For the first time in handball history, two seniors have played out 21-20 third-game All-Ireland finals after Martina McMahon defeated Catriona Casey in an epic at HQ this afternoon.
The Broadford woman lost the first but came back to win 21-20, 21-20 in a magnificent advertisement for the game.
Casey won a cagey first game on a 21-14 scoreline.
Early on, the Ballydesmond star - who admitted during the week that she "still hasn't got over" her loss to McMahon in the final of the Worlds - raced into an 8-1 lead, which she soon extended to 10-1 with two right-corner kills.
McMahon began to come into the contest slowly as the players exchanged service numerous times but the Limerick player eventually found her range with a couple of flat kills from deep.
Some uncharacteristic Casey hand errors also contributed as the former Treaty county camóg caught her Munster rival at 12-12.
McMahon edged in front at 13-12 but a couple of crafty rekills in the front court helped Casey get her confidence back and two rollouts helped her lead 17-13.
It was now McMahon's turn to make some errors and Casey took full advantage, reaching game ball and closing it out with a gusty 35-feet left-handed kill.
McMahon started the second game aggressively and led 4-0 but Casey wasn't rattled and soon drew level. By 10-10, they were on level terms once more and Casey was humming, edging 13-10 in front with some smart front court play.
Again, though, they were even at 14, 15 and 17 but McMahon put three balls into the roof as the Cork lady pulled 20-17 ahead. She had three serves for the match but McMahon dug deep and eventually finished it with a pass shot to force a third game.
In the third, the duo were level an astonishing nine times, with both playing aggressively.
McMahon went 20-17 up with an unreturned serve but 2017 champ Casey wasn’t going away and drew level at 20-all.
She had two chances to win it but eventually McMahon closed it out with a right-corner kill. Both players were awarded a standing ovation after one of the best finals of recent years.