On a weekend of seismic shocks in the championship, one of the most dramatic GAA matches of the year played out in Croke Park and may have slipped by some followers.
In the first All-Ireland 4-wall senior singles final in the new National Handball Centre at HQ, holder Robbie McCarthy of Westmeath put his title on the line against five-time world champion Paul Brady from Cavan.
McCarthy retained his crown but in unprecedented circumstances as Brady (44), who had made a sensational return to action this year, was forced to retire injured when within touching distance of an 11th title.
Brady won the opening game 21-16 and built up what looked an unassailable 16-3 lead in the second, only to suffer a severe groin strain. He battled through the pain barrier but was forced to withdraw, with the Mullingar man holding on to the Gael Linn Cup.
The hype in handball circles resulted in a first sell-out final in over a decade.
Moycullen men lead the way at Ruislip
A little piece of history was made in the London v Galway match at Ruislip on Saturday as the Moycullen club supplied the captains of both sides.
Seán Kelly, as usual, led the Tribesmen while Eoin Walsh, an under-21 All-Ireland medalist with Galway, skippered the Exiles.
Ealing-based Walsh, a physiotherapist, moved to London in 2018 and unfortunately missed out on Moycullen’s maiden Galway SFC title in 2020, and their second success two years later.
There was some consolation for the 30-year-old defender, however, as he won London SFC medals with St Kiernan’s in 2021 and 2022, the latter as captain.
Walsh won an under-21 All-Ireland medal in 2013, alongside such luminaries as Damien Comer and Shane Walsh, when Galway defeated Cork in the final.
Cavan put another over Banty
While much has been made of Mickey Harte crossing enemy lines to take over Derry, something similar almost happened in Cavan back at the tail end of 2016.
Séamus McEnaney, born and raised in Corduff just a couple of miles across the county boundary, was heavily linked with the Breffni manager’s job after Terry Hyland stepped down.
At an Up For The Match event on Friday night, ‘Banty’ revealed how close he came to getting the gig.
“I really wanted that job, Cavan were up to Division One and had won four Ulster under-21 titles,” he said.
McEnaney met Cavan County Board officers in Virginia and, leaving the interview, was sure he would get the nod, but the job eventually went to Mattie McGleenan. Banty’s prediction on the night on the weekend’s clash? “Monaghan by five plus”.
Banner third favourites for All-Ireland
Clare’s NHL final win has seen them installed as third favourites for the Liam MacCarthy behind Limerick and Kilkenny.
While the Banner have never previously won the All-Ireland in the same year as the league, 10 of the league champions since 2000 have added Liam later in the year.
Clare meet 2023 league champions Limerick on April 21st; a week later, they face Cork. Interestingly, seven different counties have now won the league since Cork’s last triumph in 1998.
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Big wins for Wexford and Wicklow in the Leinster Football Championship . . . it’s like the good old days – Former Wexford goalkeeper Anthony Masterson gets nostalgic on Twitter.
Number: 14
Years since Waterford’s last win in the Munster SFC.
