Over 1,000 flock to Kilkenny for World handball event

OVER 1,000 competitors from eight countries are gathering in Kilkenny for the 2003 World handball championships which begin this Friday.

First up are the one-wall events with competitors from as far as Australia and America battling for glory in this intense three-day series.

Defending their 2000 World titles will be Cesar Sala (Men's Open Singles) and partners Dave Rojas and Tony Roberts (Men's Open Doubles), all of whom will be travelling from the one-wall stronghold of New York.

Carlow's David King represents the strongest Irish challenge and is seeded No. 2 for both the open singles, and with Eddie Burke of Kilkenny for the open doubles.

The Women's Open events will most likely be dominated by the Americans, but Máiréad Ní Riabhaigh-Ó Dúill (Armagh), seeded at No. 4, will make a bold bid.

In the one-wall events the 2000 world champion Robbie McCarthy (Westmeath) will face tough competition in the 17 & under singles from Brian Carroll (Meath) and William O'Donnell (US).

The one-wall championships finals will be played in the O'Loughlin Gaels Club on Sunday.

Sunday morning will also see the start of the four-wall events, the main feature of the championships, which will be played at venues across Ireland with competitors ranging from juvenile to over 70 years of age.

The Kilkenny region including venues in Carlow, Laois, Wexford, Wicklow and Tipperary will host all juvenile and masters events, while the Open, A, B & C events take place in courts around Dublin, and the recently redeveloped three-court complex in Kingscourt, Co. Cavan.

The centrepiece of the championships are the men's and women's open events at Croke Park with the preliminary round on Monday.

The successes of top Irish players in recent international competitions have added extra interest to the championships, particularly the open singles.

Cavan handballer and footballer Paul Brady, Tony Healy (Cork) and Fiona Shannon (Antrim) are capable of winning top honours and setting new standards for Irish handball on the international stage.

Dessie Keegan (Mayo), Walter O'Connor (Meath), Steven Palmer (Cork) and Dominick Lynch (Kerry) all previous world champions at a variety of levels will be hoping to book places in the round of sixteen, alongside the Irish seeds (also world championship winners): Paul Brady (Cavan), No. 2; Tony Healy (Cork), No. 4; Eoin Kennedy (Dublin), No. 6; and Ciarán Curran (Tyrone) No. 8.

Neither have Irish women been strangers to World titles; 3 past champions will be competing for Open singles & Doubles honours in 2003.

Sisters Fiona Shannon & Sibéal McKenna (Antrim) are strong contenders for the premier singles title and are seeded No. 1 in the open doubles. They have won world underage titles and are hot favourites to take at least one piece of crystal back to Belfast.

The Ladies Open Singles is definitely one event to keep an eye on as the potential is there for an all-family affair in the final with the sisters on opposite sides of the draw.

Speaking at the launch, GAA President Sean Kelly said the association was very pleased to support the Irish Handball Council in staging such a prestigious event. Mr Kelly added that Irish handballers and officials have led the way in the development of international handball and the GAA is proud of the achievements of Irish players in international competition.