It has been an incredibly successful year for the sport of Handball in The Academy.Kicking things off magnificently in September was Tadhg O’Neill,a fifth year student who returned to school with two World Championship medals which he won in Calgary during the summer.Tadhg came second in the U17(40×20) and first in the U17 one wall doubles.He continued his successful year by winning the All Ireland Intermediate Doubles (40×20) with fellow student David Walsh.

During the year the silverware attained by the school continued to collect with three Third Year students ,Michael O’Malley,Brooklyn Hickey and Stephen O’Rourke winning the All Ireland U16/17 40×20 and 60×30,while brothers Conor and David Walsh secured the All Ireland Intermediate Doubles title.Conor also won the Munster U16 Championship with fellow classmate Cian O’Driscoll.Cian himself attended the National Finals, held in Chicago this year ,and returned to school after the Christmas Holidays with the U15 national Big Ball title.Finally Eoghan Sheehan did himself and his school proud by winning the Novice Singles title in the Munster Final this year. Huge thanks must, of course, go to the local Handball Club Mallow Handball,and of course to their trainers who work tirelessly to bring out the very best in this very talented group of young men.

Tadhg O’ Neill,World Champion with Principal Ms.Catherine Fitzpatrick.

David Walsh,Eoghan Sheehan,Tadhg O’Neill,Principal Catherine Fitzpatrick,Stephen O’Rourke ,Cian O’Driscoll,Conor Walsh and Michael O’Malley.

Cian O’Driscoll

1st Year student Cian O’Driscoll joined the many talented Handballers in the Academy. He recently took 1st place in the U-12 Munster Juvenile Finals in Handball and came second last year in the U-11 World Championship in Dublin.

Success for the Patrician Academy

A busy day was had on Tuesday, 26th January by the Patrician Academy Handballers who travelled to both Broadford and Cappagh in Limerick to compete in the Munster Colleges. Congratulations to Cillian Carrol who has dominated this competition in recent years and continues to triumph winning the Munster Colleges Intermediate Singles competition. In the final he met Ciaran Malone of Clare but proved too strong an opponent for the Clare student.

Another gifted handballer of the Academy, Jamie O’Connor competed in the Senior League of the Munster Colleges where he came second in the Senior Singles Final. Jamie gave a powerful performance in this close match but was defeated by Padraig O’Carroll of Limerick.

Transition Year student Darren Whelan joined Patrick Herlihy of third year in the doubles league. The talented duo did the Patrician Academy proud by reaching the Munster Colleges Intermediate Doubles semi-final as did Ciaran Buckley and Billy Sheahan of Transition Year who also competed and successfully reached the Intermediate Doubles semi-final. Junior Cert. Student Ryan Harkin, a talented handballer competed in the Singles and reached the Quarter final of the Munster Colleges Junior Singles. Congratulations to all of these students who continue to represent and achieve continuous success for the Patrician Academy and best wishes to Cillian Carroll in the All-Ireland Munster Colleges Finals.