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Softball Championship Kicks Off Tonight

The 2015 M Donnelly sponsored All-Ireland 60x30 Softball Championships kick off tonight with two opening round matches in the Mens Open category.

This years Championships has had a later than normal start due to the World Championships in Calgary at the start of August, but attention now quickly switches back to the traditional code with games in Na Fianna & Thurles tonight.

Cavan's Patrick Clerkin will take on Kilkenny leftie Ciaran Neary in a 7.30pm start, with both men vying for a Last 16 spot this weekend against Tipperary's Ger Coonan. Both men competed out in Calgary, will may well be short on match practice in the big court, but Neary will be confident of prevailing based on his dominant victory over Clerkin in last years Championship.

In Thurles, last years Intermediate Doubles Champion David Hope (Offaly) makes his maiden bow at Open level when he faces 2014 U21 All-Ireland winner Paudi Quish of Limerick. Hope was impressive during his 2014 Softball campaign, but will face a stiff challenge from Quish who fell only in a tiebreaker to Kilkenny's Ducksy Walsh in last years Last 16. The winner of this encounter will face the daunting task of playing reigning 9 time champion Eoin Kennedy (Dublin) in the Last 16 on Saturday.

60x30 Mens Open Wallchart