first class with Virgin, probably. Once on the ground we equipped ourselves with two hire cars and made way to the scenic and beautiful Sligo, where it only rains for 340 days a year.

There were 13 of us in total – our biggest contingent yet: 8 guys, 4 girls and 1 physio – yes, we had a physio. Physio Steve was an excellent asset to the team, supplied us with cracking banter and had a variety of cunning treatments - all involving ice.

Day one was a “meet & greet” with several luminaries of the GAA and Irish Handball. We were shown around all the venues and introduced to a massive 4 wall game with the most ridiculously bouncy ball ever made. The Irish call it 60 x 30, but we just called it impossible! Nerves began to jangle when it was noted that it appeared to be an Irish birthright to be able to kill the ball from over 40ft away!

We’d be splitting up over the weekend with the five Open players based in Ballymote, three of the other lads playing in the men’s C’s in Ballaghaderreen and the four ladies in the Teeling centre in Collooney. On Friday night - the last time the squad would be together until the finals on Sunday - the girls treated us to an excellent spaghetti Bolognese and from then on it was handball all the way.

The weekend saw some excellent handball being played – most of it from the Irish - but thankfully some quality from the English too! Depending on your group, matches were either 20 or 15 minutes in duration. Fitness definitely begins to become a massive factor after about 10 minutes and scampering around to retrieve the ball for your opponent is not advised: Let the ref get it and try to allow your heart rate to get below 180 bpm.

In the men’s C group the Price brothers (Gareth and Richard) and Dossi all powered through into the second round. Gaz and Dossi, despite strong performances, sadly progressed no further. Rich managed to reach the quarter finals, an excellent achievement – especially considering his shoulder was damaged beyond all comparison and he had to make it past someone called Fintan Creamer in round 1. In the second round he enjoyed what he humbly described as the most exquisite 20 minutes in handball history, with deft kill shots and superb width.

The other five men - Ady and Dan (Rugby Fives), Pete, Chalky and Dave (Eton Fives) were perhaps a little optimistic to enter the main tournament. Many of us got absolutely creamed in the first round, where losing by less than 20 points was considered an achievement. This was no surprise considering Dan was playing the 4 times champion, Chalky was playing the ‘hardest hitter in Ireland’ and Mew was up against the oldest looking 25 year old power house you’ve ever seen in your life (Current 60x30 Irish Champion Dessie Keegan). Captain Pete Cohen, however, managed to get a foothold in his match and ended up winning in a nail-biting finish, thereby heading into the main quarter finals. Here unfortunately, he too was undone.

In the Open Plate Competition the whole England team were pretty much drawn against each other. From out of nowhere and with no understanding of how he was doing it, Dan managed to unleash the rare spin serve, dispatching Chalky White and a by now almost crippled Ady Lee. In this way he proceeded to get to the final of the plate where for 5 minutes he was on level pegging with a multi-award winning Irish handball champion. Unfortunately his other 15 minutes were less impressive and Dan was taught a lesson in how to kill the ball from miles away and generally play amazing handball. After losing by a score which shall not be published here, he did however pick up the runner’s up trophy – the first bit of silverware ever to be won by the England team!! HOORAH!

It has to be said that although we lost, watching how the Irish (including the world champion!) played the sport was an incredible insight. We all learnt so much in this tournament about how to play, read and predict the game that Tuesday night training will never be the same again.

Our greatest success though, came in the Ladies Open. Emmalina and Anita both lost in the first round, but when your opponent is 7 times the size of you, this is no surprise! Ashley won her first ever game but unfortunately never managed that second ever game.

It is Kerry White however, who stole the tournament away; she has impressed on a weekly basis – frequently beating most of the guys – and proved her skill by managing to reach the final; her athleticism, down the line shots and top blocking proving too much for many an Irish lass. In the final it is fair to say she was outclassed by a very impressive young lady and although she managed to produce some serious flair in the later stages, it was too little too late. But all is not lost because, as runner-up, it means England won their second piece of silverware! DOUBLE HOORAH!!

In short, it was an excellent weekend. The hospitality of our Irish hosts was brilliant and we thank them for letting us compete. Their friendliness and genuine appreciation for having us come over means that we’ll be back next year where, after 12 months of practise and tournaments, we intend to do a lot better! Guinness all round and kudos to an England team which is going from strength to strength!

The squad: Peter Cohen, Captain; Richard Price; Gareth Price, Adrian Lee, Daniel Grant; David Mew; Kerry White, Ladies Captain; Anthony Theodossi; Anita Ganguly; Emmalina Thompsell; Ashley Lumbard; Peter White; Steve Corridan, Team Physio.

Further reports can be found at the Handball Ireland Website http://handball.ie/news, photos can be viewed on facebook. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6064526743]

D.G.

Irish Handball Championships 2008 - Report by Daniel Grant
Created 27th January 2009 by Mike Fenn
efa@etonfives.co.uk

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