Doubles takes centre stage for Cork in Croke Park finals
AN important weekend for Cork players as they contest four 60/30 All-Ireland Doubles finals on Saturday and Sunday.
On Saturday the focus will be on Croke Park, which hosts a three final programme which commences at 2pm. Cork’s interest will be in the opening game Minor Doubles in which Mallow pair Conor Walsh / Cian O’Driscoll play Kilkenny’s Billy O’Neill / Ciaran Cooney.
The Kilkenny pair will start favourites, but if Walsh and O’Driscoll hit top form they will certainly put it up to Killenny. They had a very impressive win over Galway in the semi-final and a repeat of that form and hopefully further improvement would really see them in contention.
The remainder of the Cork Park programme on Saturday will feature Waterford’s Philip Butler playing Kilkenny’s Brian Mahon in Intermediate Singles, while in the Senior Final Dublin Eoin Kennedy / Carl Browne face Meath’s Brian Carroll / Gary McConnell.
On Sunday Cork players are involved in three Final two at Thurles and one at Clonmel.
At Thurles commencing 2pm first game down for decision is Emerald Masters A Doubles, in which John Hedigan, Liscarroll teams up with John Herlihy, Conna to face Kilkenny pair Philly Parsons / Eamonn Butler.
It a difficult game to call, Kilkenny will start slight favourites but a good showing from Cork pair could tilt the scales in their favour.
The second game is junior B Doubles in which David Walsh,Mallow teams up with John Hurley, Liscarroll to play Kildare Myles Carroll / Jamie Balfe. It promises to be an interesting clash, David Walsh already won the Junior B Singles title in which he defeated Myles Carroll which is obviously a plus, however, doubles games can be different.
If, however, Walsh / Hurley can repeat the form shown in winning Munster and their all-Ireland semi-final win they will have a great chance of achieving the Junior B Singles and Doubles All-Ireland Double.
Our fourth final is in Clonmel on Sunday with a 1pm start with Ballydesmond pair Donnacha O’Dea / Philip O’Carroll taking on Wexford’s Paddy Houghton / Matthew Hynes in Over 35 B Doubles.
To date the Cork pair have pulled off some stunning wins in winning Munster and reaching the final. Wexford will obviously pose a stiff test, but is O’Dea and O’Carroll can continue to strike form they could pull it off.
In Juvenile Handball the Compunet IT Solutions-sponsored Boys Under 17 Doubles pair Colin Healy / Luke Barrett (Liscarroll) certainly did their club and county proud in winning the All Ireland title scoring an impressive victory over Kilkenny’s James Love / Tom Carroll.
They took the first game 21/14. Kilkenny tried hard to get back into contention in the second game, but the Liscarroll pair dug deep to repel their effort and went on to win the second 21/9.
In Inter County Team championship Mallow Credit Union-sponsored Under 12 / 13 and Under 14 / 15 teams are both through to the All-Ireland semi-finals and now await the All-Ireland series, which will be played in the next few weeks.