Galway’s Diarmuid Mulkerrins has gone one step better than his Final anguish last year to win the 2017 MyClubShop.ie All-Ireland Minor Softball Title after a three game tussle with Tipperary’s James Prentice today at the Croke Park Handball Centre.
First time finalist Prentice got off to a flyer and used his power to race into an early 7-0 lead. It took Mulkerrins a while to get to grip with the game, but responded excellently to firstly draw level at 10-10, before then storming to a 17-11. Prentice fought back to 17-15 but that was to be his last scores of the opener as Mulkerrins ran out a 21-15 winner.
It looked at if game two was going to be a wash out as Mulkerrins took a 10-2 lead, but Ballina man Prentice did not lye down easily and fought his way back superbly to lead 15-14. Mulkerrins responded to lead 16-15 with two quick scores. With scores tied at 17-17, and then again at 19-19, and when the pressure was really on, it was Prentice who rose the highest and forced a third game by winning 21-19.
Game three was another roller coaster as Mulkerrins went 9-1 before a long range kill from Prentice secured a great comeback to draw level at 9-9. From here it was a real war of attrition as the two lads gave their all. At 19-16 a huge rally ended with Mulkerrins fly killing into the right corner to give him a precious opportunity to serve for the match at 20-16. And he took this golden chance at his first effort to seal an excellent 21-16 third game win.