Cavan's record breaking senior champion, Paul Brady, has been an enforced late withdrawal from the 2012 Irish 40x20 Nationals due to injury. The Mullahoran man recently secured an unprecedented eighth successive All Ireland Senior Singles Championship crown with one of his most impressive performances to date, when defeating US Open champion, Robbie McCarthy, in the final in Roscommon.

In his absence, it has been essential to redraft the Mens Open Nationals draw and this sees McCarthy move to the top spot at number one with Mayo's Joe McCann, who has enjoyed a good season to date, going in at number 2. Overall the draw, following Brady's absence, has a very open look to it with a host of players surely fancying their chances of claiming honours and even securing a final place which guarantees a slot on the Official Team Ireland for the 2012 Worlds this October in the Citywest Arena.

Mens Open Round 2: Friday 20th April 2012, in Kingscourt:

1. Robbie McCarthy (Westmeath) - BYE

2. Dominick Lynch (Kerry) v Dessie Keegan (Mayo) - Court 2, 7.30pm   

3. Brian Carroll (Meath) v Brendan Fleming (Cork) - Court 1, 6.15pm

4. Diarmaid Nash (Clare) v Vinnie Moran (Mayo) - Court 2, 5pm

5. Charly Shanks (Armagh) v Colm Jordan (Cork) - Court 1, 5pm

6. Michael Finnegan (Cavan) v Ger Coonan (Tipperary) - Court 2, 6.15pm

7. Killian Carroll (Cork) v Michael Gregan (Wicklow) - Court 1, 7.30pm

8. Joe McCann (Mayo) v Peter Funchion (Kilkenny) - Court 3, 7.30pm

A number of places will be decided on the team this weekend, with the six junior trials deciding Ireland's Official representatives in Boys and Girls at 15 & Under, 17 & Under and 19 & Under. Those events look extremely competitive as usual, with Ireland unquestionably at the top of the International 40x20 ladder in junior handball. 

Elsewhere, as part of new international incentives for world sport, the 23 & Under grade has been included and will form part of a new International Ranking process to be launched later in the year as part of the new International Handball Federation as the Official Olympic bid for handball gathers momentum. The Mens and Ladies 23 & Under winner will thus be on the official team (this obviously over-ruled previous stipulations excluding the top 8 seeds in the open grades from entering this competition).

As part of GAA Handball Ireland, and under the new International handball submissions, Masters and Golden Masters Handball have been highlighted for the uniqueness of the sport to showcase the best players at the highest level in 40+ and 50+ grades. The decision to include the winners in these two grades, again following on from 2009, when the same winners were chosen as part of the Official Ireland Team.

Overall, as is the case in all credible International Sports, GAA Handball Ireland are putting in place a selection process for an Official Irish Team to highlight the number one and very best players in Age Group categories. Such protocol is essential in ensuring further progress for Handball as a key international sport.

There will be further additions to Team Ireland in the period ahead with the winners in the Mens and Ladies Open Doubles trials to be decided in just over one week's time - the draws for these to follow.

Players who win a title at the weekend Irish 40x20 Nationals will also receive a specially commissioned O'Neill's Worlds 2012 Promotional Jersey. A key point of note is that winning a title in this weekend's Nationals will not rule a player out of competing in the same grade at the World Championships later this year.

The full team will be invited to the Official 2012 World Championship Launch scheduled to take place in Croke Park in May - further details to follow.