A festival of Handball will take place this weekend in the state of the art Kingscourt HC, Cavan, one not to be missed by Handball fans.
Headlining the bill will be the O’Neills All-Ireland Senior Singles Men’s & Ladies SF’s as the top 8 players in the country bid to take one step closer to not only All-Ireland glory, but also to becoming the Irish Team Captain at this summers World Championships.
Reigning Men’s champion Robbie McCarthy enters as favourite in the first SF against Meath’s Brian Carroll (4pm), however this is by no means a formaility. McCarthy beat Carroll comfortably just a few weeks ago in the Leinster final, albeit after Carroll came through a mammoth SF tiebreak win over Eoin Kennedy. Since then Carroll has shown some form, defeating Joe McCann 21-14, 21-5 in the QF, and the Irish #4 will be eager to take McCarthy down for the first time to reach a maiden 40x20 Senior Singles Final.
McCarthy on the other hand has vast experience having reached the last three consecutive finals, winning his first crown last year. McCarthy, who is now based in Cork with the Irish Navy, has yet to click into full gear this year. Maybe he is timing his training to peak at the perfect time, but regardless of his form, he is a classy player that will take some beating on any given day.
In the bottom SF, last years finalist and #2 seed Diarmaid Nash takes on current Ulster champ Charlie Shanks of Armagh. Nash will be seen by many as the favourite to progress to his second straight final considering he has maintained a remarkable run of consistency by reaching the final of every major Irish ranking event since January 2014, totaling 7 in a row. The Banner man is a very deceiving and intelligent player, and Shanks will have to be at his best to topple him.
But lets not forget Shanks’ qualities, as this could be the game of the weekend. Shanks reached the 2010 & 2011 All-Ireland finals, only to be defeated by Paul Brady in both finals. A hiatus to New York saw Shanks take the US Pro circuit by storm, winning regular events, and reaching the #1 ranking on the US Tour. Hampered by injuries the past two years, the Lurgan man appears to be getting back to his best, and the single game per weekend format could stand to Shanks in his bid to make his third final.
Whilst there is only one former winner in the men’s field, the ladies field is stacked with former champions, with three in all. Only Limerick’s rising star Martina McMahon has yet to taste Senior success in the 40x20, and she faces a tough encounter against reigning champ Aisling Reilly (3pm), who has the experience of playing in five finals. McMahon has a sweet, powerful left hand, and a very effective serving game. But Reilly has also an impressive attacking game, with a vast power game, which can be difficult to handle, and her big game experience could prove the difference.
In the second Ladies SF, two former champions go head to head. Catriona Casey is dominating ladies handball at present, and her relentless pursuit of perfection and dominance in unerring. Time and time again she produces on the big stage, and she will enter as favourite in her SF against Kerry’s Maria Daly. Daly has won four out of her seven final appearances dating back to 2004, so there is no questioning her talent. One of the most elegant players in the game, Daly couldn’t have asked for better preparation for Casey after overcame a tough challenge against Ciana Ni Churraoin in the QF where she won through in a tiebreak.
Whilst the SF’s are obviously the big draw, the action does not end there as Kingscourt’s three courts will be hopping from 11am with 24 of the country’s finest Primary School players compete in the National Cumann na mBunscoil Boys Fun Day. Sandwiched between the CnaB and the Senior Singles SF’s will be the Ulster 40x20 Senior Doubles final between reigning ten time All-Ireland Senior Doubles champions Paul Brady & Michael Finnegan who take on Tyrone’s Daly brothers Darragh & Caolan (2pm).
Saturday 7th March, Kingscourt HC, Cavan
National Boy’s CnaB Fun Day
11am – Courts 1, 2 & 3
Ulster Men’s Open Senior Doubles Final
2pm - Court 3: Cavan (Paul Brady & Michael Finnegan) v Tyrone (Darragh Daly & Caolan Daly)
All-Ireland Ladies Open Senior Singles SF’s
3pm - Court 1 SF1: Antrim (Aisling Reilly) v Limerick (Martina McMahon) 3pm - Court 2 SF2: Kerry (Maria Daly) v Cork (Catriona Casey)
All-Ireland Men’s Open Senior Singles SF’s
4pm - Court 1 SF1: Westmeath (Robbie McCarthy) v Meath (Brian Carroll) 5pm - Court 1 SF2: Armagh (Charly Shanks) v Clare (Diarmaid Nash)