Senior doubles showdown for Keegan and McCann

Senior doubles showdown for Keegan and McCann


THE long wait for Mayo duo Dessie Keegan and Joe McCann will shortly be over as the only show in town features the talented duo in action against Meath’s Tom Sheridan and Brian Carroll in the All-Ireland senior doubles final at headquarters.
They carry the hopes a county hungry for success and have felt from the outset of this year’s senior doubles campaign that this will be their year. Both have achieved all that has been asked of them in handball over the years but thus far a senior softball title has eluded them.
They made a brave bid for the title two years ago against the reigning all-Ireland champion, Eoin Kennedy and Egin Jensen in their first final but came up short over three gruelling games while last year injury denied Joe McCann of a place in the final against the same opposition. There are no injuries to report this time around and the duo have been putting in the required preparations which included a challenge match at Croke Park on Sunday, which Keegan was happy with.
While it would have been easier to plot tactics against Kennedy and Jensen, Meath duo Tom Sheridan and Brian Carroll will provide a different type of test. The Meath pair put out the defending champions in a thrilling three-game marathon at Mullingar three weeks ago, and as such, the final has added interest because new names will be added to the roll of houour regardless of the winners. Tom Sheridan is seen as the real danger and the senior doubles final is familiar territory for him, having secured numerous titles with long-time partner, Walter O’Connor.
If, as his hoped, Keegan and McCann settle early and avoid having to chase the game then anything is possible. Keegan admitted that the Meath duo offer a different challenge and he is wary of the need to counteract the left-handed Sheridan’s killing ability, while the lively Carroll is more than capable down the right side. Both Keegan and McCann will need to be at their very best on Saturday but if they can find the type of form that got them this far they should prevail.
The action gets under way at Croke Park on Saturday at 3pm with what is expected to be a very one-sided minor doubles between defending champions, Limerick and challengers Kilkenny. This will be followed by the intermediate singles final between Kilkenny and Tipperary with the senior doubles the feature match in the card.
Most provincial titles were decided over the past week and overall Mayo handballers fared well. Mayo’s Michael Heraty recorded doubles success in the golden masters as he defeated Galway’s Jimmy Connaughton in the singles and added the doubles with partner Liam Burke at the expense of Sligo duo, Michael Murphy and Michael McMorrow over three games at Williamstown on Sunday last. Kevin Geraghty achieved the same feat in the golden masters A grade as he easily defeated Martin McInerney in the singles and added the doubles with partner Martin Cronin. Frank Macken secured the silver masters B singles title with an impressive two game victory over Sligo Ken Cunningham while was less luck for Mayo’s John Granahan and John Staunton who put in a typical battling performance before losing out to Sligo duo, Francis McCann and Martin Golden on a 21-15, 18-21, 21-11 scoreline at Roscommon on Sunday.
The provincial juvenile semi-final and finals took place last Saturday at Williamstown and Ballymoe.
In the boys finals Mayo won two titles, as Pádraic Ryder and Andrew Nevin secure the boys under-15 doubles title with an impressive win over Leitrim duo, Darragh McLoughlin and Andrew Wrynn of Leitrim while Geroid Hughes and Damian Ryder will represent the province against Munster opposition in two weeks time in the boys under-17 doubles event.
Amy Corrigan was the sole survivor in the girls event although Swinford’s Jennifer Fahy is still the favourite to secure the under-15 singles title when she is in action this Friday at Williamstown in her postponed match. Leona Ryder would be expected to advance to the All-Ireland semi-final in the girls under-17 grade at the expense of Ciara McLoughlin of Leitrim next week.