FAB Off To Represent Waterford at Féile Handball Competition

Handball Alleys in Carlow and Wexford will be a hive of activity this weekend as the John West Féile na nGael competitions take place in both counties.

Traditionally the Handball competition in Féile na nGael has taken place the same weekend as the Hurling and Camogie Competitions, however this year it was decided to have the handball competition on the weekend prior to the Hurling and Camogie competitions.

The move has resulted in a record number of entries in the Handball Competition as it has allowed those that also play Hurling or Camogie as well as Handball to play in both competitions if their club qualified for both competitions, something that was not possible up to now.

34 teams have entered the 40X20 boys competition while 16 teams have entered the girls competition played on the same size court.

The weekend also sees eight teams do battle in the boys 60X30 competition and six sides will take part in the One Wall competition.

One player from each team in each division will contest the Féile Skill’s competition which will take place at each venue on Saturday afternoon.

Waterford are once again represented in the handball competition by the Friary-Abbeyside-Ballinacourty (FAB) Club, who have three teams travelling to Féile this weekend, two boys and one girls.

In the Boys Division 2 40X2 competition FAB travel to the Saint Joseph’s Club in Wexford for a 11-10am start where they will play the host club.

The team made up of William Beresford, Charlie Treen, Seamus O’Sullivan, Rian Hayes and John Joe Queally are out again at 2-30pm when they play Fermoy from Cork and again at 5pm when they play Kilkenny side Glenmore.

Regardless of where the team finish in the group they will have a final to play later in the evening.

The plate final between the sides that finish third and fourth has a 6pm start with the Tournament Final between the top two sides in the group following.

In the Division Two Skills Competition which takes place during the day, the club will be represented by Charlie Treen.

FAB also has a team in Division five that will be based in Tinryland in Carlow.

At 10-30am the team made up of Sean Callaghan, Edmond Spratt, Con Williams, Tom Nee and Jack Mulligan will play Cullohill from Laois. Two hours later they play the Michael Breathnach club from Mayo and at 1-50pm they play Bofield again from Mayo.

Two sides will advance to the semi finals where they will play two sides from Tinryland from Carlow, Moycullen from Galway, Kingscourt from Cavan and Na Fianna from Dublin.

The loser of the two semi finals will meet in the plate final of the competition at 4-30pm with the semi final winners playing the final at 5-10pm.

Sean Callaghan will contest the Skills competition.

In the girls competition, FAB will compete in Division Three.

The team made up of Saoirse Kelly, Ella Gantley, Grace Tritcher, Realtin Quinn and Shona Markle travel to the Garryhill Club in Carlow.

They have a 10-30am start where they take on Boherbue from Cork followed with a game against Williamstown from Galway at 1-10pm

They have further games later in the afternoon taking on the host club at 1-50pm and Tughmon from Wexford at 3-10pm.

Four of the five sides in the group will advance to finals. The teams that finish third and fourth will contest the plate final at 5pm followed by the tournament final between the top two teams in the group.

In the Skills Competition, FAB will be represented by Saoirse Kelly.