The Adult 40×20 Doubles All-Ireland Finals were played at the Weekend In Leinster venues. Tipperary were involved in two finals. In the GMAD final in Clogh in Kilkenny Paul McGrath & John O’Donoghue from Cashel had a decisive win over Antrim’s Joe Mc Allister & Paddy Duffy winning in two straight 21-3, 21-7 (see photo below of the winning doubles team). In the O35BD played in Leixlip Kevin Dempsey & Paul Mullins from Clonmel defeated Micheal Ginley & Paul Judge from Mayo in a very evenly contested final winning 21-19, 21-17.
Dublin’s Eoin Kennedy & Carl Browne are the 2016 All-Ireland Senior Doubles champions after upsetting the odds against ten time champions Paul Brady & Michael Finnegan (Cavan) in a marathon 2.5 hour match in Kilkenny in front of a packed gallery at O’Loughlin’s HC.
Having took the first 21-16, they lost the second 21-12, but bounced back again impressively in the decider, winning 21-13. In doing so they are the first winners of the new Tommy O’Brien Cup, in memory of the legendary figure in Kilkenny Handball.
In the Minors, Cork (Tadhg O’Neill & David Walsh) claimed the Men’s title, whilst Armagh (Niamh Coleman & Megan McCann) took the Ladies honours.
Paddy Collins PRO.
