A record breaking event saw the cream of youth handball in Ireland come together at venues around Kilkenny over the weekend with 16 major youth titles decided and, in turn, the 2011 Irish Junior Handball Team to travel to the USA International Tournament in Tucson, Arizona, finalised.

Ireland's record at the highly prestigious USA event is second to none in recent years and with the eagerly anticipated World Championships coming to Ireland, at Dublin's Citywest Events Centre, in just twelve months time the profile of the game is currently enjoying an all-time high. The newly crowned Irish Junior team will thus be eager to make a significant mark stateside in the build-up to the biggest International Handball event ever to be staged next year.

Meath handball legend, Tom Sheridan, was also announced as the Irish Junior Team Manager, along with Paula Clarke (Tyrone), and he is confident that Irish handball continues to shine the light internationally "Ireland have a great record at youth level and the skill and talent exhibited throughout the weekend suggests that 2011 is as good as we have ever had. I have been to the US as a player on many occasions and enjoyed success at all levels but going now as manager is a new and exciting challenge for me."

A capacity crowd packed into the O'Loughlin's Gaels club in Kilkenny on Sunday with a fantastic series of finals providing top class entertainment on the day. With the six key finals deciding the 2011 Irish Junior International GAA Handball Team to travel to Tucson, Arizona, there was of course added intrigue and excitement surrounding the ties.

Cork's Killian Carroll claimed the blue ribband Boys Youth event as he denied Galway's Martin Mulkerrins in the 19 & Under decider by 11-7 in the tie break while Carroll's county colleague, Catriona Casey, secured the Girls 19 & Under honours with a 21-3, 21-4 win over Westmeath's Aoife McCarthy. Galway's Ciana Ní Churraoin captured the 15 & Under Singles title for the second time with a 21-6, 21-11 win over Tyrone's Maeve McElduff and Roscommon's Lauren O'Riordain completed the girls junior team line-up with a 21-14, 21-14 victory over Limerick's Martina McMahon.

In the Boys 15 & Under final, Clare's Colin Corbett secured his place on an Irish team for the first time when he overcame Meath's Evan Sheridan by 21-6, 15-21, 11-7. The National team was completed when Clare's Colin Crehan produced a breathtaking display to overcome Leitrim's rising young star, Donal Wrynn, by 21-15, 21-16.

The Irish Junior team will now be preparing on the courts for the next five weeks before flying to Tucson, Arizona, for a Christmas challenge for International honours and Sheridan feels that it will be a Christmas to remember "Christmas in the USA is definitely going to be different but this is the prize every young handballer in Ireland dreams off. There was again record numbers in this year's Junior nationals and the sport is certainly at an all-time high at present in this country. In fact the ever growing number of countries now competing around the world adds to the prestige of what the kids are now going to compete in and securing International gold medals in Arizona is something we will be working very hard to ensure."

Irish Junior 40x20 Finals Results 2011:

Girls 11 & Under Doubles Final: Leah Doyle & Niamh Masterson (Leixlip/Kildare) dft Dearbhla Coleman & Ciara Clarke (Clann Eireann/Armagh & Carrickmore/Tyrone) 11-7, 11-9
Girls 13 & Under B Singles Final: Elise McCrory (Brackey/Tyrone) dft Alana Doran (Clann Eireann/Armagh) 15-8, 15-11
Girls 13 & Under A Singles Final: Fiona Tully (St. Coman's/Roscommon) dft Niamh Coleman (Clann Eireann/Armagh) 11-15, 15-12, 11-10
Girls 15 & Under B Singles Final: Natasha Coughlan (Clooney Quinn/Clare) dft Mary Buggy (Clogh/Kilkenny) 15-7, 13-15, 11-4
Girls 15 & Under A Singles Final:Ciana Ní Churraoin (Inverin) dft Maeve McElduff (Brackey) 21-6, 21-11
Girls 17 & Under B Singles Final: Aoife Landers (Dungarvan/Waterford) dft Marie Walshe (Kells/Kilkenny) 21-19, 21-12
Girls 17 & Under A Singles Final: Lauren O'Riordain (St Comans) dft Martina McMahon (Cappagh) 21-14, 21-14
Girls 19 & Under Singles Final: Catriona Casey (Ballydesmond) dft Aoife McCarthy (Westmeath) 21-3, 21-4

Boys 11 & Under Doubles Final: Ciaran Cooney & Kyle Dunne (Clogh/Kilkenny) dft Michael Egan and Dylan Hanley (St. Coman's, Roscommon) 11-8, 9-11, 11-9
Boys 13 & Under B Final: Jerome Cahill (Lahorna/Tipperary) dft Daniel Kavanagh (St. Joseph's/Wexford) 12-15, 15-8, 11-3
Boys 13 & Under A Final: Sean Kerr (Brackey/Tyrone) dft Cian O Conghaile (Micheal Breathnach's/Galway) 15-8, 9-15, 11-7
Boys 15 & Under B Singles Final: Kiernan O'Neill (Dungarvan/Waterford) dft Aidan Kerins (Cork) 15-14, 10-15, 11-2
Boys 15 & Under A Singles Final: Colin Corbett (Tulla/Clare) dft Evan Sgeridan (Kells/Meath) 21-6, 15-21, 11-7
Boys 17 & Under B Singles Final: Michael Hedigan (Cork) v Jordan O'Neill (St. Galls/Antrim)
Boys 17 & Under A Singles Final: Colin Crehan (Kilkeeshin/Clare) dft Donal Wrynn (Fenagh/Leitrim)21-15, 21-16
Boys 19 & Under B Singles Final: Anthony Crotty (Ballyporeen/Tipperary) dft Colum Kearney (Cork) 21-7, 4-21, 11-8
Boys 19 & Under A Singles Final: Killian Carroll (Mallow) dft Martin Mulkerrins (Moycullen) 21-13, 15-21, 11-7 Tweet

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