NO shortage of action in the handball courts during the coming week as the race for provincial honours narrows down with a number of grades in Munster championship now down to provincial finals and for some players hope of a provincial 40x20 title is gone for another year.

The big one this weekend with be the programme in Cappagh on Saturday at 3pm which will feature the Ladies Senior Doubles Final and the Mens Senior Singles Final with Cork players involved in both.

The programme will open with the Ladies Senior Doubles Final which will be a real David and Goliath clash as the young budding stars of Cork and Ballydesmond handball Catriona Casey and Aisling O'Keeffe endeavour to overcome their much more experienced Kerry opponents Maria Daly/Ashley Prendiville. Both Kerry players have won All Ireland Senior titles while Catriona Casey/Aisling O Keeffe having won the Minor All-Ireland Doubles title last year are eligible to also play Senior this year, they are still eligible for Minor and will be fancying their chances of retaining that title this year.

Saturday will be a learning curve for the Cork girls and they will have to put in a huge performance to overcome the challenge of the experienced and multi talented Kerry pair.

The Ladies Final will be followed by the Mens Senior Singles Final with Fermoy player Colm Jordan taking on Kerry's Dominic Lynch in what promises to be a fascinating contest, both players will be striving to win their first provincial senior 40x20 singles title and on their day both are capable of victory.

The old open format championship has been replaced with the re-introduction of the provincial championship and a back door system, with the four provincial winners going straight to All-Ireland quarter-finals, the four provincial runners-up will meet the four players who come through from the qualifiers.

There is a very heavy programme of Munster championship games in other grades right through the week. Starting this evening Thursday in Mallow at 8pm we have a double header with two Munster Finals down for decision, Pat O'Brien, Liscarroll will take on Michael Jordan, Fermoy in Ruby Masters Singles and in the Over 70s final

Tim Healy, Liscarroll will play Jim Kennedy, Fermoy.

Also this evening at Galbally at 8pm in another double header in Masters A Doubles Final the Mallow pair Stephen Palmer and Kevin Buckley face Tipperary John McQuaid/Pat O'Flaherty. The second game on the programme is Silver Masters B Singles quarter final with Brendan Hurley, Conna taking on Tipperary Paul Hynes.

On Friday in Silvermines at 8pm another double header with Cork players involved in both Dave O'Riordan, Boherbue and Tim Joe Healy, Ballydesmond team up to take on Tipperary Jim Ryan/Pakie Mullins in Diamond Masters A Doubles semi-final, which will be followed by the meeting of Dave Stack, Ballydesmond with Denis Gleeson, Tipperary in Emerald Masters B Singles semi-final.

On to Conna also on Friday 8pm start with another double header down for decision, proceedings open with the Under 21 Doubles Final in which Tadgh Carroll,

Mallow and John O'Keeffe, Ballydesmond team up to take on Waterford Tom Hanrahan/Conor Moloney, the second game of the evening will see John McDonagh, Snr face Tipperary's Willie O Dwyer in a Silver Masters B Singles semi-final. Cork's last involvement on Friday is in Fermoy 8pm with the Fermoy pair Tom McDonagh and John

McDonagh, Jnr taking on Tipperary John Ferncombe / Purcell pairing in Junior B Doubles quarter final.

On Saturday afternoon in Mallow at 2.30pm there is an interesting Intermediate Singles semi-final with Brendan Fleming, Ballydesmond taking on Clare's Diarmuid Nash. Should the Fermoy pair Tom and John McDonagh, Jnr win on Friday night then they will travel to Silvermines on Monday at 8pm to take on Clare's Finbarr Sheridan/Derek Healy in a Junior B Doubles semi-final. If Brendan Hurley is successful in his game in Galbally on Thursday evening v Paul Hynes he will be out again on Monday evening in Cashel at 8pm.

On Monday in Liscarroll we have an all Cork Masters B Singles Munster Final with Kevin Buckley, Mallow lining out against John Kiersey, Kilworth a contest well worth seeing. Depending on results this week there could be other fixtures involved Cork players on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The Munster Cumann Na mBunscoil competitions, boys and girls are down for decision on Saturday at Clare venues commencing at 11am, all players are to meet at the Tulla venue where the boys competitions will be played with the girls then transferring to Clooney. At the time of writing the Cork players will be girls Aoife Clifford, Laura Kelly, Katie Fleming, Emma Harrington, Aoife Kerins and Dianne O'Neill. While the boys will be David Walsh, Eoin Buckley, Tadgh O'Neill, Gearoid O'Connell, Shane Flynn and Aidan O'Brien. It's a strong Cork line up and while we can expect strong opposition I would be hopeful of successful outing on Saturday.

On Sunday with a 12pm start the Gael Linn under 13 mixed doubles competition will be held in Croke Park with the Boherbue pair Shane Flynn and Katie Fleming having won the Munster competition going in as Munster 1.Cork Handball was shocked last weekend with the news of the death of Denny O'Neill, Charleville a very dedicated and committed member of Liscarroll club. Denny was an outstanding player winning All-Ireland honours with Cork and his untimely death has shocked everyone. All involved in Cork handball extend our sympathy to his wife and family, to his mother and the extended O'Neill family, Ar Dheis De go raibh a anam.

- Peter Dennehy