A very impressive showing in his All-Ireland SF last weekend has set Clare’s Colin Corbett with just one final hurdle between him and an All-Ireland U21 Singles title, as he travels to Cavan for the 2017 Finals Festival Weekend.
The big Tulla club man will face Kildare’s Kevin Diggins on Saturday, after Diggins recorded an eye catching win over 2015 Minor champion Niall Joyce in his own SF last weekend 21-11, 21-7. Although Corbett has never crossed paths with Diggins, that win should refocus him given it’s dominant nature.
“I have never played against Kevin before. I have seen him play though and he is a very lively and smart player with a never say die attitude. He's from a very strong club (Leixlip HC, Kildare) and anyone coming from Leixlip is always very well coached.”
“ I never got to last years Festival so I am really looking forward to it this weekend. These are the days you want to be playing in! This weekend is everyone's goal at the start of the year so to be here is a big deal!”
For his own SF, Corbett made the long trek to Carrickmore, Tyrone, to face Ryan Mullan in his home court. Mullan was in fine form of late, knocking out doubles partner Johnny Woods in the Ulster Final.
“Against Ryan things just went right for me, one of them games where everything works out and doesn't for your opponent. I had no majorly specific game plan going into the game, just focus on the basics and play as I normally do and hopefully things will work out.”
A UL student, studying Construction Management & Engineering, Corbett is currently on coop at the moment so was unable to go to the US Collegiates in Arizona last month. However the leeway coop has provided him makes his hectic training schedule that bit more manageable.
“At the moment I'm playing a lot of hurling, it's the middle of the club U21 championship. I try to keep my managers happy and work around training, but at the same time not letting up on my handball training. It can be very difficult at times and hard on your body. But this year has been a bit easier because I'm on coop, I don't have college work to do in the evenings so that helps a lot.“
Nearly every person that has ambition in Handball wants to play senior handball and win something at that level, and Corbett is no different. “My top goal would be to win a world title at senior level” he states. A win this weekend would elevate him to Senior status in Ireland and take him one step closer to his ultimate goal.