Limerick’s Croke Park handball hero

MARTINA McMahon of Croagh/Kilfinny and who represents Broadford Handball Club (HC) is already an All-Ireland medal winner this season for Limerick at Croke Park. A short few weeks back, she retained her Softball Singles Championship at a sold-out National Handball Centre on the Jones’ Road at GAA Headquarters. It was an astonishing seventh such title for the Limerick lefty. In the final, McMahon was forced to dig deep in the opening game with Kildare’s Mollie Dagg but found her range in the second to run out a comfortable 21-18, 21-7 champion. “I think I was a bit slow out of the blocks, not taking away from Mollie, she played unbelievably, came back well in the first game. It goes to show it’s never over till it’s over,” said McMahon. “Number seven, I don’t think, no matter how many you have, it’s ever enough – but this one is pretty special, it’s my grandmother’s anniversary on Monday so I know she’s looking down on me today. “I’m just delighted to get over the line today, I want as many titles as I can.” McMahon’s triumph, to add to multiple world titles, has cemented her position as one of the all-time greats of the sport. Hospital HC was another club to produce World Champions in brothers Tom and John Quish who clinched the doubles prize in Centernary Year 1984. Only a few years earlier (1980), another great exponent of the code – Tom McGarry – was named Irish Player of the Year. The late McGarry (Treaty Sarsfields) was one of Limerick’s finest all-round sportsperson, and his career wins included three county senior football championships and a staggering five Railway Cup Hurling titles. He passed away in late 2021. In more recent times (2018), Hospital won numerous accolades at the World Championships in Minneapolis, United States. The selection comprised of Paudi Quish, Kieran Burke, Paul Herr, Paul Hedderman, John Paul O’Connor, Mike O’Connor, John ‘Chalkie’ Ryan, Paddy Donovan and Tomás Donegan. The post Limerick’s Croke Park handball hero appeared first on Limerick Post.