Kennedy lays down marker

Dublin’s Eoin Kennedy produced a fine display of handball at Belfast’s Golden Gloves yesterday (Sunday) to defeat world number two seed, Cork’s Tony Healy. With the World Handball Championships just seven days away, Kennedy has made a mark and shown his ambitions to take the Men’s Open title.

“I’m delighted with the win,” said Kennedy, who just three weeks ago was crowned All-Ireland Senior Softball Champion.

“Tony is always a very difficult opponent and I suppose, having just come out of the big alley, it was great to play so well in the small court over the weekend.”

Changing codes is something that Kennedy has proved he is well capable of doing, but it was the manner of his victory over Healy that was most impressive. In the first game, both players exchanged points until midway through the game, when the Dubliner rolled out four unanswered aces to take a 14-10 lead. The Rebel hit back but Kennedy pushed home to take a 21-18 victory.

The top fitness of the Dublin athlete then showed as he pushed into top great for the second game. Healy, who recently returned to handball following a serious groin injury, was unable to contend with the pace of the game and while he battled to the end, lost out 3-21 as Kennedy celebrated his first Golden Gloves victory. Cavan’s Paul Brady was forced to watch from the sidelines and is resting a hip injury ahead of next week’s World Championships in Portland, Oregon.

Meanwhile, in the Ladies Final, it was an all-Antrim affair as the familiar opponents of Fiona Shannon and Aisling Reilly took to the court. Reilly put in a huge performance against the world number one but was unable to stop Shannon from retaining her crown as she took a 21-15, 21-15 victory. Attention now turns to Portland, with the official Irish squad departing on Wednesday morning. (Courtesy Niamh Egan)

RESULTS (with many thanks to Gerry O’Neill)

Men’s Open Final Eoin Kennedy (Dublin) dft Tony Healy( Cork) 21-17, 21-3

Ladies Open Final Fiona Shannon (Antrim) dft Aisling Reilly (Antrim) 21-12, 21-7

Men’s B Final Paddy Crothers (Antrim) dft Donnacha O’Dea (Cork) 21-4, 21-14

Men’s C Final Peter Flannigan (Meath) dft Ciaran Neary (Kilkenny) 21-4, 21-6

Masters A Final Kieran O’Hare (Antrim) dft Thomas Maguire (Antrim) 21-20, 21-14

Masters B Final Stevie Roberts(Antrim) dft Jimmy Neary (Kilkenny) 21-2, 21-5

Boys 19 & Under Keith Kavanagh (Wicklow) dft Paul Donnelly (Tyrone) 21-17, 18-21, 11-2

Boys 17 & Under Niall O’Connor (Kildare) dft Padraig McKenna (Monaghan) 21-14, 21-10

Boys 15 & Under Darren Doherty (Monaghan) dft Ryan Dunne 21-17, 21-13

Girls 15 & U Final Fionnula McKenna (Antrim) dft Mary Phelan (Kilkenny) 21-15, 21-15