Despite the best efforts of Clare’s Diarmaid Nash to knock top seed, Dominick Lynch (Kerry) off his Munster pedestal, the Kingdom handballer proved too much for the Banner youngster in the GAA Handball 40x20 Senior Championship.
Nash, who also lined out for NUIG’s Fitzgibbon Cup team on Tuesday was in top form in his provincial semi-final meeting against Lynch, taking the first 21-18.
But the lack of experience at top senior level told in the dying stages of the third game, when the Kerry man picked off the last few aces to book his final place against Cork’s Colm Jordon with a 21-15 win.
Jordan overcame fellow rebel, Ballydesmond’s Brendan Fleming in the second Munster semi-final, with a 21-14, 21-16 victory.
In Leinster, Dublin’s Eoin Kennedy made light work of his Wexford opponent, Gavin Buggy, brushing aside his challenge with a 21-2, 21-4 win at the O’Loughlin’s venue in Kilkenny.
Kennedy will now face Westmeath’s Robbie McCarthy who accounted for Wicklow’s Michael Gregan in a three-game semi-final thriller last week.
The final of the Connacht Senior Championship will be contested by Mayo doubles pairing, Dessie Keegan and Joe McCann.
Keegan defeated Galway's Ollie Conway in his semi-final meeting, while McCann saw off the challenge of fellow clubman, Vinnie Moran.
McCann and Keegan will now go to battle on 27 February, with the other three provincial finals also taking place on the same day.
Meanwhile, on the juvenile handball scenes, all roads lead to Kingscourt (Cavan) on Saturday next, where the Girls Team of 10 40x20 Inter-provincial Finals take place. In total, 48 girls will take part in the event, which will also see the presentation of specially commissioned jerseys for the participants.
Connacht will bid to defend the crown the won in 2009, with Munster likely to pose the toughest opposition.
