Mulkerrins Suffers Tiebreak Defeat in Title Defence
Martin Mulkerrins suffered defeat
in the All-Ireland semi final stages of the O’Neills senior singles
Championships. The Moycullen man won the title for the first time in 2018 but
he was beaten by three time champion Robbie McCarthy in a breathtaking
semi-final encounter. The opening game was nip and tuck with the players level
at 3-3, 5-5 and 6-6 before the Westmeath man continued to push Mulkerrins back
in the court as he opened up a 13-6 lead. The Moycullen man’s strong serving
helped him gain a 15-14 lead. The players shared the next six points to make it
18-17. Two missed kill shots from the defending champion gave McCarthy a 19-18
lead before an excellent serve allowed Mulkerrins to hit a right-hand kill shot
to level the match. The Westmeath player edged ahead once more before a lovely
left corner fly kill saw him win the opening game 21-19.
The Mullingar man opened up a 2-0
lead in the second game before Mulkerrins’ right hand shots began to find their
target. The Moycullen man opened up a 11-5 lead. The three-time champion called
a timeout and it worked as he won eight straight points to take a 13-11 lead.
His roof shots caused Mulkerrins problems as he patiently created his chances
to kill the ball. The defending champion called a timeout of his own but he
fell further behind before closing the gap to 15-14. The number two seed went
18-16 ahead before McCarthy levelled the game at 18-18. Two excellent serves
from McCarthy gave him a 20-18 lead and left him one point away from victory.
Mulkerrins had other ideas as a sensational left-hand kill shot off a return of
serve allowed him to serve to stay in the match. Two excellent right-hand kill
shots made it 20-20 before a left hand kill shot helped him win the second game
21-20.
McCarthy opened up an early 3-2
lead in the decider before some fine serving and excellent kill shots helped
him open up a six point cushion. Mulkerrins closed the gap to four points, 8-4
before last year’s 60x30 All-Ireland champion powered ahead once more as his
opponent began to feel the effects of his second game heroics. The 2016
All-Ireland champion continued to move his opponent around the court as some
excellent kill shots saw him move 16-4 ahead. Mulkerrins
narrowed the gap to 16-6 before his opponent closed the game out to earn a
deserved 21-19 20-21 21-6 victory. McCarthy now faces Clare’s Diarmuid Nash in
the All-Ireland final in what is a repeat of last month’s Nationals final,
which the Westmeath man claimed.
Five Wins out of Six in Connacht Doubles Semi Finals
Five doubles pairing won their
Connacht semi finals as Galway will now have ten representatives in the 40x20
Connacht doubles finals. There was success in the junior, junior B, Junior C.
Over 35 B and Diamond Masters A as Galway will be represented in 10 out of the
14 age categories in which Connacht finals will be contested.
Junior B Doubles:Naoise Ó Flatharta & MáirtínSeoighe (Galway) v Danny Reilly & Alan Wrynn (Leitrim) Walkover to Galway
Junior C Doubles: Paul Conneely & Fiachra Mulkerrins (Galway) v Lose Oskov & Hugh Slevin (Sligo) 21-10 21-8
Junior Doubles: Seamus Conneely & Conor Noone (Galway) v Martin Rafterry & Leo Logan (Leitrim) Walkover to Galway
Masters B Doubles: Joe O’Connell & Tommy Duggan (Galway) v Michael Bruen & Gerry Coleman (Sligo) 21-19 2-21 6-21
Over 35 B Doubles: Kieran Hanley & Patrick Ward (Galway) v Michael Browne & Mark Murphy (Sligo) 16-21 21-15 21-16
Diamond Masters A Doubles: William Corcoran & Michael Shaughnessy (Galway) v Mick Murphy & Michael McMorrow (Sligo) 21-4 9-21 21-9
O’Conghaile Wins League Final
Cathal O’Conghaile (pictured above) defeated Claregalway’s Joe O’Connell in a keenly contested Riteway Engineering Division 2 league final. The Inis Oirr player won on a final scoreline of 21-18 7-21 21-19.
