This Saturday 27th May sees the All-Ireland Hardball Doubles Finals take place in Thurles and Mullingar. The main event of the weekend, will of course, be the Senior Doubles final between Dublin’s Eoin Kennedy & Carl Browne and Meath’s Brian Carroll & Tom Sheridan. Anyone who has been involved in any code of GAA Handball over the past decade will know that these Doubles pairings have a long and competitive history, which will no doubt be reflected in this weekend’s thriller.
Firstly, though, we move to Thurles, Tipperary where the Junior Doubles final between Meath’s Peter Reilly & Joe Cummins and Limerick’s Denis Donegan & Shane Murphy will start at 2:00pm. The Meath side have a showed impressive form in this year’s Championship and overcame Mayo in their semi-final 21-12,21-16. The Limerick duo, however, had a tough start in the first round of their Championship campaign managing to prevail the winners after a three-game marathon against Tipperary 21-17,16-2 & 21-13, however, after receiving a W/O from Kilkenny in their semi-final they will be fresh and hungry for a win. This game is a tight one to call and could go either way.
Not to be outdone, the Intermediate Doubles final between Cork and Kilkenny is sure to be as action packed as all the other games this weekend. Kilkenny is represented by William & Daniel Love, who have made it through a gruelling semi-final against Dublin on a score-line of 21-11, 12-21 & 21-8. They will need all of their resilience if they are to overcome the Cork pairing of Michael Heddigan & Donnacha O’Dea who will be gunning for a win after losing out to Tipperary in the Intermediate Final last year. The Cork pairing proved their form in a somewhat comprehensive win over Kilkenny in their semi-final with scores of 21-15, 21-6. The Cork side will start as favourites here with the experience of last year behind them and their excellent form in the Championship so far.
Moving up the Country to Mullingar, Westmeath the Minor Doubles final will take place at 3:30pm between Kilkenny & Mayo. The counties remain the same as last year but only two of the competitors are. The first is Kilkenny’s Eoin Brennan who is paired up with Jack Doyle this year. The Kilkenny side looked confident in their semi-final where they took a win over another Kilkenny pairing on a score line of 21-10,21-10, they will be taking this confidence with them into the final. The Mayo side of Patrick Murphy & Lorcan Conlon will prove to be a worthy advisory as Murphy will have the experience of last year’s final with him. They will also have their own share of confidence as they showed what they are made of after winning their semi-final having lost their first game, the scores were 3-21,21-16 & 21-13. This will be a tight game and is difficult to call, but with Brennan having tasted success last year and with a good win in their semi-final it might give them the edge that they need to come away with a win.
Lastly, but by absolutely no means least, the action will finish up with the Blue Ribband Senior Doubles final between Dublin and Meath. The Dublin side of Eoin Kennedy & Carl Browne have had convincing form in this year’s Championship and overcame the Kerry side of Dominic Lynch & John Joe Quirke on a score line of 21-8, 21-3. Meanwhile, the Meath pairing of Brian Carroll & Tom Sheridan were all business as they breezed past Wicklow’s Michael Gregan & Pat Quaile in their semi-final resulting in a score of 21-0,21-3.
Both sides have an incredible amount of experience on their side and have tasted victory in multiple Hardball All-Ireland finals. Kennedy & Sheridan have a whopping 6 Doubles Hardball All Ireland wins under their own belts. However, as Doubles partners, Sheridan & Carroll have won the Doubles Hardball All-Ireland twice: 2014 & 2015. Kennedy & Browne, are the current Champions after All-Ireland glory in 2016 where they defeated Limerick’s CJ Fitzpatrick & Pat Murphy.
There is no doubt that this game will be an incredible spectacle for all of those interested in not just hardball, but handball, and is possibly a glimpse into the 2017 60x30 All Ireland Doubles Championship.
GAA Hardball All Ireland Doubles Finals
Saturday 27th May:
Mullingar, Westmeath OIC Robbie McCarthy (087 6998085) At 3.30pm
- MD Final. Kilkenny (Eoin Brennan/Jack Doyle) v Mayo (Patrick Murphy/Lorcan Conlon)
- SD Final. Dublin (Eoin Kennedy/Carl Browne) v Meath (Brian Carroll/Tom Sheridan)
Thurles, Tipperary OIC Kevin Timmons (087 6188715) At 2pm
- JD Final. Meath (Peter Reilly/Joe Cummins) v Limerick (Denis Donegan/Shane Murphy)
- ID Final. Kilkenny (William & Daniel Love) v Cork (Michael Hedigan/Donnacha O’Dea)