The 2010 GAA Handball 40x20 Senior Championship has had plenty of drama and talking points so far, but there has been one recurring theme which has dominated conversations in Irish handball for the past six months – the power of Paul Brady.
The Kingscourt clubman will equal the record of Clare’s Pat Kirby should he manage to take victory over Saturday’s final opponent Armagh’s Charly Shanks, but he also has his sights set on another piece of history.
Brady said: ‘My main motive in winning this year’s final is to equal Ducky Walsh’s overall record of seven All-Ireland Senior Singles titles.
‘I would say this is more important to me that equaling Kirby's record of six in a row, and to win seven and equal Ducky's haul is what I’ve been training towards for the past twelve years, so we'll see what happens.’
The Cavan man failed to concede over ten points in any championship game before his semi-final meeting with Dublin’s Eoin Kennedy. The Dubliner managed to accrue 27 aces off Brady over two games in a cracking contest. An incredible feat considering the Breffni handballer had only surrendered a total of 50 aces over his previous four games. But just what does Brady have that sets him apart?
Tony Healy, the last player to defeat Brady in an All-Ireland final, said: ‘He’s a supreme athlete. Despite the fact he’s proven to be the best player in the world, Paul prepares for every game like it’s a final.
‘I suppose, like any player who’s on top, he wants to dominate for as long as he can and he’s not willing to give an inch to any of the upcoming or younger players.’
Brady and Shanks contested the Ulster Senior Singles final in February, where the Cavan man dominated proceedings and took a 21-8, 21-6 victory.
While this was a comprehensive win for Brady, Healy believes Shanks will have a lot more to offer in this weekend’s final.
Remarking on Brady’s target of equaling Ducksy’s record, Healy said: ‘Most records in the modern game are held by Ducksy and to equal any one of those is an achievement in itself.’
As Brady bids for his seventh senior title on Saturday, the history books may be in his favour, but Shanks will not take this one lying down.
