The DALKIA 40x20 Senior Doubles Championship gets underway this weekend, with six exciting matches in store for the growing number of handball followers.

Action begins tonight (Friday) where Mayo kingpins, Dessie Keegan and Joe McCann take on Kerry’s Dominic Lynch and J.J. Quirke in Cappagh and with a preliminary round under their belts, the men from the Kingdom will provide a tough obstacle for the Mayomen.
Both Keegan and McCann eased through their respective first round DALKIA Senior Singles games last weekend and will be hoping to continue their winning ways today.

At Kingscourt, Cavan tomorrow, Mayo’s Vinny Moran and Joe Dowling face a tough pairing in Antrim's Owen McKenna and Sean Devine, both of whom recorded first round DALKIA Senior Singles wins last weekend. Also in action tomorrow are Kerry's Brendan O'Brien and Noel Raymond who face a challenging meeting with Limerick young-guns, Seamus O'Carroll and C. J. Fitzpatrick. Last weekend O’Carroll caused a massive upset in defeating Wicklow’s Michael Gregan in his first outing at senior level and should the pairing progress, it would only highlight that talent of the two players.

O'Loughlin’s in Kilkenny will host an exciting programme of matches tomorrow evening where Cork's Patrick Buckley and Stephen Palmer open the action against Antrim’s Ricky McCann and Seamus O'Tuama. McCann has had a busy last fortnight in the court, where he has defeated Wicklow’s Johnny Willoughby on two occasions. The first meeting, in the ENVIROGREEN/RESOURCE Nationals, was a thriller which ended in a tie-breaker finish, and the second was in the DALKIA Senior Singles on Sunday last.

The next match on the programme sees number two seeds and last year’s defeated finalists, Eoin Kennedy and Egin Jensen (Dublin) face Tipperary's David Moloney and Josie O'Dwyer. Kennedy’s place as one of handball’s greatest exponents was cemented during the week when he was named the Vodafone GAA All Star Handball award winner for 2007.

Along with Jensen, the pair have been prolific in recent years, and Kennedy has already expressed his desire to win singles and doubles 40x20 and 60x30 crowns this year.
Kennedy breezed through his first round DALKIA Senior Singles game last week, but Jensen was defeated by Mayo’s Vinny Moran.

Current number one Irish seed, Cork's Tony Healy will than pair up with fellow rebel, Colm Jordan, as they face the long-time partnership of Wexford's Tommy Hynes and Gavin Buggy. Jordan defeated Healy’s Ballydesmond clubman, Brendan Fleming, in a playoff match to decide the match-up and this game will be an interested battle.

A number of outstanding games remain to be played in the DALKIA Senior Doubles Championship, due to a large number of players competing in the USHA National Collegiate Championships in Springfield, Missouri this weekend. A total of 65 Irish students will compete in the prestigious handball event, with Meath’s Brian Carroll (DIT) ranked as the Irish number one seed in the Men’s Open and Kildare’s Eimear Fallon (UCD) taking the top sees in the Ladies Open. The finals take place on Sunday next.

DALKIA 40x20 SENIOR DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP:

ROUND OF 16
Friday 22 February, Cappagh (Limerick), 7.30pm
D Lynch OR JJ Quirke (Kerry) v Dessie Keegan, Joe McCann (Mayo)

At Kingscourt, Saturday 23 February, 5.00pm
Vinny Moran, Joe Dowling (Mayo) v Owen McKenna, Sean Devine (Antrim)

At Ballydesmond, Saturday 23 February, 7.00pm
Brendan O’Brien, Noel Raymond (Kerry) v Seamus O’Carroll, CJ Fitzpatrick (Limerick)

At O’Loughlins, Saturday 23 February, 5.00pm
Patrick Buckley, Stephen Palmer (Cork) v Seamus Ó Tuama, Ricky McCann (Antrim)
Eoin Kennedy, Egin Jensen (Dublin) v David Moloney, Josie O’Dwyer (Tipperary)
Tommy Hynes, Gavin Buggy (Wexford) v Tony Healy, Colm Jordan (Cork)

At Kingscourt, Saturday 1 March, 5.00pm
Michael Gregan, Johnny Willoughby (Wicklow) v Ciaran Curran, Darragh Daly (Tyrone)