Three SF spots are on offer on Saturday in the M Donnelly Men's Softball Doubles Championship, with reigning Singles Champion Eoin Kennedy & doubles partner Carl Browne already waiting in the SF.
Meath men Brian Carroll and Tom Sheridan remain on course for a 4th consecutive crown, but a broken finger has cast doubts on Carroll's participation in tomorrow's QF against Limerick's CJ Fitzpatrick & Evan Murphy. Carroll's absence will be a big miss with the retrieval expert established as one of the games great Doubles players, and will likely be replaced by fellow club man Gary McConnell should he opt out. Fitzpatrick & Murphy will be in confident mood after an impressive showing midweek against Vinny Moran/Campbell Brennan, and will have nothing to lose against the more experienced opponents.
The second QF is arguably the most competitive on paper, with Tipperary's Ger Coonan & David Moloney taking on Kilkenny's Ciaran Neary & Ducksy Walsh in Thurles, in the second match in a two game programme which also includes the Ladies Senior Doubles Final. Coonan & Walsh have made next weekends Singles SF's, and in Moloney & Neary they have two consistent and accomplished partners and this game could go the distance.
Third seeds Eoin Kennedy & Carl Browne (Dublin) have received a W/O from Cavan, and will now await the winner of Wexford (Gavin Buggy/Mikey Berry) v Mayo (Joe McCann/Dessie Keegan). The westerners look strong having reached the last four consecutive Doubles finals, but with a game under their belts midweek, Buggy & Berry will provide a tricky obstacle.
M Donnelly Mens Senior Doubles QF's
Saturday 19th September 2015
Talbot’s Inch, OIC Seamus Reade (086 8341172)
- 3.00pm MSD QF A: Meath (Brian Carroll/Tom Sheridan) v Limerick (CJ Fitzpatrick/Evan Murphy)
Thurles, OIC Joe O’Halloran (086 2439746)
- 2.00pm MSD QF B: Tipperary (Ger Coonan/David Moloney) v Kilkenny (Michael D. Walsh/Ciaran Neary)
Mullingar, OIC Robert McCarthy (087 6998085)
- 2.00pm MSD QF D: Wexford (Gavin Buggy/Mikey Berry) v Mayo (Joe McCann/Dessie Keegan)
- 3.00pm MSD QF C: Dublin (Eoin Kennedy/Carl Browne) w/o Cavan (James Brady/Patrick Clerkin)