50 players in action
Monaghan GAA Handball hosted a superb day of action as 25 doubles pairings from six clubs competed across 49 fast-paced games to decide the 2026 Monaghan GAA Doubles champions.
Played under a time-based format, with each match consisting of one game to 15 or 20 minutes, whichever came first, and no foul serves or time-outs, the event ensured a high tempo throughout and produced a series of exciting contests across all grades.
The stand-out moment of the day came in the Senior Final, where Carrickmacross duo Oran Kiernan and Conor O’Gorman edged a dramatic encounter against Bawn’s Gavin Coyle and the impressive young Cormac Clerkin. With the clock running down, Kiernan and O’Gorman held a narrow 10:9 lead when the buzzer sounded, denying Bawn any opportunity to serve for a levelling score to force extra time.
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Barry Finn (Corduff).Image 2 of 10
Kevin Treanor (Tydavnet GAA Handball Club).Image 3 of 10
Ciaran Rafferty (St Mellan’s).Image 4 of 10
Robbie Duffy (Carrickmacross HC)Image 5 of 10
Ramunas Ramanauskas (Monaghan Harps).Image 6 of 10
Junior Champions, Corduff: Barry Finn, Gavin Coyle (Monaghan GAA Handball), Darragh Roe.Image 7 of 10
Novice C Champions, St Mellan’s: Mark Deery, Gavin Coyle (Monaghan GAA Handball) and Ciaran Rafferty.Image 8 of 10
Cormac Clerkin (Bawn).Image 9 of 10
Novice B Champions, St Mellans: Fergal Rafferty, Eoin Treanor (Monaghan GAA Handball), Jake McGeough.Image 10 of 10
Senior champions: Carrickmacross, Conor O’Gorman, Eoin Treanor (Monaghan GAA Handball) and Oran Kiernan.Both finalists had come through competitive semi-finals, with the winners overcoming Harps pair Konrad Kowell and the impressive Ramunas Ramanauskas, while Bawn accounted for St. Mellans’ duo Szymon Polewski and Fergal O’Neill. Clerkin, stepping up from U16 ranks, was particularly noteworthy, showing composure well beyond his years throughout the day.
In the Junior Final, Corduff’s Barry Finn and Darragh Roe delivered a dominant display to claim the title with a 15:9 victory over St Mellans pairing Eoin Treanor and Patrick McKenna, who deputised following an injury to Ian Treanor during the final group game. Finn and Roe were unbeaten throughout the competition, their experience from reaching last year’s Masters B All-Ireland Final proving invaluable.
St Mellans enjoyed success in the Novice B grade, where Fergal Rafferty and Jake McGeough completed an unbeaten campaign. After topping their group, they overcame Gerard and Christopher Corrigan in the semi-final before defeating Tydavnet’s Conor Bogue and Cathal Sweeney 15:11 in the decider.
The Novice C title also went to St Mellans, with Ciaran Rafferty and Mark Deery producing a narrow 15:14 victory over Carrickmacross father and son Glenn and Keelin O’Reilly in one of the closest matches of the day. Rafferty’s win capped an impressive season, adding the doubles title to his earlier Novice C singles success.
The event featured strong participation across all grades, including Senior/Intermediate, Junior/Novice A, and Novice B and C competitions, highlighting the depth of handball talent across County Monaghan at present.
Organisers extended their thanks to Kingscourt Handball Club for use of their fantastic facilities, to the many players who assisted with refereeing duties, and to all involved in ensuring the smooth running of the competition.
Appreciation was also expressed to Stephen Marken Photography for capturing the day’s action.