It was business as usual for Cork's Catriona Casey & Aishling O'Keeffe as the Ballydesmond girls recorded an emphatic 21-2, 21-10 Ladies Senior Doubles Final win over Limerick's Martina McMahon & Cathy Foley today in Thurles.
The duo have formed a formidable partnership in recent years, and they controlled today's game from the off to record their 3rd consecutive Softball Doubles crown, with the result never in doubt. With O'Keeffe solid on the right, Casey's accuracy and shot selection proved too much for the Limerick girls who never settled into the game.
In the Men's Doubles Championship, there will be a new name on this years cup after reigning champions Meath (Brian Carroll/Tom Sheridan) withdrew from today's QF with Limerick's CJ Fitzpatrick & Evan Murphy. They now advance to play Kilkenny's Ducksy Walsh & Ciaran Neary who recorded a comfortable 21-12, 21-8 win over Tipperary's Ger Coonan & David Moloney.
Second seeds Joe McCann & Dessie Keegan had to dig deep in a tough battle with Wexford's Gavin Buggy & Mikey Berry before prevailing in a 21-17 third game, and now face Dublin's Eoin Kennedy & Carl Browne in the bottom SF.
There are only two players left in the field that has previously won a Softball Senior Doubles title; Eoin Kennedy (4 titles, with last win in 2009) & Ducksy Walsh (10 titles, last in 1997), however both current playing partners Browne & Neary have yet to feature in an All-Ireland Final.
M Donnelly Ladies Senior Doubles Final Result:
- Cork (Catriona Casey/Aisling O’Keeffe) dft Limerick (Martina McMahon/Cathy Foley) 21-2, 21-10
M Donnelly Mens Senior Doubles QF Results:
- QF A: Limerick (CJ Fitzpatrick/Evan Murphy) w/o Meath (Brian Carroll/Tom Sheridan)
- QF B: Kilkenny (Michael Walsh/Ciaran Neary) dft Tipperary (Ger Coonan/David Moloney) 21-12, 21-8
- QF C: Dublin (Eoin Kennedy/Carl Browne) w/o Cavan (James Brady/Patrick Clerkin)
- QF D: Mayo (Joe McCann/Dessie Keegan) dft Wexford (Gavin Buggy/Mikey Berry) 19-21, 21-13, 21-17