There were no major upsets to report in the semi-finals of the M Donnelly Senior Singles in men’s and ladies grades yesterday, with the same finalists as last year coming through, with all winning in straight games, too.
First up in the Ladies Senior Singles was the clash of Limerick's Martina McMahon and Cork's Aishling O'Keeffe. Champion McMahon has been in excellent form of late and was expected to advance against the Rebel right-hander, who had a solid 16-21, 21-13, 21-2 win over Kilkenny's Aoife Holden last time out.
On the day, the powerful McMahon was much too strong and ran out an easy winnee.
In the second of the ladies matches, the aforementioned Casey took on Kilkenny's Ciara Mahon.
Dublin-based schoolteacher Casey had a walkover against Westmeath's Aoife McCarthy in her quarter-final but as always when the latter stages of the championship come round, she looked match fit and razor sharp.
Mahon, who enjoyed a 21-20, 21-5 victory over rising Kildare star Leah Doyle in the previous round, was no match for the Ballydesmond lady on the day, with Casey running out a 21-3, 21-2 winner.
Up first in the men's semi-finals were champion Robbie McCarthy of Westmeath and Wexford's Gavin Buggy. The veteran Wexford right-hander, who was looking to end a 13-year wait between senior final appearances (having lined out in the Senior Softball Doubles decider alongside Barry Goff in 2006) had been in exceptional form of late, making the final of the Irish Nationals on home turf and crushing Meath's Gary McConnell (21-4, 21-6) in an eyecatching quarter-final performance.
The peerless McCarthy, however, proved a step too far. The Mullingar maestro controlled the first game, killing well, and some uncharacteristic Buggy errors contributed to a lopsided 21-5 win.
In game two, Buggy settled down and reeled off some excellent backwall kills but McCarthy was never truly ruffled and showing impressive conditioning, he pushed on towards the end to win 21-15.
McCarthy has his sights set on retaining the Ducksy Walsh Cup and winning his eighth 60x30 Senior Singles and will be favourite to do so when he takes on Eoin Kennedy, who showed his experience and class in turning the tables on Martin Mulkerrins in the final game on the programme.
The amazing Kennedy found himself 12-4 down in game one against the Moycullen man, who recently beat Kennedy en route to a stunning success in the Irish Nationals in Wexford.
While the Moycullen man needed a third game to get over Offaly lefty David Hope in the quarters (14-21, 21-17, 21-5), he entered this match confident of making his first senior final and was excellent early on, utilising a hard, high serve from the right and playing aggressively.
Kennedy, though, refused to panic. He found a very useful straight lob serve down the left and soon settled into the game. He made it back to 14-15 before Mulkerrins added another point with a pass down the left but Kennedy was playing confidently by now and a flat kill from deep got him back in the service box.
The veteran used all of his craft and considerable skill to dictate the terms of the remainder of the game as he closed it out 21-16, scoring the 21st point with a spectacular rekill, and he rode his momentum to a 21-10 win in game two.