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Stacked Open Fields at Wallball Nationals

A truly stacked Mens Open field in this weekend's Irish Wallball Nationals is sure to leave spectators in awe, with the number of genuine contenders bigger than ever.

The two headline names are reigning champion Martin Mulkerrins (Galway) & Conor McElduff (Tyrone), who have served up thrilling tiebreak encounters in the last two finals, splitting them with one win each. Mullingar supremo Robbie McCarthy at #3 is a real danger to the top two though, with McCarthy agonisingly falling to McElduff last year in a sensational SF tiebreak, having missed out on a match winning point by millimetres in the final seconds of their 20 minute timed game.

To the non Handballer, or even the non Wallball player, 20 minutes may not seem like a very long time, but considering there are no timeouts allowed, and the Open matches are played at a break neck speed, fitness levels can be pivotal at the Wallball Nationals.

The above trio are the key contenders on everyones lips, but there is a real quality chasing pack who are more than capable of defeating anyone on a given day. Limerick's Paudi Quish has quietly risen through the ranks to become a really assured Open player. A semi-finalist the past two years, Quish has only fallen short to the eventual champion on both occasions, and is a regular on the European Wallball Tour, which included a maiden title at the Italian Open in March.

Ulster duo Darragh Daly (Tyrone) & Charlie Shanks (Armagh) will also be among the contenders, and the pair played out a high quality Provincial SF at the weekend with Daly edging it. His previous best performance at the Nationals has been a runner up spot in 2015, whilst Shanks is a former three time champion, his last win coming in 2010. Another former finalist is Clare man Diarmaid Nash who was a mere two aces away from the title a few years back before Robbie McCarthy went on one of his now famous runs to seal a dramatic 11-9 tiebreak win. 

And then there comes the raft of really gifted younger players, full of confidence and all vying to earn their mark at the top table. Tyrone's Johnny Woods pushed Shanks all the way in the recent Mount Talbot SF, before seeing off Armagh's James Doyle in the Ulster QF. Doyle himself has been a top One-Waller for a long time now, and the experienced Whitecross man can be very dangerous if he gets his serve and shoot game on point. Clare's Colin Crehan has tasted Nationals success several times over in the junior ranks and his two handed attacking play can at times be mesmerising! 

Kilkenny's Peter Funchion impressed last weekend in wining the Leinster Senior Wallball Title, and has always proven to be a dogged and very driven performer in any code, whilst Mayo's Ciaran Burke came every close to causing a real shock when forcing Martin Mulkerrins to a tiebreak in Sunday's Connacht Final.

Current World A Doubles champions in the 40x20, Tadgh Carroll & Ryan Harkin (Cork) are going to push any opponent hard, and their fitness levels will stand to them in the timed format, whilst Clare's Niall Malone has proved a difficult opponent the last few years in the Open grade, pushing Conall McCavitt last year before slipping at the final stages. 

Tyrone's Patrick McCrory established himself as a senior with victory in last years Men's B grade, and fellow county man Pol Clarke will be joining him him at the top grade in his maiden Mens Open entry. Galway's experienced Wallball Nationals campaigner Peter Daveron makes up the final entrant in the in the 19 man field.

Action gets underway from 12.20pm on Friday afternoon, with Open games scheduled throughout the day on Court 3, through to the final Mens Open QF at 9.10pm Friday night. After the success of last years Finals switch, both Open Finals will again take place on Saturday evening with an 8pm start.

In the Ladies Open, similar to the Men's, Lorraine Havern (Down) & Martina McMahon (Limerick) are the two big names after meeting in two of the previous three finals, splitting the wins one each. Havern is the more widely known Wallball player and has 4 Nationals titles to her name. But McMahon has shown in all codes of the game she has the attacking play and power to blow opponents off the court when on her game.

Pauline Gallagher (Mayo) has always shown plenty of promise in the Wallball code, and was a very impressive and dominant winner over Fiona Tully (Roscommon) in Sunday's Connacht Final. Fiona will be joined by fellow teenager Eimear Ni Bhiadha (Galway) in the Open ranks for the first time, but neither will be daunted as they have the strength and hand control to match most Senior players. Laois' Niamh Dunne took an eye-catching Leinster Wallball title on Sunday night, defeating Kilkenny's Ciara Mahon. Mahon herself showed she can mix it with the top players as she only narrowly fell to the European #3 Harmke Sigersma at last years Nationals. Left hander Sinead Hanley (Galway) has gathered plenty of tournament experience o this years European Wallball Tour, and will feel confident in causing an upset of her own in the 8 player field. 

The Ladies Open QF's start on Friday, Court 3 at 5.50pm.

Internet dependant, all Open QF's & SF's will be live streamed on GAA Handball's FB page.