Jordan Wins the Southern Classic, CNC Wins She’s Ace

WPH Press, Ireland, 2/1/26

GAA Handball proudly presented the fourth ranking events of the 2025/26 GAA Ranking season on the final weekend of January, with the GAA men in action at the Southern Classic and the ladies in action at She’s Ace.

Men’s Southern Classic

The 2026 Southern Classic featured the arrival of Ireland’s newest superstar Kyle Jordan. Long-heralded for his prodigious talent, Jordan decimated the Southern Classic field, winning five matches during the three-day event. 

Jordan stunned hometown favorite David Walsh in two games in the upper bracket semifinals, then rallied from an 11-14 second-game deficit against Diarmaid Nash in the final to win his first GAA ranking event. Jordan is the sixth different men’s champion in the last six GAA ranking events. 

Semifinals

Jordan def Walsh 15-3, 15-10

Nash def McCarthy (tiebreaker)

Final: Jordan def Nash 15-7, 15-14

She’s Ace

Ciana Ni Churraoin won her second GAA ladies ranking event in three weeks at the 2026 She’s Ace, winning back-to-back tiebreakers against Eilise McCrory and Fiona Tully in the semifinals and finals, respectively. 

Semifinals

Ni Churraoin def McCrory (tiebreaker)

Tully def McMahon

Final: Ni Churraoin def Tully 12-15, 15-11, 11-0

Read the 2026 GAA Southern Classic and 2026 She’s Ace recap, courtesy of Paul Fitzpatrick HERE

GAA homepage HERE

GAA on Facebook HERE

2025/26 GAA Ranking Event #1 Golden Gloves WPH recap HERE

2025/26 GAA Ranking Event #2 Irish Nationals WPH recap HERE

2025/26 GAA Ranking Event #3 Mick Kerr HERE

Watch the matches on the GAA YouTube channel HERE

Kyle Jordan and Ciana Ni Churraoin photos courtesy of Stephen Marken and GAA Handball

David Fink

WPH Senior Writer