There were two major upsets in the All-Ireland Senior Softball Championship during the week, with the number two and four seed making early exits.
Meath's Tom Sheridan was the first of the casualties as he went out to Mayo's Joe McCann on Wednesday night in Roscommon.
Sheridan was seeded two in the championship and many people were looking to the Royal County man to make this year's final, following his All-Ireland Senior Doubles victory in 2008.
McCann, however, had other ideas as he set about taking down the Kells stalwart. Sheridan won the first game 21-6 and looked in complete control but a rejuvenated McCann took to the court for the second game and went on to take an identical 21-6 win and force a third set.
In the decider, despite being down 19-13, the Mayoman edged ahead at the vital time to take victory on a narrow 21-19 scoreline and book his place in the quarter-finals.
In the other major shock of the championship, rising Limerick starlet Seamus O'Carroll showed that he is well capable of mixing it with the big guns as he recorded a second senior championship victory over Wicklow's Michael Gregan.
The Garden County man was seeded fourth in the championship, and while O'Carroll took victory over Gregan in last year’s 40x20 campaign, many people saw this contest as one Gregan would gain revenge in.
O'Carroll, however, had all the answers when put to the wall and he battled through two tough games to take a 21-20, 21-13 win and earn a quarter-finals spot.
Reigning champion Eoin Kennedy was also in action and eased past Roscommon's Ricky O'Gara in two games at Mullingar. The Dublin man was in complete control and took an emphatic 21-3, 21-4 win.
Meanwhile, Mayo ace Dessie Keegan also secured his quarter-final place when he defeated Kilkenny's Nicholas Anthony in a hard-fought two games on a scoreline of 21-15, 21-13. There were also Senior Championship wins for Brian Carroll (Meath), Robbie McCarthy (Westmeath) and Gavin Buggy (Wexford).
