2024 GAA All Ireland Finals Conclude
WPH Press, Dublin, IRE, 4/7/24
The 2024 O’Neills GAA All Ireland Championship season concluded with the men’s and women’s singles finals on the first Saturday in April, as Ireland’s four best collided to etch their names in Irish handball history.
All Ireland Men’s Singles
Defending All Ireland champion and five-time All Ireland singles champion Robbie McCarthy started well against five-time world champion Paul Brady in his quest to beat Brady for the first time, building a 6-1 lead in the first game. Brady rallied to tie the score at ten, sending the sold out gallery into a frenzy. “There’s nothing between them at this point,” stated All Ireland doubles champion Michael Hedigan.
Brady started to find his range at 10-10, striking his patented back wall kills and pulling away from the Buzzsaw. “The Tiger is out of the cage,” screamed the GAA announcers after another Brady kill.
“At 10-10 Paul started concentrating on his serve and played more aggressive,” stated Hedigan. “Robbie missed a few but that’s the joy of handball. The standard is unbelievable.”
Brady continued his strong play in the second after winning the first 21-16, building a 16-3 second game lead and seemingly taking a hold of the All Ireland trophy with both hands. Brady tweaked his upper leg during a rally at 16-3, forcing a twelve-minute injury timeout. Brady tried to continue but was clearly hampered. After another short injury timeout and four McCarthy points, Brady conceded.
Semifinals
McCarthy def Walsh 21-11, 21-9
Brady def Nash 21-14, 21-7
Final: McCarthy def Brady 16-21, 7-16 (inj. fft)
All Ireland Women’s Singles
Catriona Casey was aiming for her thirty-first All Ireland Senior title in the final, while Tully reached the final on the strength of one of her best career wins against Martina McMahon in the semifinals.
After traveling ten-thousand miles from Ireland to Juarez, Mexico to win her twenty-eighth WR48 title less than a week ago and playing at 3700 feet of elevation, Casey was back at sea level with a different ball for the All Ireland final. Despite her jet setting and adjustments for the ball, Casey was still able to deny Tully her first All Ireland 4-Wall title, taking the first game 21-10 and fending off Tully 21-16 in the second.
“Fiona played exceptionally well in her first final,” stated Hedigan. “Catriona was very aggressive. Fair play to Fiona, she’ll have better days to come.”
“The final was fairly good,” stated WR48 #3 and All Ireland semifinalist Eilise McCrory. “Fiona put a bit of pressure on in game two. Fiona was very fast and very dominant in the front court. Catriona essentially using her experience forced Fiona into making a few mistakes. Entertaining game.”
Semifinals
Casey def McCrory 21-1, 21-8
Tully def McMahon 21-16, 21-20
Final: Casey def Tully 21-10, 21-16
2024 All Ireland Doubles
Both doubles finals saw new champions in exciting upsets, while the singles featured the return of the incomparable Paul Brady, who will challenge Robbie McCarthy in Saturday’s men’s singles final. Catriona Casey will seek to extend her sensational reign at the top of women’s handball when she faces Fiona Tully for the women’s championship on Saturday.
All Ireland Men’s Doubles Final: Relihan/Hedigan def Nash/Crehan 21-17, 14-21, 11-10
Daniel Relihan and Michael Hedigan clinched their first All Ireland doubles title with comeback wins in the semifinals against Team Funchion and saving match points in the final to defeat Colin Crehan and Diarmaid Nash.
“Were delighted,” stated Relihan. “Wasn’t easy. Were down 11-17 in the second game against the Funchions after losing the first and came back to win 21-19 and 11-7 in the tiebreaker. The finals were an 11-10 tiebreaker! We were 10-9 down and they had two serves. Could have easily lost it.”
All Ireland Women’s Doubles Final: Ni Churraoin/Heffernan def Casey/O’Keeffe 18-21, 21-15, 11-0
“In my opinion we should have won that (the 2023 final) as well,” WR48 #9 Niamh Heffernan told GAA Handball HERE. “Aishling and Catriona are very good players and there’s a reason why they have won it the last good few years. For me personally, it has haunted me ever since.”
“We were delighted,” Heffernan would later tell the WPH. “The match was tough but me and Ciana were playing well together. Good communication and movement between us!”
Brady Rolls Back the Years To Book Place in All Ireland Singles final by Paul Fitzpatrick HERE
Watch the All Ireland singles matches HERE
Follow GAA Handball on Facebook HERE
GAA Handball homepage HERE
Photos courtesy of GAA Handball
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer