Thursday's quarter-final stage of the Singles competitions at the World 4 Wall Championships in Croke Park proved to be full of successes for it's Galway participants.
In the Ladies' Open Singles, Micheál Breathnach's Ciana Ní Churraoin was first in action, defeating Mikaila Esser of Arizona 15-2 15-3, securing her a spot in the semi-final. The other quarter-final to decide who would face Ní Churraoin contained someone of great familiarity to Ciana, her doubles partner and fellow Galway native Niamh Heffernan. Representing Claregalway, Heffernan was up against Elise McCrory of Tyrone, but the doubles partners meeting in the semis seemed inevitable as Heffernan cruised past McCrory, defeating her 15-4 15-8. The Galway and Team Ireland duo will play each other in the Ladies' Singles at 9 am on Saturday, November 2. Regardless of that result the pair will team up for Team Ireland where they will play the semi-final of the Ladies' Doubles just 6 hours later at 3 pm.
In the Men's Singles, the lone Galway competitor was number 1 seed Martin Mulkerrins, his quarter-final saw him face Kells' Peter Funchion, where the Meath man gave his Moycullen counter-part an early worry going up 7-4 after winning four straight points. However, the number one was unfazed and ended up winning the first game 15-8, winning seven straight points in the process. The second game had even less tension, with Mulkerrins coming away a 15-0 winner, booking himself the first spot in the Men's semi-finals. That semi-final will be played on Saturday at 12 pm where his opponent Paul Brady of Kingcourt will look to pull off the upset. Martin will also compete in the Men's Doubles on Friday with his Massachusetts partner Killian Carroll when they take on Arizonian pair Ruiz and Esser in the quarter-final.
