Recent history tends to show that a select few players go on dominant runs of consecutive All-Ireland Senior Singles Championship wins, in both 40x20 & 60x30.
Think of Tony Healy’s 3 in a row (1999 - 2001) or Paul Brady’s 9 in a row (2005 – 2013) in the 40x20 Championship. Or think of the big court with Duxie Walsh’s 15 wins in 16 years (1985 – 2001) & Eoin Kennedy’s 7 in a row (2004 – 2010).
Westmeath’s Robbie McCarthy is the latest star to rack up title after title, with the silky Mullingar native the current 3 in a row champion in the small court (2014 – 2016), and has also won 5 of the last 6 big court titles.
There are of course the odd changes to the norm, note Eoin Kennedy’s 2004 40x20 win breaking the Healy/Brady mould, and Tom Sheridan’s solidary 60x30 Singles crown in 2003. But at only 29 years of age, McCarthy is clearly in his prime and is more than capable of continuing his dominance for several years yet.
Last weekend McCarthy picked up the GAA Handball Male Player of the Year for 2016 at a ceremony in Tullamore, after a year where he proved a class above, retaining his 40x20 & 60x30 crowns in style with single game wins over Charly Shanks & Eoin Kennedy respectively.
“It was a good year, we got off to a good start in January, and everything kind of picked itself up from then. We have a good training regime and everything went well for us all year thankfully.”
With the 2017 O’Neills All-Ireland Senior Singles Championship kicking off this weekend, McCarthy was likely trying to keep a cap on expectations when talking about his preparations.
“I’m not playing that much right now, but training is going ok so we will see what happens.”
Tyrone’s Shane O’Neill will be the first man to stand in McCarthy’s path at Bawn HC, Monaghan tomorrow, but there are plenty of big players in the 36 man field, all eager to try and take him down.
“There are a lot of strong people in the draw this year. Charly (Shanks) is ranked #1, Diarmuid (Nash) is back, Martin (Mulkerrins) is there. Brian Carroll is there and he is always tough, and then you have the likes of Michael Gregan playing well and Eoin Kennedy is in there too. But I am not looking at anyone in particular, I am not looking past anybody. I will just take each game as it comes.”
McCarthy speaks with a quiet confidence. He knows from experience he has the game to trouble anyone. One thing for sure is that if anyone is to stop McCarthy, whoever that man could be, he will need to be on the absolute top of his game!
