Mayo and Cavan have created an intense rivalry in recent years and the perfect game followers have embraced it with open arms as the sell-out crowd for next Saturday's All-Ireland Senior Doubles Final suggests.

The fact that the tickets for this latest GAA Handball fixture were sold out within an hour of becoming available further emphasises how much handball followers everywhere crave the prospect of the newly proposed National Handball Centre at Croke Park. The centre, with a major 40x20 and 60x30 spectator arena, was approved unanimously at the recent GAA Handball Congress and hopes are high that this will facilitate all major games, such as this eagerly awaited showdown, in the future.

Last year, Mayo's Dessie Keegan and Joe McCann prevented Cavan pairing, Paul Brady and Michael Finnegan, from achieving their four-in-a-row ambitions and on Saturday they return to defend this crown, while the Breffni men bid to return to the top of the senior doubles stakes.

"I suppose it's the type of game that handball needs; one with a bit of hype and rivalry," said Keegan.

"In many ways, the pressure is on them because whenever Paul Brady steps into a court, he's the automatic favourite, but we want to prove that last year was not a once off and hopefully retain the title we worked so hard for."

The reigning champions were pushed to the edge by Limerick young-guns, Seamus O'Carroll and CJ Fitzpatrick in last weekend's semi-final meeting, and Keegan maintains that is was a mix of experience and determination which saw them through on a 13-21, 21-16, 21-5 scoreline.

Cavan and Mayo have contested the last three All-Ireland Senior Doubles finals and with the record standing at one a piece, the Breffni men are keen to put their names back on top.

"Up until last year, we had dominated the senior doubles for sometime, and I suppose that loss has set up a bit of rivalry," said Brady.

"Having lost the title, we're back in the final and hungry for success once more.".

All roads will lead to the St Coman's venue in Roscommon on Saturday, as Cavan take on Mayo in an all-or-nothing showdown. For these players winning isn't everything, it's the only thing.

GAA Handball All Ireland 40x20 Championship Finals 2010
Sponsored by O'Neill's

Saturday 24th April 2010, in St. Coman's, Roscommon:
4pm: Boy's Minor Doubles: Limerick (Padraig O Carroll/Eamon Davern) v Galway (Martin Mulkerrins/Seamus Ó Conghaile)
5.15pm: Ladies Open Singles: Roscommon (Marianna Rushe) or Kerry (Maria Daly) v Antrim (Aisling Reilly) or Kildare (Anna Spence)
6.30pm: Men's Open Doubles: Cavan (Paul Brady/Michael Finnegan) v Mayo (Dessie Keegan/Joe McCann) Tweet

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