Next weekends Softball Singles Finals may be taking the headlines, but two Men's Last 16 matches tomorrow kick off the 2019 Softball Doubles Championship.
Out west Mayo's Joe McCann & Joe Dowling do battle with Galway's Mulkerrins brothers in Roscommon. McCann is no stranger to the big stage in DOubles, having reached six Softball Doubles Finals in his career to date. Recently he has struck up a solid partnership with Joe Dowling, winning the 35+ Doubles title in the small court in April. They face a stiff challenge however from their younger opponents who are starting to show real progression in the big court since the opening of a brand new court in their home club Moycullen.
The tie of the round however takes place in Na Fianna as the talented duo of Damian Martin & Rikki O'Gara take on the experienced and highly rated Wexford pairing of Tommy Hynes & Barry Goff. The Roscommon pair have reached several SF's and showed on times they are well able to compete at the top level. Facing the two left handers from Wexford however they will need to be on top of their game. Hynes is a former two time finalist, whilst Goff is a former champion, and both showed in the recent Softball Nationals that they still have plenty left in the tank.
Fixtures - Men's Senior Doubles
Saturday 31st August – Last 16
- 1: Mayo (Joe McCann/Joe Dowling) v Galway (Martin Mulkerrins/Diarmuid Mulkerrins) in St. Comans @ 2.30pm
- 2: Wexford (Gavin Buggy/Mikey Berry) W/O Kilkenny (Brian Mahon/Shane Dunne) scr.
- 3: Tipperary (Ger Coonan/David Hickey) W/O Limerick (CJ Fitzpatrick/Evan Murphy) inj.
- 4: Roscommon (Damien Martin/Rikki O’Gara) v Wexford (Tommy Hynes/Barry Goff) in Na Fianna @ 2pm
Saturday 14th September – Quarter Finals
- QF A: Meath (Brian Carroll/Gary McConnell) v Winner 1
- QF B: Wexford (Gavin Buggy/Mikey Berry) v Kilkenny (Ciaran Neary/Keith Bourke)
- QF C: Westmeath (Robbie McCarthy/Colm Jordan) v Tipperary (Ger Coonan/David Hickey)
- QF D Winner 4 v Dublin (Eoin Kennedy/Carl Browne)