Over 325 Irish participants took part in the 2006 World Championships which was hosted by the City of Edmonton in Canada from August 3rd -12th last. The huge entry from Ireland boosted the overall entry to over 1,300 taking part making it the largest entry ever. Nine Countries took part. Ireland returned home with 37 World Championship awards its best ever total writes Michael McGee Paul Brady retained his Men's Open singles with an emphatic win over Tony Healy from Cork. Fiona Shannon did likewise in the Ladies Open. Tony Healy did have some consolation when teaming up with Dublin's Eoin Kennedy winning the Men's Open doubles with an exciting 11-8 tie break in over Brady/Finnegan in the Final. Four years of planning went into the hosting of the Championships and Co-Chairs Myron Borys and John Kopeck and Committee can be justifiably pleased with their efforts. Not forgetting the wonderful 250 volunteers who worked their socks off to make sure the championships would be the best ever. The One-Wall events took place in Sherwood Park an indoor Ice Hockey centre where four games of One Wall could be played at the same time. There would be some great achievements from our Irish players. Young Patrick McCrory from the Carrickmore Club would be youngest winner in One Wall. He would go onto win the four wall equivalent some days later. Patrick Funchion from Kilkenny brought the U-13 singles title to Kilkenny. Shauna Hiley won both the singles and doubles with Mary Duffy at U-15 level. Tommy Turley from the Eugene Quinn Club in Armagh had a remarkable 16-21, 21-16, 11-9 win over Evan Brown from the USA in the Boys U-17 final. Tyrone players Daly and Donaghy won the Boys U-15 doubles. There was an Irish final in the Girls U-19 doubles with Karen Lawlor/Leona Archibald beating Kilkenny girls O'Neill/Love in an exciting decider final score was 21-9, 7-21, 11-3. Mairead Doyle from Armagh had a narrow win over Aine Gorman from Dublin in the Ladies B Final. As usual the U.S. players dominated the Men's and Ladies Open. It was fascinating to watch the top players in action demonstrating how one wall should be played. The players from the Basque region also showed off their skills when winning the Men's B/C singles and doubles. With most of the one Wall finals completed the Official Opening ceremony took place at the festival place in Sherwood Park with the Edmonton & District pipe Band leading the parade of flags from the nine country's into the large hall. There was a unique performance from the White Buffalo Drummers and Dancers and the Mattierin School of Irish Dancing based in Sherwood Park gave outstanding displays to the packed galleries. With the attention now turning to the 40 x 20 there was four centres used. The Mayfield Inn where the majority of the Irish were based hosted the Masters and Ladies events. University of Alberta, Grant Mac Ewan and Kinsmen were the others. The shuttle buses ran like clock work bringing players to the different courts over the week. With the Irish pushing the standards even higher especially in the junior grades. In the C grade young David Walsh from Waterford and Pauric Townsend from Carlow caught the eye straight away with their performances. Caolin Daly Tyrone, Diarmuid Nash and his club mate Paul Malone from Clare gave starring performances all week. Paul Brady was in great form all week while Tony Healy also played well. In his semi final he struggled against Eoin Kennedy. At one game each and 9-9 in the tie break Healy appeared to return a ball on two bounces. As was replayed on the web cast Healy was lucky to get away with it. It was a massive point as Kennedy would have been serving for the match. Instead a mightily relived Healy advanced to meet World champion Brady in the final. In the Masters over 50 Kevin Geraghty from Mayo had a mighty Mayo battle with the legendary Merv Deckertt and came through by 21-20, 21-20. Unfortunately he was beaten by Dave Steinberg in the final. Magnificent display from Shannon to retain title The ladies final was between our own Fiona Shannon and Anna Christoff. Shannon had earlier beaten Canadian Lisa Frazier Gilmore in the semi-final. The limited seating for spectators was full and every vantage point was used. R.T.E. had sent out a three member crew and they were on hand to film the finals. GAA President Nicky Brennan was also in attendance. At 6-6 in the first game Shannon opened up Christoff with controlled, calculating play and was in a good lead of 14-8. Christoff knew she was in a battle and to her credit she battled back to within 1 point of Shannon at 14-13. With the Irish support all around urging Shannon on after this blip she regained control. Irish eyes were smiling again as the St. Paul's club star regained control. There was nothing Christoff could do as Shannon reeled off the next seven points to take the first game by 21-13. It was very even at the start of game two with scores level at 2, 5, 6 and 7. Christoff was fighting hard to stay in the contest. Shannon took a time out as Christoff looked to be taking over. Fiona's and Irish National Team coach Sean McEntee gave the St. Paul's player encouragement after a time out was called. What ever he said to Shannon it had an immediate effect as she moved Christoff all over the court to nullify her chances of killing the ball. Shannon got a number of scores on the right side of court and the Belfast girl pressure put her into a commanding 15-7 lead. Both ladies displayed great levels of fitness Christoff two feet pounding the floors dancing style looked sharp and Shannon had to be at the best to stay in front. Christoff got into serve and made one point. Shannon then took over again and 5 points from her left her serving for the championship. Christoff managed to save it and replied with three scores of her own. Shannon made sure of back to back World titles finishing in style with an ace to Christoff's left corner to win by 21-13. Brady's awesome display in final The following day the Men's Open final took place with Paul Brady jumping out of skin warming up while Tony Healy looked lethargic. Brady won the toss and served first. Never have I seen such blistering serving as Brady's in the opening minutes. His low lightening, power strokes hit with such velocity and accuracy hurtling to Healy's left corner had the Cork man in serious trouble from the off. For the first seven points Healy could hardly get his finger tips too Brady's bullet like serving such was the dominance the Kingscourt man had in the opening of hostilities. Healy was forced to take a time out to try to take the heat out of Brady's razor sharp serving. It had little effect as Brady continues what he does best in opening games to destroy the opposition from the start. Healy was not killing the ball as effectively as he can. The Cork man won a great rally in the left corner that gave him some confidence. A warm round of applause helped the Ballydesmond star get two more scores with Brady leading 16-7. Brady's serving and shoot style worked a treat for him. Accurate serving to Healy's left and kills in the right corner brought the first game to Brady by 21-7. Healy served first at the start of the second and immediately Brady rolled him out. He then went about taking Healy's game plan apart and upped the anti. Brady's level of fitness picking and retrieving was outstanding. Brady gave an exhibition of handball to all in attendance his great movement all over the court was breath taking. Brady went into an unassailable lead of 12-0 before Healy came into the contest. Healy got his first score off the right side wall but Brady got two more off his own. Healy had to slow things down as Brady likes the high tempo matches. Healy began to lob serve to Brady's left. At 16-5 behind Healy rolled after a great rally between the two giants in Irish handball. Healy then got a low kill despite Brady's attempt to return it. It was the first time in the match that Healy could string three points in a row together. It was short lived as Brady got an ace of Healy left and the next point then killed on the right side of court. He finished the contest in style with a kill point from the back of the court and with a clenched fist he had reclaimed his title yet again. In the end the score was 21-11 and clear cut. Brady put more of a distance between himself and the chasing pack with this performance with an overall display of superior skills and artistry, fashioned out with a great heart and work rate. He is improving all the time and for any would be pretenders to his crown the worrying signs are he looks set to dominate World Handball for a few more years at least. St. Coman's players win 5 World Championships With the excitement of the men's singles over more Irish players achieved notable successes. The juniors did exceptionally well. Diarmuid Nash took both the 15 & under singles and doubles with his club mate Paul Malone. Robbie McCarthy Junior kept up his great from in the worlds winning his sixth title in six years when completing the double at 19 and under with a narrow exciting win over Meath's Brian Carroll in the singles by 21-13, 11-21, 11-7 and then with Carroll won the doubles in straight games. Aoife McCarthy brought more Crystal back to Mullingar winning the Girls 13 and under. Leona Doolin won both the Girls 15 and under singles and then the doubles with Wicklow's Shauna Hiley. It was Hiley's third world title having earlier won two one wall titles in the same age group. Aisling Reilly as expected won the Girls 17 and under. Marianna Rushe and Katie Costello won the Girls 17 and under and Rushe moved up an age group to defeat Kerry's Ashley Prendiville in straight games in 19 and under. Aisling Reilly and Ashley Prendiville took the 19 and under doubles. Emer Coyle and Deirdre Donohoe won the Ladies B doubles giving the St. Coman's Roscommon girls 5 World titles overall. Kilkenny girls O'Neil and Love won the Ladies C doubles, Christin Flavin took the singles equivalent. Joe McCann won the Men's A singles after a knee injury forced Noel McHugh to retire after the first game. McCann was foiled in his bid to do the double when Declan Frawley and Colm Jordan pipped McCann and Campbell Brennan in a nail biting tie break decider by the minimum 21-7, 12-21, 11-10. Eddie Burke took the B singles while Cormac Smyth and Richard Walsh won the B doubles. Shane O'Neill from the Brackey Club in Tyrone won both the C singles and doubles with club mate Ruairi Kelly. Duxie Walsh won both Men's 40 plus singles and the doubles with Egin Jensen. Ireland gained two more titles at Masters level when O'Brien winning the Men's 40 plus B singles and the combination of Hedigan/Flaherty taking the doubles equivalent. The last match to be played was the Men's Open doubles between Cavan's Paul Brady/ Michael Finnegan the reigning champions against Eoin Kennedy/Tony Healy. Brady/Finnegan took the first game but Healy/Kennedy stormed back to win the second and with Kennedy in superb form they beat the World champions in an exciting tie breaker. Final score was 18-21, 21-13, 11-8. The closing ceremony was held in the Shaw Conference Centre with great panoramic views of Edmonton. A number of speeches and presentations were handed out. Portland Oregan USA is the venue for the 2009 championships." Tweet

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