Antrim’s Ricky McCann and Westmeath’s Robbie McCarthy became the first two top seeds to bow out of the GAA Senior 40x20 Handball Championship.
Number two seed McCann was defeated by Wicklow ace Michael Gregan in Kells on Saturday, while McCarthy lost out to former Wexford hurler Gavin Buggy.
A shoulder injury did not aid the cause of the Saffron player, but at one stage in the first game he led 17-2 before a dramatic comeback from Gregan.
The young Garden County went on to claim the game 21-18 and at 10-1 down in the second, McCann was forced to withdraw injured.
Gregan will now meet Mayo kingpin Dessie Keegan in the quarter-finals following Keegan’s 21-2, 21-18 win over Antrim’s Owen McKenna.
Elsewhere, Cavan’s Paul Brady defeated Antrim’s Seamus O’Tuama in Monaghan.
O’Tuama fought for every ace in both games but the clinical finishing of the world number one proved the difference as he recorded a 21-14, 21-12 victory.
Westmeath underage prodigy Robbie McCarthy lost out to Wexford’s Gavin Buggy in Kildare.
McCarthy dominated the juvenile grades until his move to senior two years ago, but Buggy made his debut on the senior stage a memorable one having collected the All-Ireland Intermediate crown last year.
There were wins for Marianna Rushe (Roscommon), Maria Daly (Kerry) in the Ladies’ Championship, Down’s Lorraine Havern added another title to her growing list of achievements by taking the Girls’ crown, while Cork’s Shane Hedigan claimed the All-Ireland Colleges Final with victory against Mayo’s Stephen Cooney.
