THERE WERE MIXED fortunes for Donegal handballers as one doubles team booked their place in the Ulster final while another representative, in singles, bowed out at the All-Ireland semi-final stage.
By Paul Fitzpatrick
There was joy for intermediate doubles pair Mark McGowan and Mark Marley. The McCumhaills men advanced to the Ulster 40×20 Intermediate Doubles final with an impressive 21-18, 21-12 win over Cavan brothers Patrick and James Clerkin in Beragh, Co Tyrone.
The Ballybofey men were sluggish early on and fell well behind but eventually adjusted to the speed of the court and imposed their game on the Cavanmen.
Marley turned in an excellent performance on the right, killing consistently and serving well while McGowan, son of former county GAA board chairman PJ and nephew of administrator Noreen Doherty, played his way into the contest and showed his class and court nous.
The duo, former All-Ireland U21 champions, will now meet Tyrone’s Conor McElduff and Johnny Woods in the Ulster final.
Photo caption: Odhran McGlynn is presented with his Ulster medal by Cavan’s 10-time All-Ireland Senior Doubles champion Michael Finnegan.
Meanwhile, out of luck was young star Odhran McGlynn from Glenfin, who was beaten 15-10, 15-10 in a pair of close games by Galway’s Jason O Tuathail.
McGlynn, who came through the Ulster series in fine style, has shown great promise and will move up to the U16 grade next year, where he holds a realistic chance of making a splash at provincial level.
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