by
Niamh Egan

Ger Coonan, from the Ballina Handball Club in Tipperary, collected his third All-Ireland title of the season last week, when he overcame Roscommon’s Chris Doolin in the Junior Hardball Final at Mullingar.

Coonan was defeated after a tiebreaker finish in the Intermediate 40 x 20 Singles Final recently and has now turned his attentions to the big alley, where he hopes to improve his fortunes for the remainder of the season.

“My big goal now is the 60 x 30 Intermediate title, and I’m just going to put the head down and get stuck into training,” said the 20-year-old Tipp man. Coonan completed a rare double on the college’s circuit this year, when he won both the 40 x 20 and 60 x 30 A finals. “It’s been a good year so far, and winning the hardball has put me back on track after losing the Intermediate final,” he said.

In last week’s Junior Hardball Final, Roscommon’s Doolin opened the game well and rushed into a 15-6 lead with Coonan looking unsettled. “I got off to a slow start; I wasn’t going for my shots early in the game, but once I got settled things gradually came right for me,” he said.

Coonan, a Universtiy of Limerick student, went on to take the first game 21-15, serving well and killing the ball in dramatic fashion. Doolin was unable to contain the power of the Tipp man in the second game, as Coonan emerged victorious on a 21-12 scoreline. Yet another title for the rising star of the modern game, and the season’s not over yet!

Achievements of Ger Coonan:

Irish Championships
All Ireland U14 60x30 singles Champion 2000
All Ireland U16 40x20 & 60x30 singles Champion 2002
All Ireland Minor 60x30 singles Champion 2003
2 X All Ireland U21 40x20 & 60x30 singles Champion 2005/2006
Irish Intervarsity Open 40x20 & 60x30 singles Champion 2007
Munster Open champion
Connaught Open Champion
All Ireland Junior, Intermediate and Senior colleges titles in 40x20 & 60x30 singles

International
United States Junior 15 and Under doubles champion 2001
Irish Nationals 17 and Under Champion 2002
United States National 17 and Under Champion 2002
2 x Ireland Vs Basque Country 2005/2006
World doubles 17& under runner up 2003
European One wall Champion Irish team 1999

Two Cidona Sport Star Awards
Munster AIB GAA Handballer of the Year 2005

Playing hardball... Ger Coonan in typical action.