For fans of the Big Alley, Meath vs Dublin is synonymous with the Myclubshop.ie Senior All-Ireland Doubles 60x30 finals. In the last 20 finals including today’s there has been only two years where one of today’s finalists did not win the Big Alley final showdown. That of course was Wexford who won titles in 2000 and 2011 and broke the stranglehold of the two counties.
The reigning champions Meath have the most accolades of the two sides with 12 titles. As a doubles partner BC (Before Carroll that is) Tom Sheridan had won 6 Senior Doubles All-Ireland Titles. When the two combined forces, they managed to win another 6 titles setting them out as the most dominant Doubles pairing of the last decade with Sheridan boasting an incredible 14 titles with 3 different partners. Sheridan on the left displays the cleverness, experience and sheer tenacity to out manoeuvre even the most athletic of opponents. Contrastingly, Carroll on the other side of the court has a quiet reverence in his unassuming disposition. Like a cobra waiting to strike, he lurks with a fierce intensity and commands the right-hand side of the alley with blitzing power and his incredible retrieval skills.
The Meath men have displayed excellent form throughout their entire Championship campaign, they overcame Tipperary’s Ger Coonan & David Hickey at the Quarter Final Stage in two games 21-10, 21-12. When faced by Limerick’s promising young guns CJ Fitzpatrick & Seamus O’Carroll in their semi-final they were incredibly impressive as they comfortably won on a scoreline of 21-7, 21-10.
The Dublin duo of Kennedy & Browne captured their first title as a partnership in 2015. Kennedy has also won four Doubles Titles with Egin Jensen giving the nine times singles champ an impressive five Doubles titles to his name. Like the ying for every yang, Kennedy rules the left-hand side of the court with a quiet confidence, he is a man of few words, yet his shots and actions scream champion. Alongside him on the right of the alley is Carl ‘Boo’ Browne. Browne is vocal in his presence, yet he very much walks the walk. With courageous shots and difficult returns, Browne is the perfect pairing for a player like Kennedy.
On their own route to the Final, Dublin looked as though they might have been stopped short of glory in a three-game struggle with Wexford legend Gavin Buggy & his young Doubles partner Daniel Kavanagh. Losing the first game 15-21, Dublin scrambled to take the second, getting over the line at 21-19, then, after collecting themselves, they came through the third game 21-15. In their semi-final, they were slow to start, handing the experienced Mayo pair of Joe McCann & Dessie Keegan a sizeable lead before, much like their football counterparts a few weeks previous they got to grips with the game before winning out on a 21-17, 21-5 scoreline.
As always with two great sporting rivals there is no shortage of history and quality encounters between the two sides. Dublin v Meath has served up numerous classic encounters across the sporting spectrum and this encounter promises to be no different. Last year’s final was a rip-roaring affair with a crackling atmosphere filling the old home of Handball. While Meath dominated the first game the second was a much tighter affair. The athleticism, skill and sheer determination shown by each player in that game will no doubt be on show again today with a bit extra thrown in for good measure.
Will the Royal county take another title back to the banks of the Boyne or will the Dubs draw on the inspirational year the capital is having in GAA terms and follow in the footsteps of the Men and Ladies Footballers and take the title?
As a diehard fan of either county, a neutral supporter, or indeed, a novice spectator, there is now only one thing left to do; sit back and prepare to revel in the glory that is about to unfold in front of you.