ALL-IRELAND FINALS REPORT FROM KINGSCOURT 10.4.10

First on the full programme was the Minor Singles between Galway’s Martin Mulkerrins and Limerick’s Padraig O’Carroll. O Carroll had the perfect start going into a 5-0 lead. Mulkerrins took a little while to settle but when he did he played some inspirational handball throughout. The Moycullen club player hit back at 5-5. Scores were also level at 7 & 10 with very little separating the players. From a point where the game was going to be close Mulkerrins then found his range. The Galway youth used the lob serve to O’Carroll’s left side to good effect and moved into good positions to hit volleys and an excellent roll out in the right corner had Mulkerrins into a good 19-10 lead. O'Carroll tried to get back into it but could only manage 2 more scores as Mulkerrins took game one by 21-12. 

With Donal Hayes giving O’Carroll some extra coaching during the break. It helped in the early stages with O’Carroll using the Z cross court serve to Mulkerrins left hand. O’Carroll skilfully returned Mulkerrins serve between his legs and the Moycullen club player put the ball onto the roof to give O’Carroll a 5-1 lead. It didn’t last long as the Tribesman hit back with scores even at 5 & 6.O’Carroll got a great score when leaning over his right shoulder he returned brilliantly with the point secured in the right corner to be only 2 behind at 10-8.O’Carroll could not push on and it was Mulkerrins who began to dominate. Mulkerrins who has 2 very good hands and is very quick on his feet as well opened up the Limerick player. He got a great round of applause following a pin point roll out in the right corner for a 19-8 lead. Soon he was on game ball but O’Carroll got him out and managed to get 3 more scores. Mulkerrins made no mistake at the next time of asking and became only the second Galway player to lift the Minor Singles Cup in 35 years.

Daly & Prendiville snatch victory for Kerry

The Ladies Doubles final featured Kerry and Roscommon who both were striving to win it for the very first time. Representing Kerry were Maria Daly & Ashley Prendiville while Roscommon were represented by the Rushe sisters Marianna &Hilary. It was a close match throughout. Kerry straight away began to attack Hilary Rushe's right side and for a while Kerry did gain some scores from it. Marianna Rushe helped out her over worked sister on many occasions by moving over to the right to return well and stem the onslaught form the Kingdom girls. It was level at 4-4 and Kerry then opened up a 5 point advantage. Marianna Rushe & Maria Daly were having a great battle on the left side and the Roscommon girl fought hard to pull back the Kerry lead to 9-8. Ashley Prendiville then came into her own with a number of aces to Hilary Rushe’s right side. Daly also delivered a number of important winners from the back of the court and the Kerry girls looked well on the way to take game 1 when leading 17-8.Roscommon roared back into contention with the Rushe sisters rewarded for their battling display when closing the gap to 17-15.Kerry re grouped and with Daly again finding weaknesses in Hilary Rushe’s right corner delivered a number of aces that seen Kerry take the opening game by 21-15.

The second game proved there was very little between the teams with scores level on no less than 4 occasions at 3,9,10 and 16. Hilary Rushe finally stood up and be counted and began to kill the ball better. And with the large vocal support from Roscommon making themselves heard it paved the way for an exciting final. The Rushe sisters combining well making it difficult for Kerry to get any soft scores. At 19-16 ahead Roscommon were in the driving seat but Kerry were gifted a score when the Rushes got their calls mixed up with Daly serving the ball straight down the middle. Yet there was time for more drama with Kerry managing to save game ball against them and reducing the lead to 20-19.The Roscommon fans breathed a sigh of relief when the Rushes finally getting the all important game ball to bring the enthralling contest to a tie breaker.

Kerry took an early 8-2 lead in the final game but the Roscommon sisters refused throw in the towel and against all the odds staged quite a remarkable recovery and amazingly drew level at 15-15.The tension was building all over the Kingscourt arena with Roscommon now to the fore 18-15 up. Now it was Kerry girls turn to reply in true Kingdom style hit back to level at 18-18. Maria Daly tossed her hand out at a vital time and Roscommon took advantage and just needed 1 point for the Connacht Champions to make history. Yet there was time for more drama with Prendiville putting Kerry on 20. On game ball Prendiville dived in bravely to keep the ball in play and Daly put away the return for an amazing victory for the Kerry girls leaving Roscommon’s bid crestfallen. It was an historic first victory for Kerry at this level and only the fourth county to have won the Ladies Championship since its inception in 1992.

Minor Singles Champion Marin Mulkerrins with r-up Padraig O'Carrol and Tony Hannon	Ashley Prendiville and Maria Daly Ladies Senior Doubles Champions with Tony Hannon

Armagh’s Charly Shanks was first onto the court and like a prize boxer wearing ear phones readying himself for a big knock out. Soon the champion arrived and National Handball Manager Chris Curran introduced the players to the packed Kingscourt gallery. Shanks took in deep breaths during Amhran na bhfiann. Shanks right from the start brought the fight to the champ. Brady was the 1^st to score with an ace to Shanks left corner and went 4-1 up. Shanks the Lurgan livewire hit back to 4-4 and in turn took a 2 point lead. Unusually he was hitting balls to Brady’s right side. Shanks wanted to keep the high tempo game while Brady was content slow the game down at times by just placing the ball onto the roof and waiting for an opening. Shanks pumped up wanted to kill the ball at almost every opportunity in the 1^st game. Brady got a brilliant ace served with power and accuracy just landing over the short line to Shanks left corner to go 3 up at 9-6. Shanks not one bit overawed by the occasion played some great handball to add to the occasion and threw down the gauntlet to the champion when leading by 11-9. Brady using all his experience and court craft in turn took the lead by 14-11.Shanks then got an excellent side wall score with the ball running away from Brady’s grasp. The rally of the championship then took place with Shanks forced to dive twice and managed to put the ball away expertly. The game was now finely balanced at 15-15 and both players displaying great levels of fitness. Brady again put daylight between himself and Shanks with a 3 point advantage. Brady got a great ace with his serve landing at the bottom of the left side wall for a 20-16 advantage. The Armagh man saved 1^st game ball against him and added another score but Brady took the 1^st game by 21-17.

During the break the handball fraternity speculated could Shanks keep up the relentless pace and pressure on the champion. Brady answered this quickly in the second. The supreme athlete that he is went from strength to strength while Shanks brave bid fell away. Brady took a firm grip on proceedings and displaying the greater sharpness dazzled the packed gallery. The Breffni man got 2 amazing gets retrieving inches from the bottom of the back wall and then was on hand to power a well place shot down the left for a10-2 lead. The momentum swung firmly in Brady favour as he built up an unassailable lead 17-2 lead. The writing was on the wall when Shanks tossed his hand out with 2 shorts and the grimace on his face told its own story. In the end Brady had a comfortable 21-7 victory. Irish Handball President Tony Hannon made the presentations. Following the TV interviews I asked Paul Brady what was his thoughts on winning the final? “I feel relieved to get the win. To equal Pat Kirby’s & Ducky’s record is great but as I have said earlier records are there to be broken and I am going to be getting ready for next year to try and beat that. It's a culmination of many years hard work. It was my main goal I had all along.”

All-Ireland Senior 40x20 Singles Champion Paul Brady with Tony Hannon	Gallant SS Runner-up, Charly Shanks with Handball President Tony Hannon

Were you surprised at the challenge given by Charly Shanks and you had to dig deep to win the 1^st game?“I know it was coming. I played Charly many times and he is getting closer. He put in a huge effort particularly this year he got a lot of help up in Jordanstown at the Sports Centre in Northern Ireland. He is one of their athletes I knew he was going to be in physically great condition. He has the best advice and I don’t have access to that. You can see the improvement in him. He is going to push on and be back again and a new rivalry. As soon as you get rid of one another one pops up.”

Next year you will want to come back and become the outright winner of 8 titles “That would be great. The Overall number of 8 titles means a lot to me. It’s more important to have the most All-Irelands. Right now I am just thinking of the doubles and getting our title back. We will be hungry for that. No time for celebration just got to push on.”