Tyrone Handball maintaining upward curve...        See Below for Photos from the Awards Dinner 2008
Tyrone handball gaels celebrated another hugely successful year on and off the playing courts at the weekend as O'Neills League and Championship winners were honoured along with recently crowned All-Ireland 40x20 champions at the Annual Presentation Dinner in Kelly's Inn. It has certainly been another absorbing 12 month period for the O'Neill County with record participation in all events from Under 10 through to Masters grades, 287 in total competing in those events. Indeed what has probably been even more gratifying has been the fact that the numbers continue to exceed expectations at youth level. In the 2008 Youth championships another 42 players competed in the Under 10 grade with 44 at Under 12, 37 at Under 13 and 38 at Under 14. With continued promotion and intensive coaching at under-age level the targets have been set to see both the numbers and quality increase even further in the ensuing years. A recent All-Ireland Under 12/13 Team championship win was achieved without the star player at that level, Patrick McCrory, and overall it is difficult not to be excited by the heights the sport is reaching again within the County.
This was further highlighted with presentations made to Tyrone's recently crowned All-Ireland 40x20 champions, 5 players winning an impressive 10 National titles between them. Overall though the work continues to thrive at ground level within the county and it is here that handball as a sport must continue to excel if it is to sustain it's popularity in an ever-increasing competitive sporting world. Brackey Handball Club's All-Ireland Club of the Year award was just reward for what has been a phenomenal year for one of the oldest clubs in the O'Neill County. Indeed, work is already underway there to celebrate the Club's 50th Anniversary since being founded and that speaks volumes for the efforts carried out within this great Club.
In summary, there is no doubt that Tyrone handball enthusiasts are taking great pride in what is being achieved at present and with Shane O'Neill and Barry Devlin to compete in a first Hardball All-Ireland final for the county this weekend and a major drive to raise the profile of the 60x30 game in the coming months, it is envisaged that Handball as a sport can continue to go from strength to strength.
O'Neills and Devlin chase hardball glory
Tyrone have never hit the high notes in the hardball arena but on Saturday in Crinkle (7pm), Shane O'Neill and Barry Devlin will be hoping to change all that. The Brackey duo have qualified to contest the All-Ireland Junior doubles final in the code and following eyecatching wins over John Lee, Jason Tobin (Tipperary) 21-12, 21-10 and then Galway (Kevin Craddock, Trevor Hannon ) 21-5, 21-11, they remain in the hunt for an historic title success.
Fixture: JHD Final, Saturday 6th June, Crinkle, 7pm:
Barry Devlin, Shane O’Neill (Tyrone) v Dominick Lynch, JJ Quirke (Kerry)
60x30 season to start soon
The forthcoming 60x30 season will soon be kicking into gear in the O'Neill County and the Loughmacrory Club will again be hosting an Ulster 60x30 League event. The tournament, won in 2007 by Niall Kerr,  will be commencing on Saturday 19th July with all fixtures to be distributed on Friday 11th July. The entry fee will be £20 or 30 Euro and this season will see a new design of Handball jersey for every participant, worth £30 stg. Players wishing to compete must be 17 years of age or older. The event will see an initial league series with 8 sections and the top 2 in each table will then go on to compete for the Premier title and the next 2 in each table will compete for Division 2 honours. All entries and fees must be given to Chris Curran or Conor Duff by the closing date of Friday 18th June. No entries can be accepted after this date as jerseys will be ordered for distribution on the first night of competition. The finals of the competitions will take place on Saturday 23rd August 2008.