An enticing programme of GAA Handball All Ireland Hardball Championship finals will take place in Mullingar this Saturday with the Masters Singles, Junior Doubles and Senior Doubles finals.
On Wednesday evening, defending All-Ireland Senior Doubles Hardball champions, Meath's Brian Carroll and Tom Sheridan, were sensationally beaten by Limerick young-guns, CJ Fitzpatrick and Seamus O'Carroll in the semi-final.
In the opening game, the Limerick duo stormed into an early lead as Sheridan and Carroll were left to look on in wonder.
This Treaty County pairing have been in top form in recent times and have been touted by many as ones to watch in the future; but the future is now, as they caused one of the biggest upsets in GAA Handball so far this year.
O'Carroll, who is also a member of the Limerick senior football panel, and Fitzpatrick went on to take the first game 21-12 and were resilient in the second, which take commanded from start to finish to seal their final place with a 21-8 victory.
They now face the experienced Dublin pairing of Eoin Kennedy and Egin Jensen in Saturday’s final, following the Dubs defeat of Mayo's Joe McCann and James Towey in their semi-final meeting.
The triple bill programme will commence at 3pm with the Masters Singles final, involving Mick Dowling (Kildare) and Tom Sheridan (Meath) and will be followed by the Junior Doubles final between Keith Bourke and William Love (Kilkenny) and Carl Browne and Joe Cummins (Meath), scheduled for 4pm.
The Senior Hardball Doubles final then takes centre-stage, with a 5pm start, in a match which sees O'Carroll and Fitzpatrick bidding for their first senior title following domination of the underage big alley.
Having defeated the reigning champions, the Limerick duo will be confident of causing another upset in the final.
