Relihan and Hedigan Take the All Ireland Doubles, Brady and Casey Into the All Ireland Singles Finals (Photos courtesy of GAA Handball)
WPH Press, Dublin, IRE, 3/25/24
The 2024 O’Neills GAA All Ireland Championship season is nearly complete, with thrilling men’s and women’s All Ireland doubles championships already completed and the singles to be decided this Saturday, March 30.
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!”
All Ireland Men’s Singles
Semifinals
McCarthy def Walsh 21-11, 21-9
Brady def Nash 21-14, 21-7
Final (Saturday, March 30): Brady vs. McCarthy
All Ireland Women’s Singles
Semifinals
Casey def McCrory 21-1, 21-8
Tully def McMahon 21-16, 21-20
Final (Saturday, March 30): Casey vs. Tully
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