This weekend is yet another busy one on the handball front with plenty of action throughout the country. There will be a massive 43 semi-finals played across 25 competitions in both juvenile and over-age grades.

The action isn’t just confined to the national scene, with the Eamon Law Memorial Tournament, attracting some of the country’s top players to Mullinavat, Co. Kilkenny. Eamon’s doubles partner, legendary Kilkenny handballer, Michael 'Ducksy' Walsh has set about organising the event, which takes place at Eamon’s home club.

For the past two years, Ducksy has organised a tournament in aid of 'Aiserí', but this year he has decided to honour his former playing partner and long-time friend. Reigning 60x30 Senior Doubles champions, Egin Jensen and Eoin Kennedy will be the main attraction over the weekend, with Eoin’s father in action at Croke Park headquarters in the All-Ireland Emerald Masters (55+) Singles Semi-Final.

Eugene will be hoping to carry on the winning family tradition when he takes to the court against Mayo’s Martin Cronin on Sunday. Handball has been passed down through the Kennedy family tree and although Eugene will be representing Dublin next weekend, it was growing up in Roscommon where he attuned his handball skills.

His father, Paddy Kennedy, won an All-Ireland Junior Doubles title for the Rossies in 1938 and Eugene has collected several over-age All-Ireland titles over the past few years. His most recent big alley success came in 2004, when he partnered Vinny Farrelly to take the Golden Masters Doubles All-Ireland title.

His opponent from the West next Sunday was beaten in last year’s final, and the battle of the pair should be an exciting contest, with both players having a wealth of experience. Cronin has also collected a number of over-age titles, and the Swinford man put in a trojan performance in last year’s singles final where he lost out to Tipperary’s Packie Mullins 21-20, 21-15. Cronin will be hoping to avenge that defeat, but in Kennedy’s home-ground, it won’t be an easy task.

Meanwhile, Mick O’Brien takes on Sligo man Paddy Walsh in the Ruby Masters All-Ireland semi-final, also at Croke Park on Saturday. O’Brien accounted for Kilkenny’s Sean Curran in the Leinster final on a 21-5, 21-6 scoreline. A member of the Na Fianna Club, O’Brien is the holder of three All-Ireland handball medals. He won his first with the Na Fianna Novice Interclub team in 1983. It took him 10 years before winning his second with Ray Quinn in the Golden Masters B doubles and in 2002, he collected his third with Sean Moore in the Diamond Masters Doubles. Now, the 67-year-old is just one step away from winning his fourth All-Ireland medal.

Also in action at handball headquarters is Na Fianna clubman, Paddy Clerkin who takes on Galway’s Tony McInerney for a place the Emerald Masters B singles final. Clerkin defeated club mate Peter McTiernan in the Leinster final by 21-4, 21-6 and will be up against when he faces the tribesman, but the home fixture could swing the odds in his favour.

Kevin Geraghty (Mayo), who recently lost out in the All-Ireland Senior Doubles Final, will take on Wexford's Tony Breen on Saturday next in the All-Ireland Golden Masters (50+) Semi-final.

ALL-IRELAND SOFTBALL SEMI-FINALS (1)

At Loughmacrory, Saturday 29 September, 3.00 p.m.
DMBS Donegal (Eamon McDonnell) v Kerry (Carl Burkett)
JD Tyrone (Barney Corcoran, Shane O’Neill) v
Waterford (Philip Butler, David Walsh)

At Kingscourt, Saturday 29 September, 3.00 p.m.
SMBS Monaghan (Conor McDonnell) v Cork (John Hedigan)
SMAS Cavan (Joe Dillon) v Tipperary (Pat Ryan)
JBS Cavan (Padraig Cahill) v Clare (Adrian Kelly)

At Clonmel, Saturday 29 September, 3.00 p.m.
MBS Tipperary (Paul Maher) v Monaghan (Raymond Leonard)
EMAS Tipperary (Pakie Mullins) v Donegal (Dave Mulhern)

At St Coman’s, Roscommon, Saturday 29 September, 5.00 p.m.
LJS Roscommon (Hilary Rushe) v Wexford (Anne Boland)
U21D Roscommon (Chris Doolin, Niall Gordon) v
Wexford (Michael Berry, Jim Berry)

At Williamstown, Saturday 29 September, 5.00 p.m.
JBS Roscommon (Stevie Joyce) v Offaly (David Hope)
JD Galway (Ollie Conway, Alan Tierney) v
Wicklow (Pat O’Donnell, Michael Lennon)

At Templeudigan, Saturday 29 September, 5.00 p.m.
LMS Wexford (Niamh Murphy) v Roscommon (Marianna Rushe)

At Castlebar, Saturday 29 September, 5.00 p.m.
SMBS Mayo (Frank Macken) v Kilkenny (Eamon Holohan)
GMAS Mayo (Kevin Geraghty) v Wexford (Tony Breen)

At Ballina, Saturday 29 September, 5.00 p.m.
LSS Anna Wrynn (Kildare) v Ashley Prendiville (Kerry)
LSS Maria Daly (Kerry) v Ciara Mullins (Carlow)

At Kells, Saturday 29 September, 6.00 p.m.
MBS Meath (John Leahy) v Mayo (Tom Sweeney)

At Kingscourt, Sunday 30 September, 2.00 p.m.
GMAS Monaghan (Peter Larkin) v Limerick (Tom O’Brien)

At Ceannaras, Croke Park, Sunday 30 September, 2.00 p.m.
RMS Dublin (Mick O’Brien) v Sligo (Paddy Walsh)
EMBS Dublin (Paddy Clerkin) v Galway (Tony McInerney)
EMAS Dublin (Eugene Kennedy) v Mayo (Martin Cronin)

At Ballymote, Sunday 30 September, 2.00 p.m.
GMBS Mayo (Pat Hopkins) v Wicklow (Gerry McGrath)
SMAS Sligo (Francis McCann) v Westmeath (Robert McCarthy)

At Garryhill, Sunday 30 September, 12.00 noon
G16S Wicklow (Shauna Hilley) v Mayo (Amy Corrigan)
B17D Kilkenny (Dylan Clifford, Gerard McGrath) v
Mayo (Jamie Geraghty, Thomas Fleming)
B16D Kilkenny (Michael O’Brien, Patrick Funchion) v
Mayo (Ian McLoughlin, Shane McDermott)
B14S Wexford (Dean Corrigan) v Galway (Martin Mulkerrins)
B15S Kilkenny (Graham Clifford) v Galway (Fiontán Ó Curraidhín)
G15S Kilkenny (Denise Doyle) v Roscommon (Lauren O’Riordain)

At Clogh, Sunday 30 September, 12.00 noon
B15D Kilkenny (Pauric Maher, Paul Holden) v
Roscommon (Cian Connolly, Darren Beattie)
B16S Kilkenny (Eoghan Hennessy) v Mayo (Stephen Cooney)
B17S Kilkenny (Christopher Dawson) v Mayo (Paul Keegan)
G16D Kilkenny (Rebecca Mulholland, Claire Mulholland) v
Mayo (Mary Duffy, Stephanie Coleman)
G17D Kilkenny (Claire Walsh, Claire Comerford) v
Roscommon (Linda Connolly, Siobhán Tully)

At Loughmacrory, Sunday 30 September, 11.30 a.m.
G14S Tyrone (Clodagh Donaghy) v Limerick (Martina McMahon)
B14S Tyrone (Niall Donaghy) v Cork (Colm Kearney)
B14D Monaghan (Padraig McKenna, Christopher McKenna) v
Cork (Conor Hannan, Killian Carroll)
B15S Cavan (Paul Woods) v Cork (Arthur O’Neill) )
B17D Tyrone (Seán O’Kane, Ryan McCrystal) v
Clare (Alan Leamy, Trevor Vaughan)
B17S Cavan (Cormac McMahon) v Waterford (Tom Hanrahan)
B16S Tyrone (Caolán Daly) v Waterford (Pierce Galvin)