Historic treble for Brady & Shannon as Ireland amass 36 World titles in Portland Portland Oregan was the setting for the 2009 World Handball Championships which took place from October 4th-11th last. With 12 country's taking part and 1,000 participants. The Committee led by Chatten Hayes, Jay Maxwell, Tom Hussey and the entire committee was stretched to their ultimate limits. Volunteers working almost round the clock helped to make the Championships one of the best ever organised and the Portland committee deserve every praise for pulling out all the stops. It was a championships that Cavan's Paul Brady & Belfast's Fiona Shannon will never forget as the pair won an historic 3 World titles in a row. It says much to their longevity and commitment to the perfect game of handball that they have stayed at the top of their game for so long. Wrynn's world title, and Monaghan's stars shine Overall 260 Irish players made the long journey to the Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland the venue for the 2007 U.S. Nationals. The Irish equipped themselves extremely well to such an extent they dominated the Men's A, B, C singles and doubles events. The Juveniles Boys & Girls took home a staggering 17 titles in 4 wall and 1 wall games. James Doyle from Armagh was the only winner in the Adult One-Wall singles when he took the Men's B crown. Incidentally James Doyle's wife Mairead also won the Ladies equivalent at the 2006 World championships in Edmonton Canada thus creating a little piece of sporting history for the Doyle family. It was also a memorable championships for Donal Wrynn from the Fenagh handball nursery in Co. Leitrim. Wrynn went all the way in the Boy's 15 & Under One Wall title a first ever for Leitrim in the World championships. There was also notable 1st World titles for Monaghan in the form of Darren Doherty who won 2 titles at 13 & Under and Padraig McKenna in the Boys 15 & Under. Curry, Doherty,Hiley, Mulkerrins, Ni Churraoin, O'Riordan, O'Carroll all win 2 World titles each Ireland Juvenile stars continue to do the Country proud at International level. The youngest competitor Daniel Curry from Wicklow also won 2 titles in Portland at 11 & Under level. Galway's Martin Mulkerrins won both the singles and doubles (with Niall O'Connor) in the 17 & Under category. Limerick's Seamus O'Carroll claimed 2 World titles the Boys 19 & under with a hugely impressive win over Luis Cordova and then partnering C.J. Fitzpatrick in the Men's B doubles final over Cork's Finbarr Rafferty & Alan O' Dwyer. Unfortunately for Octogenarian Jim Kennedy the Cork man had to settle for silver in the Platinum final. Legendary Kilkenny maestro Michael Ducksy Walsh had facile wins in Masters singles & doubles event with Dublin's Egin Jensen. Galway's Shane Connelly had a good win over Scott Richter of Wisconsin in the Golden Masters B Singles final. Shannon's historic singles feat and doubles win with Sister Sibeal The Ladies also performed admirably winning the Ladies Open Singles and Doubles. And also the Ladies A, B & C singles and B doubles returned to Ireland. It was another fine Wicklow double this time for Shauna Hiley. Ireland's representative won both the Girls 19 & Under & Ladies B singles title. Ciana Ni Churraoin from Galway also claimed 2 titles at 13 & Under level. Roscommon's Lauren O' Riordan had much to smile about winning the Girls 15 & Under singles and doubles with Martina McMahon from Limerick. For Fiona Shannon like Paul Brady reached handball immortality also with her 3rd consecutive World Open Ladies title. This time she had to fight off stiff resistance from Belfast's Aisling Reilly. It was a repeat of this year's All-Ireland final with the result the same. Reilly put up stubborn resistance throughout and Shannon had to be at her best to gain victory by 21-19, 21-15. Shannon completed an historic double when teaming up with her sister Sibeal to win the doubles over Aisling Reilly & Maria Daly. They did it the hard way losing the 1st and were 18-9 down in the second before staging a remarkable comeback and gaining a narrow win in the 2nd. In the tie-break Fiona & her sister Sibeal prevailed taking the championship by 11-4.The final score in this entertaining Ladies doubles final was 19-21, 21-19, 11-4. Brady the Breffni Braveheart win's World open singles title number 3 All eyes were on Paul Brady could he go into the history books as the first player to win 3 consecutive World Open titles. Going into the championships the World champion & Cavan G.A.A. star sustained a hip injury in the run up. So much so he had to withdraw from the Golden Gloves the week before the start of the championships. On arrival in Portland Brady had to make the big decision to pull out of the doubles with county & Irish doubles partner Michael Finnegan as his injury needed more treatment. Brady had to take a number of pain killing injections to carry him through tough qualifying games on route to another final. Brady who kept all his opponents in singles digits up to the semi final meeting with Emmet Peixato. After getting past this test it was Texan Allan Garner who stood in his way of an historic treble. The place was packed to capacity to see the 2 go head to head in the final. The Irish & U.S. flags could be seen in the stands as both sets of supporters got behind their players. Brady the well oiled human machine opened with intent and laid down the marker with some astonishing kills and great athleticism all over the court taking the 1st game by 21-14. In the second Brady had a good 14-8 lead but Garner stormed back and he fought for everything like only a Texan tiger can. Garner piled on the pressure and Brady felt the effects of Garner's attacking spirit. From a deficit Garner threw everything into the cause and he stunned Brady and the large vocal Irish support with his all out attacking play. Garner pushed into an 18-14 lead. Brady after the Texan's onslaught drew level at 18-14. Garner had the momentum built up to take the game and bring the final to a tie break. Brady's resilience and sheer guts wins the day It was Brady who started the more lively in the final game going into an 3-0 lead. However he injured himself when going for a Garner return. He called for an 15 minute injury time out and referee Danny Bell granted it. It was shades of Croke Park Dublin 03 (Brady v Healy) all over again. Brady went upstairs to get another painkilling injection to pull him through. When he returned with steely determination in his eyes and with true grit he forced the issue. Cometh the hour cometh the man hitting 6 points a row. Garner lost his concentration at the critical time and Brady using all his experience gained from previous World final triumphs pounced and made it count when needed most. Garner got 3 further scores but it was to be the Breffni man's day when he took game ball with scenes of tumultuous joy from the huge Irish handball faithful looking on. Garner was gracious in defeat. Playing on adrenaline and through the pain barrier becoming World Champion is something that could not be scripted. Perhaps in the years to come a film on Paul Brady will be made. It would be certain to be a blockbuster just like the player himself. Brady achieved what no other player has achieved before or may never achieve 3 consecutive World open singles on the trot. It is a feat that may never be surpassed. Surely, surely now Brady will go down in history as possibly the greatest handball player of all time. The last remaining final to take place was the Men's doubles decider with Dublin's Eoin Kennedy replacing the injured Paul Brady on the Irish team with Michael Finnegan as they faced Brian Carroll & Robbie McCarthy the World 19 & Under champions from 2006. The game like the Men's & Singles Ladies finals was shown live thanks to Dave Vincent's & Jeff Kastner webcast technology. It was the Irish team that came home with Eoin Kennedy excellent on the left and Michael Finnegan rock solid on the right. They put pay to any chances of a Carroll/McCarthy win. In the end Kennedy/Finnegan had won by 21-18, 21-6. When the dust settles down in Portland and when fires burn brightly all over the Country on cold dark Irish winter nights. The names of Paul Brady & Fiona Shannon will be talked of fondly for their super human efforts. Their Herculean exploits will go down in history and will glisten just like the brightest stars in heavens above. Waterford Crystal World Handball Championships Portland Oregan 2009 40x20 (4-Wall) World Handball Champions Men's Open Singles: Paul Brady (Cavan) Men's Open Doubles: Eoin Kennedy (Dublin) & Michael Finnegan (Cavan) Women's Open Singles: Fiona Shannon (Antrim) Women's Open Doubles: Fiona Shannon & Sibeal Gallagher (Antrim) Men's Masters Singles (40+): Michael Walsh (Kilkenny) Men's Masters Doubles (40+): Michael Walsh (Kilkenny) & Egin Jensen (Dublin) Men's A Singles: Ruairi Kelly (Tyrone) Men's A Doubles: Darragh Daly (Tyrone) & Ger Coonan (Tipperary) Men's B Singles: Shane O' Neill (Tyrone) Men's B Doubles: Seamus O'Carroll & CJ Fitzpatrick (Limerick) Men's C Singles: Shane Hedigan (Cork) Men's C Doubles: Ciaran Neary (Kilkenny) & Michael O'Brien (Offaly) Men's Senior Singles (35+): Gavin Buggy (Wexford) Men's Golden Masters B Singles (50+): Martin Conneely (Galway) Women's A Singles: Deirdre Donohoe (Roscommon) Women's B Singles: Shauna Hilley (Wicklow) Women's C Singles: Sinead Hanley (Galway) Women's B Doubles: Aifric Naughton & Sarah Flavin (Roscommon) Youth Grades: Boys 19 & Under Singles: Seamus O' Carroll (Limerick) Boys 17 & Under Singles: Martin Mulkerrins (Galway) Boys 17 & Under Doubles: Martin Mulkerrins (Galway) & Niall O' Connor (Kildare) Boys 15 & Under Singles: Padraig McKenna (Monaghan) Boys 15 & Under Doubles: Barry Nash & Ciaran Malone (Clare) Boys 13 & Under Singles: Darren Doherty (Monaghan) Boys 11 & Under Singles: Daniel Curry (Wicklow Girls 19 & Under Singles: Shauna Hilley (Wicklow) Girls 19 & Under Doubles: Aisling O' Keeffe & Catriona Casey (Cork) Girls 17 & Under Singles: Lorraine Havern (Down) Girls 15 & Under Singles: Lauren O' Riordan (Roscommon) Girls 15 & Under Doubles, 1st Place: Lauren O'Riordain (Roscommon) & Martina McMahon (Limerick) Girls 13 & Under Singles: Ciana Ni Churraoin (Galway) One-Wall World Handball Champions One-Wall Mens B Singles: James Doyle (Armagh) Big-Ball Boys 11 & Under Singles: Daniel Curry (Wicklow) Big-Ball Boys 13 & Under Singles: Darren Doherty (Monaghan) Big-Ball Boys 15 & Under Singles: Donal Wrynn (Leitrim) Big-Ball Girls 13 & Under Singles: Ciana Ni Churraoin (Galway) Tweet

Most Read Stories