Handball News: 60×30 Softball All-Ireland Champ Semi-Final | Maxim at 60×30 Juvenile Nationals | Leitrim Ladies Shine

Fresh off his recent Connacht title win, Ed Lee of Fenagh is set to represent Leitrim in the Men’s Softball Ruby Masters Singles All-Ireland Semi-Final. He will take on Michael Brady (Cavan) in what promises to be a closely contested match on Sunday morning, August 10th, in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath.

Best of luck to Ed as he carries Leitrim hopes onto the national stage!

Congratulations to Annaduff’s Maxim Gilmartin and his doubles partner, Cian Buckley from Cork, who competed in the 60×30 Juvenile Nationals in Kilkenny on Saturday last.

Playing a year above their age group and up against some of the best young players in the country, the boys gave it their all but were edged out by more experienced opponents. Despite the results, the experience gained at this elite level will be invaluable for both players as they continue to progress in the sport.

Maxim now shifts focus to the upcoming All-Ireland Softball Championships, taking place on August 24th next.

The annual Clonguish GAA Handball Open provided a fantastic weekend of 1-Wall handball, drawing top talent from across Ireland. Leitrim players, particularly in the ladies’ divisions, produced some of the tournament’s standout performances.

In the adult grades played on Sunday, Katie Kane (Fenagh) claimed two titles, winning both the Ladies B and Ladies Open Plate. She dominated the Ladies B category with wins of 25-3, 25-13, 25-11, and another 25-11 in the final. In the Ladies Open, she came up against eventual winner Ava Sweeney (Galway) who won their game on a 25-12 scoreline. Katie rebounded strongly in the Plate competition, securing further wins of 25-11 and 25-17 to take the title.

Her father, JP Kane, also impressed — finishing runner-up in the Adult Beginners final. He also featured strongly in the Junior grade semi-final, demonstrating excellent form and determination in his first competitive outing of the year.

Monday saw the juvenile competitions take centre stage, with six Leitrim players competing across various age grades. In the U14 Boys, Adam Neary (Annaduff) gave an excellent account of himself against Charlie Roche (Wexford), scoring a commendable 14 points before falling 25-14 to the current world u14 champion and eventual winner. Maxim Gilmartin (Annaduff) had a great win over Matthew Jordan (Roscommon) before also meeting Roche, who proved too strong in a 25-11 defeat.

In the U16 category, Daniel Kane (Fenagh) and Gary Cox (Annaduff) both showed strong form, with Gary making it to the semi-finals, where he lost narrowly to Mark Galligan (Longford), 25-21.

The biggest impact once again came from the Leitrim girls. Abbie Kane (Fenagh) had a remarkable tournament, playing eight matches and winning both the U10 and U12 Girls titles, showing outstanding skill and composure for her age throughout.

Her sister, Sophie Kane, was dominant in the U14 Girls division, winning all four of her matches convincingly — each by a margin of 25-11 or better. Her powerful, low serves and consistent play made her a standout performer.

Together, the three Kane sisters brought home an amazing 5 titles, underlining Leitrim and Fenagh’s strong presence in girls underage 1-wall handball.

A sincere thank you goes to Danny Reilly, and all involved at Clonguish GAA Handball Club for their superb organisation and warm hospitality, which made it a thoroughly enjoyable and successful weekend for all involved.