After a brilliant all-Irish final, Mallow's Killian Carroll is the new world handball champion after he delivered an outstanding display to see off Galway’s Martin Mulkerrins in the final of the Men’s Open Singles in Minneapolis this evening.
The Moycullen man was awesome in the opening exchanges and tore into a 10-1 lead with some magnificent power play. However, Carroll eventually settled, earning his first three points with a fly kill, a pass down the left, a flat rollout and an ace serve, which in a way told the story of the game.
Those were the shots Killian utilised brilliantly but while Martin made some uncharacteristic misses, he still played an outstanding game and contributed greatly to what was a very memorable final.
Carroll caught his opponent at 15 in the first game and closed it out 21-16. In the second, Mulkerrins looked a little jaded at one point but came roaring back and looked set to close it out when he led 18-16.
However, four kills and an ace serve just when they were most needed saw the 24-year-old Cork man – now based in Boston – close it out on a 21-18 scoreline.
Carroll is the first new world champion to be crowned since Paul Brady in 2003. Cavan’s Brady qualified for the semi-finals here but was forced to withdraw due to a badly sprained ankle sustained during his quarter-final win over Mexican Luis Cordova.
"It’s my first World Championship but what means more than the title is the field I came through,” said a delighted Carroll after the game.