An Cosantóir

sport | 29 well as the Air Corps (playing for 2 E Bde). The championships were comprised of 2 teams from T BY CPL ERIC O'BRIEN (USAC) DF HANDBALL DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIPS 2012 he first handball doubles in over 14 years took place on 31 May in the Handball Centre, Custume Bks, Ath- lone. All three infantry brigades were represented as each Bde (Jnr and Snr), with the senior prize being the All Army Handball Doubles trophy that was first awarded in 1923, making it one of the oldest trophies in the DF and highly sought after in the handball family. 1 S Bde came out overall winners in both categories, no doubt due to the training regime watched over by Pte Colm Jordan (1 Fd Eng Coy). All games to qualify for the final were played up to 15 and the best of 3, with the Snr fi- nal being played up to 21 and the best of 3. In the Jnr Comp 1 S Bde strolled to the final where they met 4 W Bde, who unfortunately couldn't withstand the constant pounding from both sides of the court. Mr Darragh Daly (Development Officer, GAA Handball) provided council to referees and even got in to show the troops that skill over power will always win a game after a challenge match against Pte Damien Brennan (3 Inf Bn) that went 15 - 2 to the professional. This was of course af- ter Pte Brennan had proven to myself that he too had been training and doing a lot more of it after our game ended 21 -0, 21 -3 to Pte Brennan. The Snr competition was more of the same with 1 S Bde Dubs swansong and after a couple of handouts and aces 1 S Bde came out this years senior winners and won the honour of having their names engraved on one of our oldest trophies presented by the new EO 4 W Bde, Col Tom Aherne. For further information on Handball in the Defence Forces contact: Cpl Eric O'Brien at extension 1763 or at eric.obrien@defenceforces.ie TEAMS: 1 S Bde Senior Team Cpl Eddie Clifford (3 Inf Bn) Pte Denis Dowd (3 Inf Bn) 1 S Bde Junior Team Pte Tommy Dillon (4 Inf Bn) Pte JP Ryan (1 LSB) 2 E Bde Senior Team Tpr Stephen Smul- len (EUBG) Tpr Sean Walsh (EUBG) 2 E Bde Junior Team Sgt John O'Brien (2 E Bde HQ) Armn James Byrne (Air Corps) 4 W Bde Senior Team Pte Conor Laffey (4 BTC) Pte Chris Samuels (4 LSB) 4 W Bde Junior Team Cre Michael Mer- rigan (1 Cn Cois) Pte Padraig Lyons (USAC) www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE side teaching both other teams a lesson on the way to the final. The closest match of the day proved to be the endur- ance match, in which 2 E Bde gave the boys from the West a battle that lasted over 50 minutes to qualify for the final against the mighty Southerners from Kilkenny. Unfortunately the match against the West was to be the

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