Peter Chambers from the St. Mary's Club was elected Sligo Handball Chairman at the Annual General Meeting of the Sligo Handball Board which took place in the St. Mary's club meeting rooms on Wednesday last. One of the biggest attendances at any of the recent AGM's heard Secretary Michael McGee giving a detailed and comprehensive report on the year's handball activities. The Annual report ran to 13 pages. The Secretary congratulated Francis McCann, Michael McMorrow & John McLoughlin All-Ireland handball winners in 2011. McCann from the Ballymote club was also congratulated on winning the Connacht "Masters" player of the year award. The AGM was attended by Cyril Feehily Sligo G.A.A. Chairman who was making a little piece of G.A.A. history as he became the first Sligo G.A.A. Chairman ever to attend the handball board's AGM. Feehily in his address to the meeting congratulated all handball clubs in the County and the officers of the Co. Handball Board. He gave an undertaking that he will be supporting handball even more in the coming year. Also in attendance was Connell Cannon the Connacht Handball Council's Administrator for the past 6 years and incidentally is a St. Mary's club man. In a lengthy report McGee congratulated all the provincial & All-Ireland winners. He had special praise for Francis McCann, Martin Golden, Tom Foody, Oisin Quinn, Stanley Harte & Paddy Walsh the Juvenile Coaches in the Sligo Clubs. McGee described them "as the unsung heroes in Sligo handball for their unselfish giving of their time to coaching in Sligo. McGee also thanked all the local media Sligo Weekender, Sligo Champion, Western People, Ocean Fm from their unprecedented cover of handball. Cyril Feehily Sligo G.A.A Chairman was also thanked for his great support of handball at local & national level. The use of the Sligo G.A.A. website with its own handball section was acknowledged by the Co. Secretary. Francis McCann Juvenile Officer, Peter Chambers Finance all read out annual reports. Chairman Michael McMorrow congratulated all provincial & All-Ireland winners and coaches in the Juvenile clubs. He however had concerns for meetings that were poorly attended and fixtures falling down and asked for the co-operation of all clubs to improve on this in the coming year. The elections took place and Peter Chambers was elected the new chairman to succeed Michael McMorrow. For the Secretary's role Michael McGee the outgoing Secretary indicated that he was stepping down from the role mainly because of his frustration with fixtures being called off for one reason or another. In a lengthy debate the matter was only resolved by Sligo G.A.A. Chairman who suggested a new role Fixtures Secretary be created. Castleconnor's Mark Murphy took up the new position and it was only then that McGee decided to stay on as Secretary/PRO for another year. The new Chairman gave a commitment to have a Juvenile handball section in the St. Mary's club in the coming year and said "he would do his utmost to promote handball in the coming year".

The following officers were elected
Chairman: Peter Chambers (St. Mary's)
Secretary/P.R.O.- Michael McGee (Collooney)
Fixtures Secretary: Mark Murphy (Castleconnor)
Treasurer: Peter Chambers (St. Mary's)
Handball Delegate to Sligo G.A.A. Board: Colin Slevin (Drumcliffe)
Delegates to Connacht Handball Council: Mark Murphy (Castleconnor) & Michael McMorrow (St. Mary's)
Delegates to Handball Congress: Hugh McGarry (Collooney) & Michael McMorrow (St.Mary's) Tweet

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