Leitrim Handballers Flying the Flag at Croke Park and Beyond

Leitrim handball followers had plenty to keep an eye on last Saturday morning, with attention divided between the Adult Singles All-Ireland Championships at Croke Park and the Connacht Juvenile U11–13 Championships taking place across Mayo and Sligo.
In the national spotlight at the National Handball Centre in Croke Park, Fenagh’s Ed Lee proudly represented Leitrim in the All-Ireland Ruby Masters semi-final on Court 3. Lee faced a formidable opponent in Kilkenny’s Johnny Brennan, a former World Champion, in what proved to be a gripping and high-quality contest.
Ed delivered a superb performance, battling courageously throughout an enthralling encounter. Despite a tremendous effort and a display full of determination and skill, he had to concede to Brennan on a 21-15, 21-13 scoreline on the day.
While the result did not go his way, Ed can take immense pride in his achievement and in the manner in which he represented Leitrim on the national stage.
Ed will not be the only Leitrim player to grace the Croke Park alleys this year. Next weekend, Annaduff’s Maxim Gilmartin will carry county and provincial hopes when he lines out in the 4-Wall Juvenile All-Ireland Championships. Maxim faces Meath’s Sean Keyes in the U15 Singles semi-final on Saturday morning in Court 2 of the National Handball Centre — a challenge he will undoubtedly relish.
The Croke Park stage will hold no fears for the young Annaduff man, having already experienced the big occasion last year when he featured in the All-Ireland U15 Doubles final alongside Fenagh’s Daniel Kane. That experience should stand to him as he bids to book his place in another national decider. Best of luck, Maxim.
Meanwhile, the Connacht Juvenile Championships continued last weekend for the U11 to U13 age groups, with venues across Mayo and Sligo hosting the provincial action.
Congratulations to Fenagh’s Abbie Kane, who captured a superb silver medal in the Girls’ U11 Singles Final, played in Newport on Saturday morning. By all accounts, it was a fiercely contested and high-quality decider between Abbie and Roscommon’s Emer Hanley, with little separating the two throughout.
Abbie came agonizingly close to claiming the Connacht title before ultimately having to settle for silver on this occasion. It was nonetheless a tremendous achievement and a performance full of promise.
The silver medal adds to what has already been a memorable spell for the young Fenagh player, as she also secured a Cumann na mBunscol silver medal the previous weekend — a remarkable run of success that highlights her growing talent in the sport.
Leitrim was also well represented in the Boys’ U13 Singles grade, with Annaduff’s Rhys Glancy and Enda Sharkey flying the county colours in Castleconnor on Saturday morning. Both players competed strongly in what proved to be a highly competitive field.
While they came up against formidable opposition, Rhys and Enda produced commendable performances and will undoubtedly benefit from the experience at provincial level. The Annaduff duo will join forces once again next weekend when they line out together in the U13 Doubles finals. With the experience gained in singles competition, they will be hopeful of making a bid for provincial honours.
New Handball Facilities for Ballinamore
There was also positive news on the development front for Leitrim handball, with confirmation that recent renovations at the Ballinamore Sports Complex have included the addition of three new one-wall (wallball) courts.
This represents a significant boost for the sport locally and a welcome enhancement to the sporting infrastructure available to clubs and players throughout the county. The inclusion of dedicated wallball facilities will provide greater playing opportunities for juveniles and adults alike, while further supporting the continued growth of handball in Leitrim.
A venue of this scale and standard positions Ballinamore — and indeed the county — as a potential host for national-level wallball competitions in the future, bringing further prestige and activity to the area.
Congratulations and well done to all involved in the renovation project and in bringing this excellent new facility to fruition.
David Mahon
PRO Leitrim Handball
Photo:Abbie Kane (Leitrim) and Emer Hanley (Roscommon) are pictured receiving here Connacht girls u11 singles medals from Aidan Connaughton – Newport HC.
Photo:Johnny Brennan (Kilkenny) and Ed Lee (Leitrim) who competed in the All Ireland ruby masters semi-final in Croke Park last weekend.
Photo: Leitrim’s Maxim Gilmartin who will compete in the All-Ireland Juvenile U15 singles semi-final in the National Handbal Center – Croke Park on Saturday next.

Leitrim’s Young Handball Stars Shine with Multiple Silver Medals

Collooney Handball Alley in Sligo was standing room only on Saturday and Sunday last as it hosted the 2026 Connacht Cumann na mBunscol 4-Wall Handball Finals. Ten young primary school players from across Leitrim delivered strong performances, representing their schools and county, and brought home four silver medals in the process.
Day one saw all doubles categories decided, with Doireann McKiernan and Eimear Ní Thiarnáin from St Brigid’s NS, Drumcong, capturing silver for Leitrim in the U13 girls’ competition. The pair produced an excellent performance throughout the afternoon, overcoming Roscommon in a tricky semi-final before facing a strong Mayo duo in the final. Also representing Leitrim with distinction in the doubles categories were Liam Cox, Conor Creegan, Dáire Ó Mahoney, and Alex Beirne from Annaduff NS. These doubles combinations showed great skill and determination in their U11 and U13 boys’ matches. Although they just missed out on medals this year, the experience gained at provincial level will stand to them in future competitions.
Success for the Leitrim girls continued on day two when Ciara Conlon and Abbie Kane from Naomh Caillin Fenagh NS brought home silver medals in the U13 and U11 girls’ singles categories. Senan Prior Kelleher from Drumcong NS and Ronan Siebert from Gaelscoil Chluainín also represented Leitrim with great credit in the boys’ singles competitions, giving strong performances in the U11 and U13 categories. They challenged slightly bigger and older opponents, producing some fine rallies and showcasing impressive individual skill throughout.
A huge congratulations to all the girls and boys who represented Leitrim at the Connacht Finals this year. Their skill, determination, and team spirit made their schools, clubs, and families very proud. Special thanks also go to Collooney Handball Club for hosting and organizing two brilliant days of handball, creating lasting memories for all the young players involved.
Separately, on Saturday afternoon, Drumshanbo Alley hosted the Connacht Juvenile Championship U17 Boys Doubles final. This deferred match featured Manorhamilton’s Tadhg Kirwan and Cormac Scarff representing Leitrim, who faced the formidable Roscommon pairing of Michael Greene and John Reilly. Tadhg and Cormac performed impressively against the Lisacul duo, who had reached the All-Ireland B final last year. However, the Roscommon pair’s greater experience meant that Leitrim had to settle for the silver medals on this occasion.
Congratulations to Tadhg and Cormac, and a big thank you to everyone who helped organize the event in Drumshanbo.
This weekend shows that Leitrim Handball continues to make great progress and has a bright future ahead.
Photo: Abbie Kane & Ciara Conlon from Scoil Naomh Caillin – Fenagh who both won silver medals at the Connacht Cumann na mBunscol finals in Collooney last weekend.
Photo: Manorhamilton and Leitrim’s Cormac Scarff and Tadhg Kirwan who were runner-up in the Connacht Juvenile championships – Boys U17 doubles final played in Drumshanbo last weekend.
Photo: Eimear Ní Thiarnain and Doireann McKiernan enjoying themselves at the Connacht Cumann na mBunscol finals in Collooney last weekend. The duo who represented St Brigids NS Drumcong and Leitrim won silver in the girls U13 Doubles final.
David Mahon
Liathróid Láimhe Liatroma

County Leitrim Cumann Na mBunscol  Final’s 2026

Fenagh Handball Alley hosted the 2026 instalment of the Leitrim Cumann na mBunscol Finals on Sunday afternoon, with eight schools from across the county taking part. Boys’ and girls’ singles and doubles competitions were contested in the Under 11 and Under 13 age groups.
For many of the children, this marked their first competitive outing, and all participants displayed impressive levels of skill, confidence and sportsmanship throughout the day. Their schools and local handball clubs can be justifiably proud of their performances.
Continuing the growth seen in recent years, another school was represented at this year’s event. Daniel Noone, who trains with Fenagh Handball Club, lined out for Leitrim Village NS in the Boys Under 11 Singles competition.
The highlight of the day was the Boys Under 11 Singles final, where Senan Prior-Kellegher of Drumcong NS and Daniel Noone of Leitrim Village NS went toe to toe in a closely fought contest. The match was decided by the final ace in the tiebreak game, which swung the result in Senan’s favour. Both players showed remarkable strength and composure in returning the ball, particularly given their young age.
There was further drama in the Boys Under 13 Singles final, where Ronan Siebert of Gaelscoil Chluainín was pushed all the way by Dylan Nolan of St Patrick’s NS, Drumshanbo. Nolan started strongly and took the opening game, but Siebert responded well, forcing a tiebreaker before pushing on to secure the title.
Annaduff NS, which had the largest number of pupils competing on the day, enjoyed success in the boys’ doubles competitions. Their Under 11 pairing of Liam Cox and Conor Creegan, along with their Under 13 duo Dáire O’Mahoney and Alex Beirn, produced strong performances to claim both doubles titles.
In the girls’ competitions, Fenagh’s Abbie Kane impressed in the Under 11 Singles final, while the Drumcong NS pairing of Doireann McKiernan and Eimer Ní Thiaráin delivered an assured display to take the Under 13 Doubles title.
Many thanks to all the coaches, parents and teachers who prepared the children so well for the finals, and to Fenagh Handball Club for hosting the event and ensuring it ran smoothly on the day.
The winners will now go on to represent their schools and Leitrim at the Connacht Cumann na mBunscol Finals, which take place later this month in Collooney, Co Sligo.
Winners and Runners Up :

 

Clockwise : – U11 boys doubles final : Annaduff NS ( Liam & Conor) dft St Patricks NS (Séimí & Mark) -U13 boys doubles final : Annaduff NS ( Dáire & Alex) dft Drumcong NS (Caolan & Nathan) – U13 girls doubles final : Drumcong NS ( Doireann & Eimear) dft Annaduff NS ( Sarah & Muireann) – U11 boys singles final : Drumcong NS (Senan) dft Leitrim NS (Daniel) pictured with David Mahon – Leitrim Handball PRO. – U11 girls singles final : St Caillins NS (Abbie) dft Annaduff NS (Emily) pictured with Francis Stenson – Leitrim Handball secretary. – U13 boys singles final : Gaelscoil Chluanín (Ronan) dft St Patricks NS ( Dylan) pictured with Joel Smith – Manorhamilton Handball & Martin Logan – Drumshanbo Handball – U13 girls singles : St Caillins NS (Ciara) presented with her medal by Martin Logan.

 

Fenagh Handball Hosts Connacht 4-Wall 2nd Level schools Championship

Fenagh Handball Club recently hosted the Connacht 4-Wall Second-Level Schools Championships. Staging 30 matches over two days was a major undertaking for the Leitrim club, but thanks to a strong collective effort, the event ran smoothly throughout. Players who travelled from across Connacht were well looked after in the warm and welcoming surroundings of Fenagh Alley, with excellent hospitality on offer. The 40×20 alley was presented in pristine condition, showcasing its newly laid timber floor, freshly painted walls and striking GAA Handball livery.

Three Co. Leitrim second-level schools were represented at this year’s finals, with Mohill Community College leading the way. The school had six pupils in finals action and returned home with an impressive haul of two gold and two silver medals.

Mohill’s first-year doubles pairing of Rhys Glancy and Enda Sharkey produced outstanding performances, overcoming strong opposition from Roscommon and Sligo to claim the Connacht C gold medals — the only gold secured by Leitrim competitors over the weekend. Gary Cox earned silver in the Senior Boys’ Singles category, despite sustaining an injury during his final. Sam Conroy also picked up a silver medal following his appearance in the First Year Boys C final.
There was disappointment, however, for highly fancied Mohill player Maxim Gilmartin, who suffered defeat in the Junior A Singles semi-final at the hands of Scoil Mhuire Strokestown’s Eoin Grehan. Adam Neary, returning to action after an injury-enforced lay-off, found the going tough in his Junior Boys B semi-final, with Galway’s Tomás King in control throughout, though Neary showed promising glimpses of his ability as the contest progressed.
St Clare’s Comprehensive, Manorhamilton, was represented by Tadhg Kirwan, who gave a good account of himself in the Senior Boys B competition but was unfortunate to face strong opposition in Scoil Mhuire Strokestown’s Patrick Grehan in his opening round game.
Drumshanbo Vocational School also enjoyed a successful finals weekend, with all four of their competitors claiming silver medals. Ruairí McKiernan and Mark MacShera both impressed on Saturday, reaching the finals of the First Year Boys B and A Singles competitions respectively. The Drumshanbo silver tally continued Sunday when first-year doubles pairing Kian McNabola and Michael Prior finished runners-up in the Doubles B category.

From a Leitrim Handball perspective, the Connacht 4-Wall Second-Level Schools Championships were a resounding success both on and off the court. Fenagh Handball Club provided excellent hosting, while Leitrim schools collectively claimed eight winners and runners-up medals. The championships highlighted the continued strength and depth of second-level handball across County Leitrim. Well done to everyone involved on and off the court!

2026 Connacht 4-Wall Singles Championship News
Manorhamilton’s Joel Smith was in Connacht 4-Wall Singles Championship action last week, taking on Sligo’s Clive Slevin in their Golden Masters B clash on Wednesday evening in Collooney. Despite a determined performance, Smith was unable to halt Slevin’s progress, with the Sligo man advancing to the next round on a 21–10, 21–14 scoreline.

Manorhamilton’s Anthony Flynn and Fenagh’s Ed Lee are both set to enter the championship fray over the coming weekends. Venue details, match times and results can be followed online at knowthescore.ie. Best of luck to Anthony and Ed as their campaigns get underway.

Co. Leitrim Cumann na mBunscol 40×20 finals.

Attention turns to Primary School handball next weekend with the 2026 edition of the Co. Leitrim Cumann na mBunscol 40×20 finals taking place on Sunday, Feb 1st.  Best of Luck to all the boys and girls, who will be playing in the u11 and u13 singles and doubles competitions. Draws, times and venue will be published on the Leitrim Handball’s Facebook page later this week.

Leitrim Handball in  Sports Stars Awards Nominations.
Congratulations to all the nominees for the 14th Annual Leitrim Sports Star Awards 2025, which once again recognize the outstanding dedication and achievement of sportspeople and volunteers across the county. Leitrim Handball is proudly represented this year, with PRO and Annaduff Handball Club member David Mahon nominated in the Volunteer of the Year category. David’s nomination is an acknowledgement of his tireless work promoting and developing handball at both club and county level. Best of luck to all nominees on the night.
Pictured being presented with their medals by Leitrim Handball Chairman JP Kane are – – First Year Boys Singles B winner Eoin Touhy (Mayo) and runner up Ruairi McKiernan (Leitrim). – Junior Girls Singles B winner Mary Bermingham (Galway) and runner up Abigail Hughes ( Roscommon) – Junior Boys Singles B winner Thomas King (Galway) and runner up Cian Brady (Mayo) – Senior Boys Singles B winner – Patrick Grehan (Roscommon) and runner up Josh Holmes (Mayo)
Players, coaches, parents and supporters at the Annaduff Handball Cumann na mBunscol u11 playoff’s on Friday evening last. Best of Luck to everyone who qualified for the Co. Leitrim finals next weekend!
David Mahon
Liathróid Láimhe Liatroma

Connacht Handball Gold for Mohill Community College

Heartiest congratulations to Enda Sharkey and Rhys Glancy from Annaduff, who won gold in the Connacht Second-Level Schools First-Year Boys Doubles C Handball Championship on Sunday last. Representing Mohill Community College, Enda and Rhys—who hone their skills at Annaduff Handball Club—produced an outstanding performance on the day, overcoming strong opposition from Roscommon and Sligo to claim the title.

Congratulations also to Mark MacShera and Ruairi McKiernan from Drumshanbo Vocational School who both won silver in the First-Year Boys Singles A and B championships respectively. Mark and Ruairi played exceptionally well, pushing their opponents all the way in their finals, however they had to settle for the runner-up spot this time around.

Well done to all the Leitrim players who represented their schools in the Connacht finals, and to Fenagh handball club for hosting the two-day event.

Photo: Enda Sharkey and Rhys Glancy – winners of the First Year Boys Doubles – Connacht C championship for Mohill Community College on Sunday last.

Photo: First Year Boys Singles A winner Cian Corcoran (Sligo) and runner up Mark MacShera (Drumshanbo VS)

David Mahon
Liathróid Láimhe Liatroma

Leitrim Handball – 4-Wall Second-Level Schools Championship 2025

Fenagh Alley was a hive of activity on Sunday last as the Leitrim second-level schools 4-wall handball playoffs took place. Eight players from Mohill Community College, Carrick-on-Shannon Community School and Drumshanbo Vocational School competed for places in the Connacht Handball 1st Year finals, which will also be hosted in Fenagh next weekend.
After a long and entertaining afternoon of handball, Mark MacShera of Drumshanbo Vocational School emerged as Leitrim 1st Year champion following a hard-fought victory over his schoolmate Ruairi McKiernan in a thrilling final. Mark was pushed all the way, with Ruairi forcing the contest into a deciding tiebreaker in what was a high-quality and closely contested encounter.
Sam Conroy of Mohill Community College secured third place on the day after a series of strong performances. Mark, Ruairi and Sam will now go on to represent Leitrim in the Connacht 1st Year A, B and C Championship finals next weekend.
Credit is also due to Kian McNabola, Enda Sharkey, Rhys Glancy, Padraig Mahon and Daniel Foley, who all contributed to an excellent afternoon of handball. Each player showed clear improvement in skill and match play and can be very satisfied with their individual performances.
Sincere thanks are extended to Fenagh Handball for hosting the finals, and to all who assisted on the day by refereeing and providing refreshments.
Best wishes are also extended to Maxim Gilmartin and Adam Neary of Mohill Community College, who will represent Leitrim in the Connacht Schools Championships –  Junior grade,, as well as to Gary Cox (Mohill Community College) and Tadhg Kirwin (St Clare’s Community School), who will compete in the Connacht Schools Senior Finals next weekend.
Go n-éirí an t-adh libh go léir!
David Mahon
Liathróid Laimhe Liamtroma
Photo: Competitors from the Leitrim second-level schools 4-wall handball playoffs in Fenagh

Remarkable Year of Growth and Achievement in 2025 for Leitrim Handball

Positive Vibes as LeitrimGAA Handball Marks a Remarkable Year of Growth and Achievement in 2025
As 2025 draws to a close, Leitrim GAA Handball can reflect with pride on a year marked by significant growth, strong community involvement, and notable success at regional, national and international levels.
The past year has seen participation across the county continue to rise, with Leitrim’s four handball clubs now catering for over 100 juvenile players. While many enjoy the sport socially, an increasing number are competing at a high level, highlighting the healthy balance between participation and performance within the county.
The season began on a positive note in January with the successful running of the Shannonside League. Featuring over 60 games and involving juvenile players from Leitrim, Roscommon and Sligo, the league provided valuable competitive opportunities and set the tone for the year ahead.
One of the standout stories of 2025 was the continued success of Fenagh’s Sophie Kane. Sophie enjoyed an exceptional year, winning the Connacht Under-13 40×20 title and claiming medals at European level. Her performances were recognized when she was awarded the Juvenile Leitrim Sport Star of the Year for her achievements in handball both nationally and internationally.
Sophie’s sister, Katie Kane, also had a strong season despite struggling with injury. Highlights included winning gold at the European Tour Under-17 one-wall competition in Belfast and finishing runner-up in the Ladies B grade at the same event. Katie also collected further honors throughout the year at Connacht and national level.
Success was spread across clubs and age groups. Annaduff’s Maxim Gilmartin and Fenagh’s Daniel Kane were Connacht Under-15 boys’ doubles champions, while Maxim also won the Connacht 60×30 schools’ championship with Mohill Community College and secured a bronze medal at the National Community Games Under-16 boys singles finals. He later reached the semi-final of the All-Ireland Under-14 60×30 championship.
At All-Ireland level, Daniel Kane and Maxim Gilmartin played exceptionally well reaching the Under 15 40×20 doubles final, earning silver medals, while Nora Smith of Manorhamilton finished runner-up in the Girls Minor 60×30 All-Ireland final. Manorhamilton players Joel Smith and Anthony Flynn also featured prominently, finishing runners-up in Connacht Silver Masters B doubles competitions across both 40×20 and 60×30 formats.
Leitrim once again demonstrated its ability to host major events, welcoming the Connacht Juvenile A Finals to Fenagh, Annaduff and Drumshanbo, and hosting All-Ireland Ladies 40×20 Championship matches in Drumshanbo. Connacht 60×30 championship games were also hosted in Drumkeeran during the summer.
Coaching and development remained a central focus throughout the year. National school teachers across the county undertook handball training courses, while additional coaching and teacher education sessions were delivered in Annaduff by GAA Handball Regional Development Officer Clare Conway. Increased parental involvement and volunteer engagement on club committees further strengthened the county’s handball structure.
Player welfare continued to be a priority, with Leitrim GAA Handball completing updated risk assessments and child safeguarding statements. Over 20 coaches and mentors completed safeguarding training during the year, reinforcing the county’s commitment to providing a safe and inclusive environment.
Despite challenging weather conditions, local events such as the Manorhamilton one-wall tournament proved highly successful, adapting seamlessly when play was moved indoors. Cormac Scarff wins the boys title, with Arro O’Reilly winning the plate. Abbie Kane wins the girls title, with Emma Curry winning the girls plate.
As the season moved into autumn, Fenagh’s Ed Lee featured prominently in his first foray into wallball competitions, finishing runner-up in the Connacht Diamond Masters final, having achieved silver in the All-Ireland Ruby Masters 60×30 final earlier this year, underlining Leitrim’s core strength and foundations at adult level.
Overall, 2025 has been a year to celebrate for Leitrim GAA Handball — a year of achievement nationally, with growing progress, participation and immense pride locally. The dedication of players, volunteers, and supporters has laid a solid foundation for continued success, and the county looks forward to building further on this momentum in the 2026 seasons to come.
Photo: Silverware for Leitrim at the Irish Wallball Nationals – Katie Kane (Girls 17 and under plate), Adam Neary ( Boys 13 and under plate), Sophie Kane ( Girls 13 and under plate).
Photo:Leitrim’s Ed Lee celebrates with supporters after his Connacht Final victory.
Photo: Coaches and parents from Annaduff and surrounding Handball clubs who completed the GAA Handball Foundation Coaching course delivered by GAA Handball Regional development officer – Clare Conway.
David Mahon
Liathróid Láimhe Liatroma

Handball News: Leitrim success at Connacht Cumann na mBunscol Wallball Championships 2025

Plenty of Leitrim success at Connacht Cumann na mBunscol Wallball Championships 2025

Leitrim’s young handballers enjoyed great success at the Cumann na mBunscol Connacht Wallball finals played in Kilglass, Co. Roscommon on Thursday last.

Eimear Nic Thiarnáin and Sophie Mulhall from St Brigid’s NS, Drumcong won gold in the Girls U11 Doubles, while Abbie Kane of St Caillin’s NS, Fenagh also took gold in the Girls U11 Singles.

St Caillin’s NS added to their medal tally with Kayla Crinnigan and Ciara Conlon, who won silver in the Girls U13 Doubles event.

Well done also to Senan Prior Kellegher from St Brigid’s NS, Drumcong, who put in a strong performance and was unlucky to miss out this time in the boys U11 singles category.

Comhghairdeas freisin leis na daltaí ó Ghaelscoil Chluainin a ghlac páirt, ach nár éirigh leo bonn a bhaint an uair seo.

Maith sibh go léir!

 

 

Photo: Eimear Nic Thiarnáin & Sophie Mulhall from St Brigids NS, Drumcong being presented with their medals by Aengus Cunningham – Connacht Juvenile Handball Board.

 

Photo: Abbie Kane, St Caillin’s NS. Fenagh, being presented with her medal by Aengus Cunningham – Connacht Juvenile Handball Board.

 

Photo:  Kayla Crinnigan and Ciara Conlon from St Caillin’s NS. being presented with their medals by Aengus Cunningham – Connacht Juvenile Handball Board.

 

 

David Mahon
Liathroid Láimhe Liatroma
https://www.facebook.com/LeitrimHandball

Handball News: Golden Gloves Win | Annual Church Gate Collection

Golden Gloves Win for Annaduff’s Maxim Gilmartin

The 2025 4-wall handball season got underway this weekend with the Annual Golden Gloves tournament in Co. Antrim. Over 200 players from across the country took part, including Annaduff’s Maxim Gilmartin and Adam Neary.

It was a mixed weekend for the two Annaduff players. Maxim Gilmartin had a strong performance, winning the Boys’ 15 and Under C Championship on Saturday. However, Adam Neary’s tournament was cut short after he injured his shoulder during his first match in the Boys’ 13 and Under category on Sunday.

Congratulations to Maxim on his impressive win, and we wish Adam a speedy recovery.

Annual Church Gate Collection

Leitrim Handball would like to sincerely thank everyone who generously contributed to their Annual Church Gate Collection on November 1st and 2nd, held at masses across the county. A special thanks also goes to our handball players and mentors who volunteered their time to assist with the collection.

The total amount raised was €3,793, and these funds will go directly towards supporting and developing handball throughout the county.

 

Photo : Annaduff’s Maxim Gilmartin – Golden Gloves Boys 15 & Under C champion 2025.

 

David Mahon
Liathroid Láimhe Liatroma
https://www.facebook.com/LeitrimHandball

Handball News: Hard Luck to Sophie Kane in All-Ireland Semi-Final

Hard Luck to Sophie Kane in All-Ireland Semi-Final

Fenagh’s talented young handballer Sophie Kane saw here excellent season come to an end at the All-Ireland Juvenile Wallball U14 girls’ singles semi-finals on Saturday last. Competing in Kilglass, Co. Roscommon, Sophie was defeated by the eventual champion Nina McBride from Co. Antrim after a spirited performance.

While things didn’t go her way this time, Sophie can take immense pride in her achievements throughout the season. She will have gained valuable experience from this year’s All-Ireland series, and is sure to come back even stronger next year when she remains eligible for U14 competition.

It’s been an outstanding year for Sophie, who has added several county, Connacht and European wallball titles to her growing list of achievements, continuing to impress with her growing skillset in the 1-wall game.

Everyone in Leitrim Handball is incredibly proud to have Sophie represent our county in the All-Ireland finals. Congratulation on a fantastic wallball season, Sophie, and well done on all your accomplishments this year.

 

Photo : Fenagh’s Sophie Kane, who competed in the All-Ireland Juvenile Wallball semi-final last weekend.

 

David Mahon
Liathroid Láimhe Liatroma
https://www.facebook.com/LeitrimHandball

Handball News: Connacht Wallball Adult Championships | Juvenile Wallball All-Ireland Championships

Connacht Wallball Adult Championships

Leitrim’s Ed Lee turned in a fine performance at the Connacht Wallball Adult Championships in Galway last weekend, reaching the Diamond Masters Final on his first competitive outing in the one-wall code. The Fenagh clubman impressed with his determination before losing out to his opponent George Miller from Mayo in the decider. A strong wallball debut for Ed – and there’s plenty more to come.

Best of Luck, Sophie!
Fenagh’s Sophie Kane will make a return trip to Kilglass, Co. Roscommon, next Saturday, October 18th, to compete in the Juvenile Wallball All-Ireland Championships in the Girls Under 14 Singles category. Sophie has been drawn to face Antrim’s Nina McBride in the All-Ireland semifinal.

We wish Sophie the best of luck in her quest for victory!

Leitrim’s Ed Lee is pictured with Mayo’s George Miller after their Connacht Wallball Diamond Masters Final on Sunday last. 

 

David Mahon
Liathroid Láimhe Liatroma
https://www.facebook.com/LeitrimHandball

Handball News: Two Connacht Juvenile Titles for Leitrim as Storm Abbie Makes Her Mark

Two Connacht Juvenile Titles for Leitrim as Storm Abbie Makes Her Mark

The remnants of Storm Amy may still have been swirling across County Roscommon on Saturday morning as Leitrim’s juvenile handballers arrived at the Kilglass Gaels complex near Rooskey to contest the 2025 Connacht Juvenile Wallball Championships. However, by the end of the opening day of this two-day event, all attention had shifted to another force of nature — “Storm Abbie”.
Like a whirlwind, Fenagh’s young Abbie Kane swept aside all opposition to capture the U12 Girls Singles Connacht title for Leitrim. While this marked Abbie’s first major success, she was, in fact, retaining the Connacht crown for the Kane household, as her older sister Sophie had held the title for the previous two years.

It was far from a straightforward path to victory for Abbie, who was required to overcome three strong Galway and Roscommon opponents, each with the advantage of greater age and experience. Whether leading from the outset or fighting back from behind, Abbie displayed composure and determination beyond her years, ultimately defeating Aoibh Johnston (Roscommon) 15–12 in a thrilling final.
Not to be outdone by her younger sibling, Sophie Kane delivered a commanding performance on Sunday to secure the U14 Girls Singles title. She overcame three Roscommon players en-route to the final, where she defeated the highly regarded Niamh Hall (Roscommon) in her home alley on an impressive 15–7, 15–4 scoreline.

Both Sophie and Abbie now advance to the All-Ireland semi-finals on October 18th, which will once again be hosted at Kilglass.
Well done also to Katie Kane (Fenagh), who contested the Girls Minor Final against Ella Sweeney (Galway). Despite struggling with a recent injury, Katie began strongly and showed admirable resilience, though the Galway player ultimately prevailed 21–15, 21–4.
While special congratulations are extended to Sophie and Abbie on their outstanding achievements in bringing Connacht titles back to Leitrim, sincere commendation is also due to all of the county’s young athletes who represented Leitrim with distinction throughout the weekend.

This year marked a record-breaking 20 entries from Leitrim, an exceptional milestone for the county. Although several players were forced to withdraw due to injury, adverse weather conditions, and football fixture clashes, 13 determined competitors took to the courts and gave their utmost against the strongest opposition in Connacht. Each player who wore the Leitrim colours demonstrated exemplary commitment, passion, and sportspersonship.

Also representing Leitrim were:

Girls U14 Singles: Emma Curry and Sadhbh Smith (Manorhamilton)

Boys U14 Singles: Adam Neary (Annaduff), Dashiell Wilson (Manorhamilton), Maxim Gilmartin (Annaduff), Morgan Chandler (Manorhamilton), and Flynn Chandler (Manorhamilton)

Boys U16 Singles: Gary Cox (Annaduff), Daniel Kane (Fenagh), and Tadhg Kirwin (Manorhamilton), all of whom produced spirited performances against experienced opposition.

Win or lose, each of Leitrim’s young players proved a credit to their families, clubs, and county — true ambassadors for Leitrim handball.
Comhghairdeas libh go léir!

Finally, the Leitrim Handball Committee extends its gratitude to the Connacht Handball Board and Kilglass GAA Handball Club for the excellent organization and smooth running of this year’s championship. Sincere thanks are also conveyed to all referees, officials, and volunteers whose efforts contributed to the success of the event.

Leitrim competitors and their opponents in the Connacht Juvenile Wallball finals in Kilglass last weekend.

 

David Mahon
Liathroid Láimhe Liatroma
https://www.facebook.com/LeitrimHandball