Kilkenny's Peter and Patrick Funchion caused a huge upset on Saturday when they defeated reigning champions Dublin's Eoin Kennedy and Carl Browne in the Quarter Finals of the O'Neills 40x20 All Ireland Doubles Championships.
The Dubs went into the game as clear favourites but the Kilkenny pair hadn't read the script and roared to a first game 21-18 victory to serve notice of their intent. The Dubs were rocked but in game 2 they fought back and took the second 21-11 to send the game into a third. Most people expected them to proceed to victory but again the Kilkenny brothers came back and showed nerves of steel as they closed out a tight final game 21-18 to book their place in the semi finals for the first time.
There they will face another first time semi final pairing in Clare's Diarmaid Nash and Colin Crehan. The Clare duo made their way to Moycullen to take on last year's semi finalists Mayo's Joe McCann and Vinnie Moran. The Clare men simplay had too much on the day for the men from the west and ran out 21-11, 21-13 winners to book their place in next Saturday's semi finals. This promises to be a cracking game between two young exciting doubles pairings.
In the other side of the draw it is certainly a case for the experienced pair as Cork's Brendan Fleming and Tony Healy overcame the challenge of their fellow countymen Michael Hedigan and Daniel Relihan needing a third game to see of the determined duo who had recovered from a slow start when they lost the first 21-6 to take the second 21-19 to force a third. Despite their best efforts it was the experience of Fleming and Healy that closed out the game 21-13 and advance to the final four.
There they will meet the ten times champions and this years favourites Cavan's Paul Brady and Michael Finnegan as they accounted for Galway's Mulkerrins brothers Martin and Diarmuid in their semi final played in St Brigid's Curraghboy. The Mulkerrins brothers are an exciting pair and definitely one to watch and they certainly put it up to the tow Cavan men before succumbing to a 21-11, 21-15 defeat as the experience and guile of the ten time winners told.
And so on to Kingscourt for a mouthwatering four game Semi Final programme on Saturday 8th April. The Mens & Ladies Semi Finals take place from 2pm and this is a programme of games you don't want to miss.
O'Neills 40x20 Senior Championship Fixtures
Saturday 8th April
Kingscourt Court 1, Cavan @ 2pm
SF1: Cork (Catriona Casey/Aisling O’Keefe) v Roscommon (Fiona Tully/Lauren O’Riordan)
Kingscourt Court 2, Cavan @ 2pm
SF2: Galway (Ciana Ni Churraoin/Sinéad Ni Ainli) v Mayo (Pauline Gallagher/Amy Corrigan)
Kingscourt Court 1, Cavan @ 3pm
SF1: Kilkenny (Patrick & Peter Funchion) v Clare (Diarmuid Nash/Colin Crehan)
SF2: Cork (Brendan Fleming/Tony Healy) v Cavan (Paul Brady/Michael Finnegan)