Old rivals to meet again

August 19, 2008
Croke Park will be the venue for Saturday's M DONNELLY All-Ireland Senior Singles Semi-Finals with a mount-watering double header in prospect at handball HQ. In the opening game, Meath's Tom Sheridan and Kilkenny's Michael 'Ducksy' Walsh renew rivalries having avoided each other in the championship for some years. Walsh and Sheridan fought many All-Ireland Final battles in the past and this meeting will be a heated occasion. Walsh was defeated in last year's final by Dublin's Eoin Kennedy and will enter the game as favourite but tags like this mean nothing when settling old scores comes into play. "I haven't played Tom in the big alley in a long time and I'm really looking forward to Saturday," said the Talbot's Inch clubman. "Games have always been tight between us and when I played him in the nationals (40x20) in March, I just about edged it in the tie-breaker." "I know it will be a tough match but I'm focusing on making the final and confident of doing so." Having amassed an incredible 38 All-Ireland Senior titles during his career, Walsh will be hopeful that he can add another precious crown in September but this battle with Sheridan is his first priority. Dublin's Kennedy will also be action against Mayo kingpin, Dessie Keegan and is now bidding for his fifth consecutive title. Keegan and Kennedy have played out some thrillers in recent years, and last year the Mayo man was unlucky not to force a third game going down 21-19 in the second. This year Keegan has been fortunate to get through some of his early rounds but Kennedy has looked impressive and will be keenly tipped to win this tie. The programme gets underway at 5pm in handball headquarters, with Sheridan and Walsh first to serve up the action.

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