The All-Ireland Minor Singles Championship is arguably more competitive than ever. Want some proof? How about taking a line of form through Fergal Coughlan, the talented left-hander from Clare.
Coughlan reached the All-Ireland final in 2014, losing in a third game against Tyrone’s Johnny Woods and, eligible again this year and coming off the back of some commanding performances, he was warmly fancied to go all the way.
But such is the depth of talent at present that Coughlan, in the end, was beaten in his own province, losing to Limerick’s Evan Murphy. Throw into the mix the fact that Murphy himself lost the All-Ireland semi-final to Mayo’s Niall Joyce and the dog-eat-dog nature of this particular championship becomes even clearer.
That statement is underpinned by events on the other side of the draw. The Wexford county final threw up a tremendous tussle in which the highly-rated Daniel Kavanagh saw off Keith Armstrong in three, but Armstrong turned that form on its head in the Leinster decider, winning in straight games.
He too, though, came up short at the penultimate stage when Tyrone’s multi-titled Sean Kerr spoiled the party in Wexford Town to set up what is a mouthwatering final between the Ulster and Connacht champions.
The trends suggest there will be nothing in it today, either. In a genuine pick ’em match,at the business end of a killing field of a championship, it’s safe to assume that whoever gets hot on the day will take the cup home.
But opinion is split as to who that will be.
Wexford senior star Gavin Buggy was impressed with what he saw from the smooth, ambidextrous Kerr, son of former Intermediate Doubles All-Ireland medallist Niall.
Because while Sean has the tools – a potent backwall game, great footwork and big game nous – he also, says Buggy, has the nerve to match his undoubted verve.
“Sean Kerr seems to always find a way to win in 40x20, he’s a very naturally talented player,” says Buggy, himself a coach of note at St Joseph’s in Wexford Town.
“He lost the first in Wexford 21-5 against Keith and still had the resolve to come back. It was impressive.”
Given his pedigree as a winner at juvenile grades all the way up, Brackey clubman Kerr, then, should not be phased by the big occasion. While not an out-and-out shooter, he has a strong all-round game and can mix it up. While it would be unfair to call him streaky, Sean has the priceless ability to move through the gears and, says Buggy, has supreme confidence in his own ability.
“I would say his biggest strengths are his ability to retrieve lost causes and the fact that he has a bombproof temperament,” states Gavin.
The Mayo and Connacht supporters in attendance, however, will testify to the fact that Kerr will need to be just that – bombproof – because Joyce has an arm like a cannons and will be launching low, hard rockets from the service box.
Senior player Dessie Keegan, for one, feels that his young Mayo countyman is primed to explode.
“Niall has a fantastic serve and is a very attacking player,” says Keegan. “He’s a very good all-round handball player, he’s equally comfortable in the big alley, he’s just a very good athlete.”
That he certainly is – a very talented footballer with St Colman’s College in Claremorris, Joyce has re-dedicated himself to handball in recent months and will come into this final brimming with confidence following his impressive semi-final win over Murphy.
“He has really re-focused on handball recently and he’s seeing the results now,” states Keegan, who has himself just returned from a stint in the States as coach of the 29-strong Irish Collegiate squad.
“He has bulked up, got stronger and he has adapated to the ‘full solid’ ball, which takes a year or 18 months to do. He’s very dedicated, he has worked hard and he’s coming off a great win the last day. If that game was played a few months before, Evan may have beaten Niall but Niall has really come on and worked hard on his game and is fully deserving of his place in the final.”
So, an intriguing clash of styles is in store between two accomplished young handballers. Tyrone has won the Minor Singles title twice, with Woods winning last year and Ciaran Curran taking the honours back in 1991. Mayo have won it once, Keegan himself in 1999. Only one county, though, can add to their tally today.
The stage is set.
By Paul Fitzpatrick