Dublin’s Eoin Kennedy and Carl Browne continued their successful partnership on Saturday as they captured their third major doubles title by defeating Limerick's CJ Fitzpatrick and Pat Murphy 21-16, 21-16 in the Senior Hardball Doubles Final in Thurles. This caps a remarkable period for the Dublin duo who now hold all three major Doubles titles having previously won the 40x20 title in March and the 60x30 title last October.
The first game was a terrific game with the team’s level on no fewer than four times, first at 2 all, followed by a quick spurt by Limerick to lead 6-2 before Kennedy with some great serving took it back to 6 all. But Limerick got back in and with some great serving and killing especially by Fitzpatrick went 15-8 up. Another great kill by CJ put Limerick 16-10 up as they looked in control. However Dublin moved up a gear and they soon brought it back to 16 all before closing out the first game 21-16.
The second game proved very similar to the first with the score all square at 7 all before Limerick edged ahead 9-7 and then 13-9, but once again the Dublin pair were not going to lie down and they rallied to level it at 13 all. The game was finely poised at this stage and the large crowd were on the edge of their seats and soon it was level again – now 14 all. But Browne went on a roll at this stage serving four in a row to make it 18-14 before Kennedy killed another in the right corner to make it 19-14. Limerick brought it back to 16-19 but the Dubs finished strongly to take the second and the match 21-16, 21-16 to crown a magical year with the three Senior Open Doubles Titles in the bag.
In the curtain raiser in Thurles in the Minor Hardball Doubles Final Kilkenny’s Shane Dunne and Eoin Brennan were up against Patrick Murphy and Martin Mulhern of Mayo. The Mayo side were the first to settle and led 10-4, but Kilkenny fought back to trail 8-10. Mayo extended their lead to 12-8 before Kilkenny levelled it at 12 all and for the first time Kilkenny edged ahead 13-12. But Mayo found their form again and led 15-13 but once again Kilkenny levelled it at 15 all. Mayo again edged into the lead before Mulhern with a right corner dive and kill shot, made it 18-15 in Mayo’s favour. The tension was high at this stage but Mayo closed out the game to take the first 21-15.
The second game was Kilkenny’s from start to finish with the Dunne/Brennan partnership always in control and they took it 21-8 to set up a mouth watering tie-break. Once again Kilkenny started brightly and quickly led 9-2 before extended this to 15-2. But Mayo fought strongly and got right back into the match as they trailed 11-16, but Kilkenny came good at the end and with some brilliant serving and great killing by both players they closed out the game and match to win 15-21, 21-8, 21-11.
Elsewhere in the Intermediate grade Tipperary’s Ger Coonan and David Moloney defeated Cork’s Daniel Relihan and John Hedigan, there was a cagey start between both pairings with little between the teams with it level at 3 all. But Tipperary moved into second gear and soon they led 10-5 before taking the first 21-5. The second game proved very similar with Tipperary always on top and they took it also 21-5.
Finally the Junior Doubles Final was played in Mullingar where Cork’s Michael Hedigan and Donnacha O’Dea played Barry Devlin and Gabhain McCrystal of Tyrone. The first was a tight game but Tyrone won it 21-16 but Cork conformably won the second and the tie-break to capture the title on a scoreline of 16-21, 21-3, 21-6.