Limerick's CJ Fitzpatrick retained his All Ireland Hardball Senior Singles title at Lahorna on Sunday. In a repeat of last year's final Fitzpatrick overcame Dublin's Eoin Kennedy on a 21-13, 17-21, 21-1 scoreline.
Fitzpatrick started the first in blistering fashion opening up a 7-2 lead which he then stretched to 9-4 and 14-7 before Kennedy gained a bit of a foothold to reduce the deficit to 15-10. It was point for point til the score stood at 18-13 and despite Kennedy's best efforts it was Fitzpatrick who finished strongly to close out a 21-13 first game win.
The second game started in similar fashion except this time it was Kennedy who raced to a 7-3 lead. However this then became a tighter affair with Fitzpatrick fighting back and only 2 points seperating the players at 9-7 to Kennedy. The Dub took control at this stage to lead first 11-7 and then 18-13. Fitzpatrick did bring it back to 19-17 but Kennedy showed composure to close out the game 21-17 and take it to a third.
The third game saw Fitzpatrick race into a 5-0 lead and Kennedy had to break for an injury to his hand. The break did nothing to halt the Limerick man who had the wind at his back now as he emphatically closed out the third game 21-1 to capture his second title in a row.
Also on Saturday, there were also victories for Mayo's Patrick Murphy in the Minor Singles as he overcame Cork's David Walsh on a 21-8, 21-9 scoreline while Carlow's Martin Mullins defeated Kerry's Jack O'Shea in the Junior Singles 21-7, 21-4 in an action packed programme at the Tipperary venue.
