Basque Trip Prieview – Courtesy Aidan Crolwey 
 
Eight of the country's top One-Wall handballers, both senior and underage will represent Ireland at the annual Basque International One-Wall Open Tournament, to be held in Pamplona, Spain, from Friday through to Sunday.Five countries will participate in the tournament with hosts the Basque Country being joined by Ireland, England, the
USA and Holland.The Basques play their own unique form of the sport Called "Pelota" and the tournament will be divided into two sections, singles and
doubles, with matches played over two games up to 15 and a tiebreaker of 7 if necessary. Spearheading the Irish challange in the Men's Senior section, will be two top players from Armagh, Charly Shanks (Clann Eireann, Lurgan) and James Doyle (Eugene Quinn, Armagh City). Shanks has prove his credentials on the international or
small (40X20) court, capturing the All-Ireland (40X20) Intermediate Singles and Intermediate Doubles (with Doyle) titles in 2004. He also bagged the All-Ireland (40X20) Minor singles title in 2001 and the FBD Irish Nationals Boys 17 and Under crown in 2000. Doyle has also proven himself to be one of Ulster's top (40X20) players and is a One-Wall specialist, capturing numerous provincial titles and partnering Shanks in provincial and All-Ireland finals.
In the Men's Underage (Under 18) category, Ireland will be well represented by Clare duo, Diarmuid Nash and Niall Malone (both Tuamgraney). Both players have tasted success at both national and provincial level. Nash captured the Boys 17 and Under Singles title at this year's FBD Irish Nationals in March while last month he bagged the Boys 19 and Under Singles title at the St. Paul's Golden Gloves (40X20) Tournament, in Belfast.Malone, meanwhile was a beaten finalist in the Boys 17 and Under Singles final of the same tournament.Last year at the World Championships, in Edmonton, Canada, they teamed up to capture the Boys 15 and Under Doubles title while Nash also bagged the Boys 15 and Under Singles crown. 
Heading up the challange in the Senior Women's section, will be Kerry's Ashley Prendiville (Ballymacelligott) and Roscommon's Marianna Rushe (St. Coman's, Roscommon Town). Prendiville has proven herself to be the rising star of Irish Women's handball this season, capturing a unique quartet of titles at this year's All-Ireland Softball (60X30) Championships, when she bagged the Women's Senior Singles and Senior Doubles as well as the Women's Intermediate Singles and Intermediate Doubles crowns.Rushe, meanwhile, was a beaten finalist in the Women's Minor Singles of the same championships and she netted the Women's "A" Doubles title at last weekend's All-Ireland (40X20) Intervarsities Team Championships at NUIG Galway for the host university.
Finally, in the Women's Underage (Under 18) section, two stalwarts of the underage game in Roscommon will be hoping to make an impression.Leona Doolin and Katie Costello (both St. Coman's) have both made an impression at All-Ireland and at provincial level over the last few seasons, with Costello a beaten finalist in both the Women's Intermediate Singles and Intermediate Doubles finals at this year's All-Ireland Softball (60X30) Championships. 
The Team will be acompanied on the trip by travelling coaches, Francis McCann and Betty Funchion as well as Handball President-elect, Tony Hannon.