The M Donnelly GAA Handball All Ireland 60x30 Softball Championships are well and truly into full swing and a comprehensive programme of weekend games has decided the quarter-final line-up in the Mens and semi-finals of the Ladies Open Singles.
The championship action in round 2 got underway in Mullingar on Thursday evening as another 60x30 legend, Tom Sheridan (Meath) came from behind after a thrilling opening game against Cavan's Michael Finnegan, to run out a winner in three games. It was then a case of the new making their mark as rising Limerick star, CJ Fitzpatrick, served up one of his best results in the 'big court' to date as he knocked out 16 times singles champion, Kilkenny's Michael Ducksy Walsh, in the first tie of the weekend in Cashel. The Broadford player also had to dig deep in a fantastic encounter with the Cats legend as he pulled off a sensational 21-19 win in the third game.

The action continued on Saturday with another five top class games on the agenda at Thurles, Crinkle and Talbot's Inch. In Crinkle there was no surprise to see the number 1 and 2 seeds advance in emphatic style. Reigning champion, Robbie McCarthy, was in imperious form as he stormed to a 21-1, 21-14 win over Kilkenny's Brian Manogue while Dublin's Eoin Kennedy continued his challenge, as he bids to regain his mantle at the top of the blue ribband event of 60x30 handball, delivering a 21-11, 21-2 win against Mayo's Joe McCann.

In Thurles, last season's semi finalist, Dessie Keegan (Mayo), had to pull out all the stops against Kerry's Dominick Lynch. The Ballaghadereen clubman secured a quarter-final showdown with Limerick's CJ Fitzpatrick, following a 21-12, 18-21, 21-10 victory. At Talbot's Inch, two of the seeded players saw their Open Championship ambitions for 2012 come to an end as Wexford duo, Barry Goff and Gavin Buggy, were defeated in some style by Meath's Brian Carroll and Ger Coonan respectively. The action in the Mens Singles series then concluded on Sunday as Limerick senior footballer, Seamus O'Carroll, who lost out on the field to Kildare in the Championship on Saturday, bounced back on the handball court on Sunday when he prevailed in the third game against Wicklow's Michael Gregan.

The Ladies Open semi-final line-up is also decided and will see three-times winner, Ashley Prendiville (Kerry) take on Cork's Catriona Casey, following the latter's impressive 21-3, 21-3 win over Mayo's Amy Corrigan in Tuamgraney. The second semi final will bring together Wicklow's Shauna Hilley and Mayo's Pauline Corrigan.

M Donnelly 60x30 Championships 2012

Mens Open Singles Round 2
Westmeath (Robbie McCarthy) dft Kilkenny (Brian Manogue) 21-1, 21-14
Meath (Tom Sheridan) dft Cavan (Michael Finnegan) 20-21, 21-2, 21-8
Limerick (CJ Fitzpatrick) dft Kilkenny (Michael Walsh) 21-13, 13-21, 21-19
Mayo (Dessie Keegan) dft Kerry (Dominick Lynch) 21-12, 18-21, 21-10
Meath (Brian Carroll) dft Wexford (Barry Goff) 21-13, 19-21, 21-9
Tipperary (Ger Coonan) dft Wexford (Gavin Buggy) 21-11, 21-14
Limerick (Seamus O'Carroll) dft Wicklow (Michael Gregan) 3-21, 21-18, 13-5 (Gregan ret inj.)
Dublin (Eoin Kennedy) dft Mayo (Joe McCann) 21-11, 21-2

Mens Open Singles Quarter-Finals: Wednesday 1st August 2012
I. Westmeath (Robbie McCarthy) v Meath (Tom Sheridan)
J. Limerick (C J Fitzpatrick) v Mayo (Dessie Keegan)
K. Meath (Brian Carroll) v Tipperary (Ger Coonan)
L. Limerick (Seamus O'Carroll) v Dublin (Eoin Kennedy)

M DONNELLY 60x30 LADIES OPEN SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP

Ladies Open Singles Quarter Finals - Saturday 21st July
Catriona Casey (Cork) dft Amy Corrigan (Mayo) 21-3, 21-3

Ladies Open Singles Semi Finals - Wednesday 25th July
Broadford, Limerick, 8.00pm: Ashley Prendiville (Kerry) v Catriona Casey (Cork)
Mullingar, Westmeath, 7.30pm: Shauna Hilley (Wicklow) v Pauline Gallagher (Mayo)

Ladies Open Singles Final - Saturday 11th August, Thurles
G. Winner Match E v Winner Match F