The final line-ups in the O'Neill's All-Ireland 4-Wall Men's and Ladies Senior Singles have been confirmed after a dramatic day of semi-final action in Kingscourt last Saturday.
In the men's grade, former three-time winner Robbie McCarthy impressively ousted defending champion Martin Mulkerrins of Galway on a 21-19, 20-21, 21-6 scoreline while,in the other semi-final, Clare's Diarmaid Nash eased past Kilkenny's Patrick Funchion.
There was little between McCarthy and Mulkerrins in the opening two games, with the Moycullen man staging a comeback to steal game two, but the Mullingar maestro's superior craft made the difference in the decider.
McCarthy dominated the front court, negating the younger man's power with deft 'dump' re-kills in either corner to run out a convincing winner.
Nash, meanwhile, was always in charge as he raced to a 21-9, 21-13 win to reach his second Senior Singles final and his first since 2014 when he lost out to McCarthy.
The duo - who teamed up as partners to win the Open Doubles at the World Championships last August in Minneapolis - will lock horns next Saturday in Kingscourt in what is sure to be a thrilling final.
The pair last met in the final of the Irish Open last month, with McCarthy - who has found form at the right time, it appears - running out winner on a wafer-thin 11-9 margin in a closely-contested tiebreaker.
Meanwhile, the ladies semi-finals went along expected lines. Reigning champion Martina McMahon turned in a scintillating performance as she brushed aside the powerful former world champion Aisling Reilly of Antrim (21-5, 21-10).
The Limerick left-hander turned in a flawless display but equally impressive was Catriona Casey, who dismissed Roscommon's Fiona Tully on a 21-6, 21-5 scoreline.
So, the fans have another potential epic to look forward to as McMahon and Casey face off in the latest instalment of what is surely the most gripping rivalry in Irish female sport at present.
Both men's and ladies finals will take place next Saturday with the minor singles finals also down for decision. In the men's grade, Monaghan's Eoghan McGinnity meets highly-rated Clare minor hurler Mark Rodgers with Galway minor camóg Niamh Heffernan taking on Kildare's Leah Doyle in the ladies minor final.
