The big guns of Irish Handball enter the fray in the 2015 O’Neill’s All-Ireland Mens & Ladies 40x20 Senior Championship this weekend with SF spots down for decision come Sunday night. Top seeds Robbie McCarthy, Diarmaid Nash, Catriona Casey & Aisling Reilly will all be keen to put a marker to signify their intentions for the forthcoming weeks.
Action kicks off on Saturday with the four Men’s Backdoor Qualifiers taking on the four Provincial Runner-Ups in the Last 12. Awaiting the winners of Saturday’s action are the four Provincial winners on Sunday.
Cork’s Brendan Fleming takes on Owen McKenna for the chance to face reigning champ Robbie McCarthy. McKenna edged the last encounter between the two men at the Irish Nationals in November, but this matchup could go right to the wire.
Irish #4 Brian Carroll will be favourite to come through his match with Peter Funchion, but the Kilkenny man has proven he will be no soft touch with a good win over CJ Fitzpatrick last weekend. The winner of this match will take on Connacht champion Joe McCann for a SF berth.
An all Connacht showdown between Galway’s Martin Mulkerrins & Mayo’s Vinny Moran will see the winner take on Ulster champion Charlie Shanks. Mulkerrins, just back from two consecutive weekend tournaments in America will have to readjust to the Irish ball quickly as Moran can be a dangerous shooting machine with one of the sweetest left hands in the game. Shanks is starting to show form himself after consistent injury troubles, and if seeds hold true, a QF with Mulkerrins will be a tasty encounter.
The final game o Saturday sees Michael Finnegan faces Eoin Kennedy, with the experienced duo fighting for a chance to play second seed, and recent Munster champion Diarmaid Nash.
In the Ladies grade, reigning champ Aisling Reilly plays recent Leinster champ Aoife McCarthy, whilst Martina McMahon faces Shauna Hilley after the Wicklow woman had an eye-catching win over Amy Corrigan last weekend.
In the bottom half, Catriona Casey will be aiming to continue her remarkable winning streak as she awaits the winner of her doubles partner Aishling O’Keefe & Ashley Prendiville. On the same half, Irish #3 Maria Daly awaits the winner of Ciana Ni Churraoin & Ciara Mahon. Ni Churraoin is starting to show some promise as she aims to bring an outstanding juvenile record through to the senior ranks, and will be a difficult challenge for either Mahon or Daly.
Men’s 40x20 Senior Fixtures
Saturday 28th February 2015
Ballymore Eustace
2.00pm MSS Q1: Cork (Brendan Fleming) v Antrim (Owen McKenna)
3.00pm MSS Q2: Meath (Brian Carroll) v Kilkenny (Peter Funchion)
St. Coman’s
2.00pm MSS Q3: Galway (Martin Mulkerrins) v Mayo (Vinnie Moran)
3.00pm MSS Q4: Cavan (Michael Finnegan) v Dublin (Eoin Kennedy)
Sunday 1st March 2015
Ballymore Eustace
2.00pm MSS QF1: Westmeath (Robbie McCarthy) v Q1 Winner
3.00pm MSS QF2: Mayo (Joe McCann) v Q2 Winner
St. Coman’s
2.00pm MSS QF3: Armagh (Charly Shanks) v Q3 Winner
3.00pm MSS QF4: Clare (Diarmaid Nash) v Q4 Winner
Ladies 40x20 Senior Fixtures
Thursday 26th February 2015
Nenagh
8.00pm LSS 5. Kilkenny (Ciara Mahon) v Galway (Ciana Ni Churraoin)
Friday 27th February 2015
Broadford
8.00pm LSS 6. Kerry (Ashley Prendiville) v Cork (Aishling O’Keefe)
Sunday 1st March 2015
Kingscourt
4.00pm LSS QF1. Antrim (Aisling Reilly) v Westmeath (Aoife McCarthy)
Cullohill
2.00pm LSS QF2. Limerick (Martina McMahon) v Wicklow (Shauna Hilley)
Broadford
2.00pm LSS QF3. Kerry (Maria Daly) v Winner 5
Broadford
2.00pm LSS QF4. Winner 6 v Cork (Catriona Casey)