Keegan and McCann target Irish title

Keegan and McCann target victory


Kevin Mulligan

HISTORY beckons as the likely lads of handball, Mayo’s Dessie Keegan and Joe McCann, have won through to their fifth All Ireland senior doubles final.
The air of determination on court was palpable as spectators poured into the alley in Thurles. As Mayo’s opponents, Kilkenny legend Michael ‘Ducksey’ Walsh and partner Michael Clifford, entered the alley for the first game, Keegan rattled off a number of thunderous practise shots. Stilling the crowed with this awesome display of power, it was obvious the Mayo pair had only one thing on their minds – domination.
This was exactly how the first game panned out. Racing to a 12-4 lead early in the opener, Keegan and McCann then consolidated this advantage at 18-6 through a mixture of court control and percentage play.
McCann was in the ascendancy throughout the first game. Employing a range of high shots, placed with power, he forced the Kilkenny duo play from the back of the court. With Walsh covering most of these shots, the onus then fell on Keegan to finish off the rallies. He duly obliged, either with his famed soft dump-shot into the left corner or by blasting the ball at Clifford’s feet.
Taking the opener 21-7, the Mayo duo looked on course to cruise through to the final. Early exchanges in the second game seemed to confirm this, as Keegan and McCann gained a 12-5 lead.
However, at this point Mayo’s concentration seemed to slip. Having controlled the game for a game and a half, this lapse allowed Kilkenny to found form.
‘Ducksey’ is one of handball’s true legends for one reason – he knows how to win. Stepping into fifth gear, he hit a series of kill-shots which seemed to rattle Keegan and McCann, pulling the game back to 16-13. Buoyed by this, Clifford upped his game. This hardy right-sided player began an intense battle with McCann for court position which threw the Mayo man off.
Having seen their opponents fight back, Keegan and McCann responded in the way of true champions. They paused, gathered themselves and focused on the task in hand – victory.
Rediscovering the level of intensity which had brought them the first game, the Mayo pair closed out the second, 21-17.
In all but a brief wobble mid-set, Keegan and McCann had a certain ease about their play. Striding around the court, unbridled by much of a strong Kilkenny pair’s efforts, Mayo showed a wanton desire for victory.
So often have Keegan and McCann fallen agonisingly short at the final hurdle, there is a definite feeling throughout the handball community that this could be their year. With this performance against Kilkenny, they would be hard to bet against.
But facing old rivals Meath’s Tom Sheridan and Brian Carroll who bested them in the 2009 decider, the final is sure to be on a knife edge. Keegan’s post-game comments set the stage. “We’re not coming out without a win,” he said.