WEEKEND HANDBALL PREVIEW  - BY AIDAN CROWLEY:
 
Four cracking matches are in prospect this Saturday, when this year's
Dalkia All-Ireland (40X20) Senior Singles Championships reaches the
semi-finals stage. In the men's section, the top four seeds and in the
women's section, three of the four top seeds will do battle for a
coveted place in next month's finals.
 
In the first of the men's semi-finals, at Saval, Co. Down (5.00 pm) an
all-Ulster clash, sees defending champion and No. 4 seed, ace Cavan
handballer, Paul Brady (Kingscourt), facing Antrim's Ricky McCann
(Gortnamona), seeded at No. 3. Brady is a master of the small or
international (40X20) court and is bidding for an amazing fourth
consecutive title. The Mullahoran native is also the defending
All-Ireland (40X20) Senior Doubles champion and is the current World
Men's Open
Singles, USHA Men's Open Singles and US Open Of Handball Men's Open
Singles champion. Meanwhile, McCann is a very experienced (40X20)
player both on the national and international stages but Brady wi be
hot favourite to go through.
 
In the second semi-final, at O' Loughlin Gaels, Kilkenny City (4.00
pm), No. 1 seed, Cork's Tony Healy (Ballydesmond) takes on top Dublin
player and No. 2 seed, Eoin Kennedy (St. Brigid's, Blanchardstown).
Healy has proven himself to be a maestro of the (40X20) court in
recent years and is currently playing some of the best handball of his
career. On St. Patrick's weekend, he claimed his third consecutive
Men's Open title at the all-singles Envirogreen/Resource Irish
Nationals
at O' Loughlin Gaels. The Corkman, who is the current Men's Open
Doubles (with Kennedy) champion, is a four-time winner of the
All-Ireland (40X20) Senior Singles crown, having tasted success in
1999/00/01 and the last time in 2004.
 
Meanwhile, Kennedy is the undisputed king of the large (60X30) court
and last September, he became only the third player in the history of
the domestic game, to complete the "Grand-Slam" of All-Ireland
Softball and Hardball (60X30) Senior Singles and Senior Doubles
titles, in the one season.The Dubliner has bagged the All-Ireland
(40X20) Senior Singles crown once (2002) and has been beaten by Healy
in the Men's Open final at the Irish Nationals for two years running.
However, Kennedy has stated his intention to replicate his (60X30)
successes on the (40X20) court, so this could be his year but this is
a match that will go down to the wire.
 
In the first of the women's semi-finals, at Mullingar, Co. Westmeath
(3.00 pm), rising star, Antrim's Aisling Reilly (St. Paul's, Belfast)
faces Kildare ace, Eimear Ni Fhalluin (Naomh Mhuire, Leixlip). Reilly,
who is seeded at No. 2, has made a major impact since joining the
senior ranks and caused an upset when she defeated defending champion
and fellow-clubmate, Fiona Shannon, to capture the Women's Open crown
at this year's Irish Nationals. Meanwhile, Ni Fhalluin, seeded at No.
3, has shown that she can mix it with the best on the (40X20) court
and this could be another match that goes down to the wire.
 
Finally, the second women's semi-final, at the same venue, features a
fascinating clash between No. 1 seed, Shannon, who is bidding for a
third consecutive title and No. 6 seed, Kerry's Maria Daly, who was a
winner in 2004 and 2005. Shannon, who is the current World Women's
Open Singles champion, is also the defending All-Ireland (40X20)
Women's Senior Doubles (with Reilly) champion and is the undisputed
rmaster of women's handball on the (40X20) court so she should be hot
favourite to go through.