By 
BREACACH Handball Club recently hosted another hugely successful staging of the Mick Kerr Memorial Tournament, a special event held in honour of the late Mick Kerr, who passed away on January 30th, 2021.
Mick had a lifelong association with handball and was pivotal in the development of Breacach Handball Club, which has grown into one of the leading clubs in Ireland. He passed his deep love of the sport down through his children and grandchildren, and today the Kerr name is known in handball circles worldwide.
Mick’s influence has left a lasting legacy, not only within the club but throughout the parish and the wider handball community.
The tournament ran from the afternoon of Friday, January 2nd, through to the evening of Sunday, January 4th, with a packed programme of high-quality games. All men’s matches were played in Breacach, while, due to the large number of entries, Greencastle Handball Club kindly hosted the ladies’ games up to the finals, which were held in Breacach.
This year’s 11-and-under juvenile competition was open to all, and with massive numbers taking part, it highlighted the bright future of handball in Ireland. The standard of play across the juvenile grades was exceptionally high.
The Girls’ 11&U final, played before the Ladies Open Final, featured two outstanding Kilkenny players — Amy Doyle (Windgap) and Alísha Farrell (Kilfane). Both girls produced a thrilling contest that went to a tie-break decider, with Amy Doyle eventually taking the honours.
The Boys’ 11&U final was contested by two Loughmacrory players, Aodhan Conway and Daire Woods. The crowd was treated to a superb display of skill and determination, with Conway claiming the title in two straight games.
In total, over 70 matches were played throughout the weekend, with competitors travelling from Breacach, Greencastle, Carrickmore, Loughmacrory, and counties including Tyrone, Antrim, Monaghan, Mayo, Meath, Clare, Kilkenny, Kerry, Wexford, Kildare, Cork, Tipperary, Cavan and the USA.
In the children’s section alone, 116 games were played to determine the semi-finalists. The girls’ semi-finalists were Ava Considine (Clare), Shona Teague (Breacach), Amy Doyle (Windgap) and Alísha Farrell (Kilfane).
The boys’ semi-finalists were Aodhan Conway, Cormac King, Charlie Duff and Daire Woods.
The Men’s Plate Final saw Ben Devlin (Kingscourt) defeat John Bike (USA), while in the Ladies’ Plate Final, Leah Minogue claimed victory over Aishling O’Keefe.
The Ladies’ Open semi-finals saw Ciana Ní Churraoin defeat Molly Dagg in two straight games, despite an excellent performance from Dagg. In the other semi-final, Fiona Tully (Roscommon) edged out Eilíse McCrory (Breacach) in a tie-break to reach the final.
In the Men’s Open semi-finals, Mark Doyle (Wexford) produced a superb performance to defeat Diarmaid Nash (Clare) in two straight games and book his place in the final. In the other semi-final, reigning champion Killian Carroll (Cork) overcame fellow Cork player Daniel Relihan after a series of thrilling rallies, using his trademark athleticism to secure a second consecutive final appearance.
The standard of skill, athleticism and sportsmanship throughout the weekend was exceptional. Packed galleries were treated to fantastic handball from the first serve to the final rally, with every match a pleasure to watch.
The Ladies’ Open Final was a gripping encounter between Fiona Tully and Ciana Ní Churraoin. Tully took the first game, but Ciana responded strongly to take the second and force a tie-break. In a high-quality decider, Ní Churraoin produced a superb performance to claim the title.
The Men’s Open Final lived up to expectations, with two intelligent and outstanding players providing a thrilling contest. Mark Doyle’s tactical shot-making was matched by Killian Carroll’s steadily improving form as the tournament progressed. In the end, Carroll’s experience and athleticism saw him claim victory, becoming the first-ever back-to-back winner of the Mick Kerr Cup.
It was a fantastic weekend of handball and one of the most cherished tournaments on the handball calendar. The Kerr family extends sincere thanks to all players, families and supporters who travelled to take part, to Greencastle Handball Club for their invaluable assistance, and to all sponsors and volunteers who helped make the tournament such a success.
