Aoife and Úna Brophy of Cullohill Handball Club pulled off a fantastic victory in the Leinster Ladies Handball 40×20 Junior Doubles Final last weekend against a strong Kilkenny pairing in Deirdre and Margaret Purcell.
A sizeable Laois support travelled to Borris to support the Cullohill sisters in the final as they looked to go one step further having lost a competitive Leinster Final to Wexford’s Cora Doyle and Holly Hynes in 2024.
Both Aoife and Úna Brophy went into this final high in confidence having performed excellently at the 72nd US Handball Collegiate Championships played in Portland, Oregan the week before.
At these championships, Úna was crowned Ladies A Champion and finished ranked 9th overall after recording a remarkable 19-21, 21-16, 11-9 victory over Siobhán Treacy of University of Limerick in a pulsating Ladies A US Collegiate Final.
The Ladies Leinster Junior Final proved a close affair between two evenly matched pairings.
In the first game, the Brophy sisters showed excellent composure and skill to take it on a 21-11 scoreline.
The second game was a far tighter and more competitive tussle with little separating either side throughout.
Both sides were matching one another ace for ace and the second game was firmly in the melting pot with the scores tied at 16 apiece.
After a well needed timeout the Brophys switched up their tactics and speed of play taking the Kilkenny team by suprise and they ended up winning the second game 21-16 and claim the coveted Leinster 40×20 Junior title.
This Leinster success was a well-deserved title for Aoife and Úna and is reward for the dedication they show to the game of handball.
The Brophy sisters will now firmly set their sights on
All-Ireland glory with the Ladies Junior All-Ireland semi-final scheduled for a couple of weeks’ time.
SEE ALSO – Drugs raid in Laois town as man arrested and suspected cannabis herb seized
