McCarthy overcomes Gregan in thriller
February 12, 2010The Lake County and Garden County players were meeting in the semi-final of the Leinster Championship and the game proved to have all the ingredients of a classic.
Gregan took the first game 21-11 and was in top form, but McCarthy lifted his game in the second and, after some clinical finishing, rolled off aces to take a 21-15 win. In the decider, it was nip and tuck to 15-15, but a few precision kills from McCarthy edged him over the line as he booked a final spot where he will face the winner of today's (Saturday) meeting of Dublin's Eoin Kennedy and Wexford's Gavin Buggy.
In Connacht, it will be an all-Mayo final, after Dessie Keegan easily dispatched of Galway's Ollie Conway in Thursday's semi-final. Keegan will now face long-time doubles partner, Joe McCann in the provincial final in two weeks time.
In Munster, Clare's Diarmaid Nash is pitted against top seed, Dominick Lynch (Kerry), with Cork's Brendan Fleming up against fellow Rebel, Colm Jordon. Nash has just graduated from the minor ranks, but will be hoping to cause an upset against top seed, Lynch. Meanwhile, Jordon and Fleming are two familiar opponents and this all-Cork clash looks set to provide some top handball.
There are also four quarter-finals up for decision in Ulster this weekend and top of the billing is the meeting of Cavan's Michael Finnegan and Antrim's Owen McKenna. Finnegan collected his second world doubles title last October, showing great power on the right, while McKenna will hoping to upset the number four seed.
Cavan's Paul Brady also opens his championships campaign, where he faces Tyrone's Ruairí Kelly, who had a third game victory over Armagh's James Doyle on Wednesday night last. Fellow O'Neill county man, Darragh Daly faces number two seed, Ricky McCann; Daly defeated Cavan's Patrick Clerkin in two games on Wednesday. In the remaining quarter-final, Armagh's Charly Shanks faces Tyrone's Padraig McClinchey. Tweet
