Cork and Kilkenny were the leading counties with two titles each as the O’Neill’s 4-Wall Championships came to a conclusion with the Masters doubles semi-finals and finals at Croke Park over the weekend.
The remaining titles were shared between Wexford, Limerick, Meath, Tyrone, Mayo, Antrim, Galway and Dublin in a bumper weekend of action.
A number of players added doubles titles to the singles crowns won earlier on in the season. Cork’s Brendan Fleming was one; he teamed up with former Rebels football star Donncha O’Connor to claim the Masters A (Over 40s) title with a win over Mayo’s Vinny Moran and Joe Dowling.
Wexford’s David Stanners also completed the double when he and Michael O’Neill won the Masters B Doubles. Limerick’s Tomás Donegan and Paul Hedderman came through a tiebreaker in the SMAD against Dublin’s Michael Carrie and Adrian Benson, with the multi-decorated Tom Sheridan pairing with brother Michael to win the Over 50s grade.
It was a similar story in the EMAD as brothers Niall and Conor Kerr from Tyrone claimed glory.
Pride of place perhaps should go to Ned Flynn of Dublin, who partnered Eugene Kennedy for another All-Ireland success at the ripe age of 79.
On hand to help referee over the weekend was Cork’s ladies Senior Doubles champion Aishling O’Keeffe.
Finals
MAD: Brendan Fleming & Donncha O’Connor (Cork) dft. Vinny Moran & Joe Dowling (Mayo) 21-8, 21-6
MBD: David Stanners & Michael O Neill (Wexford) dft. Rodger Casey & Jonathan Lucey (Cork) 21-16, 21-10
SMAD: Tomas Donegan & Paul Hedderman (Limerick) dft. Michael Carrie & Adrian Benson (Dublin) 21-15, 12-21, 11-4
SMBD: Willie Murphy & Eoin Brannigan (Kilkenny) dft. Seamus McCrory & Eamon McCrory (Tyrone) 21-11, 21-11
GMAD: Tom Sheridan & Michael Sheridan (Meath) dft. Martin McInerney & Pat Flaherty (Tipperary) 21-12, 21-4
GMBD: Michael Lenihan & Paul Kerins (Cork) dft. Danny O Shaughnessy & Martin Conroy (Roscommon) 21-5, 21-10
EMAD: Niall Kerr & Conor Kerr (Tyrone) dft. Paul Dowling & Eamonn Purcell (Kilkenny) 21-10, 21-7
EMBD: Padraig O Malley & Tom McCormack (Mayo) dft. John Heffernan & Barry O Regan (Cork) 15-21, 21-11, 11-6
DMAD: Anthony Cadell & Thomas Maguire (Antrim) dft. Frank Daly & Rory Lynch (Dublin) 21-12, 21-14
DMBD: Brendan McNeela & Pierce Lalor (Galway) dft. Dermot Casey & Pat Lacey (Kerry) 21-8, 21-11
RMD: Johnny Brennan & Joe Hennessy (Kilkenny) dft. Roy McCoy & John McManus (Antrim) 21-3, 21-1
O70D: Eugene Kennedy & Ned Flynn (Dublin) dft. Jim Ryan & Paddy Collins (Tipperary) 21-15, 19-21, 11-7
Semi-finals
MAD: Vinny Moran & Joe Dowling (Mayo) dft. Carl Browne & Jonathan Westlake (Dublin) 21-2, 6-21, 11-10
MBD: David Stanners & Michael O Neill (Wexford) dft. John Coggeran & David Coggeran (Roscommon) 21-11, 21-11
MBD: Rodger Casey & Jonathan Lucey (Cork) dft. Eddie Halligan & Gary Byrne (Cavan) 21-3, 12-21, 11-9
SMAD: Tomas Donegan & Paul Hedderman (Limerick) dft. Raymond Cunningham & Dwayne Leggett (Cavan) 21-6, 21-3
SMBD: Seamus McCrory & Eamon McCrory (Tyrone) dft. Mike Baker & Seamus Ryan (Clare) 21-18, 21-3
SMBD: Pierce Kilkenny & James Nolan (Kilkenny) dft. Willie Murphy & Eoin Brannigan (Roscommon) 21-3, 21-4
GMAD: Martin McInerney & Pat Flaherty (Tipperary) dft. Niall McDonnell & Sean McGurn (Antrim) 21-7, 21-3
EMAD: Conor Kerr & Niall Kerr (Tyrone) dft. Denis McCarthy & John Ryan (Limerick) 21-20, 21-12
EMAD: Paul Dowling & Eamon Purcell (Kilkenny) dft. Tom Sweeney & John Coyne (Mayo) 11-21, 21-18, 11-10
EMBD: Padraig O Malley & Tom McCormack (Mayo) dft. Kevin Doyle & Paul Kavanagh (Wexford) 21-19, 21-18
DMAD: Anthony Caddell & Thomas Maguire (Antrim) dft. John Herlihy & Chris Hurley (Cork) 21-8, 8-21, 11-6
DMBD: Pierce Lalor & Brendan McNeela (Galway) dft. Stephen Murphy & Brendan Murphy (Wexford) 11-21, 21-12, 11-9
RMD: Johnny Brennan & Joe Hennessy (Kilkenny) dft. Michael Herety & Pat Hopkins (Mayo) 21-17, 21-12
O70D: Eugene Kennedy & Ned Flynn (Dublin) dft. Morgan Darcy & John Kellehan (Galway) 21-13, 21-12