Galway handballer Ciana Ní Churaoin produced the shock of the season on Sunday as she toppled defending champion Catriona Casey in the O’Neill’s All-Ireland 4-Wall Senior Singles final.
Ní Churaoin (26), from the Micheál Breathnachs club, became the first player from Connacht to win the title when she got the better of Casey, who had been on an astonishing run of success in Ireland and America over the last two years, with a career-best display in the final in Kingscourt, Co Cavan.
The former Galway minor footballer and camógie player had come through a tough semi-final against another county footballer, Roscommon’s Fiona Tully, and was a massive underdog, with a poll on one fan site in the build-up showing 95% of respondents tipping the Cork star.
But Ní Churaoin came out shooting, winning the first game 21-12, dropping the second 21-19 before emerging an 11-3 victor in the tiebreaker. Casey took an injury time-out early in the deciding set due to a calf issue but there was no doubt that the new champion was the best player on the day.
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In the men’s final, Westmeath’s Robbie McCarthy picked up his fifth title and avenged his loss to Diarmaid Nash in last year’s decider. The Mullingar right-hander was in brilliant form throughout, racing into a 10-1 lead in game one with an awesome range of shots, including ace serves and his trademark fly kills.
The Clare man rallied but McCarthy was irresistible, closing it out 21-10. In game two, Nash opened a 4-0 lead but McCarthy reeled off 11 points unanswered to build the foundation for the victory, ultimately sealing the title with a rare “tomahawk” kill.
Earlier, Armagh’s Fiachra Ó Dhúill came through 11-0 in a tiebreaker against Roscommon Under-20 footballer Rory Carthy in the Minor Singles decider. Ó Dhúill, displaying impressive shot selection, dropped the first game but found his rhythm and was well on top in the third.
Wexford’s Jodie Keeling claimed the corresponding ladies title in straight games against Hannah Grace of Tipperary, 21-16, 21-15, to take the title to Wexford for the first time and continue her excellent run of form over the last 12 months.
