Westmeath’s Robbie McCarthy marked his World Handball Championships intent today, with an emphatic 21-2, 21-9 over Cavan’s Michael Finnegan.
Prior to his departure to Calgary, Canada, the Irish team captain was vocal in his ambitions to take down the defending champion, Cavan’s Paul Brady, and his round of 16 defeat of Finnegan showed the Mullingar handballer is determined to let nothing stand in his way.
“I did what I had to do,” said McCarthy.
“Michael never really got going and I preserved to the end, so I’m happy with the win.”
McCarthy will now face another title contender, Washington’s Sean Lenning, in the quarter-finals, which many people view as potentially one of the tightest battles of the tournament.
Meanwhile, defending champion Brady easily dispatched Kildare’s Niall O’Connor on a scoreline of 21-2, 21-4. Brady, who is bidding for an incredible fifth consecutive title, now faces Armagh’s Charly Shanks in his quarter-final battle.
“Charly is going to be a tough opponent,” said Brady.
“He’s a big game player and we know each other well.
“We’ve met in two All-Ireland finals and I know it’s going to be a tight game.”
Also through the quarter-final stages of the men’s open are Clare’s Diarmaid Nash and Cork’s Killian Carroll.
Tuscon’s Luis Moreno, the 2012 World Men’s Open finalist, was also in devastating form and defeated Clare’s Colin Crehan to seal his quarter-final spot. Moreno faces Carroll in what is billed to be a classic; both players will fight to the bitter end for every ace.
The ladies open also got underway, with Antrim’s Aisling Reilly and Cork’s Catriona Casey setting the courts alight.
Reilly defeated New York’s Shirley Chen 21-2, 21-2, while Casey took no prisoners in her 21-0, 21-0 victory over Missouri’s Suzanne Koehler.
Both ladies remain on course to meet in the final, with Reilly facing American Tracey Davis in her quarter-final meeting, and Casey set to take on Canadian Jessica Gawley.
Action continues in the Universtiy of Calgary, with finals in all grades set to take place on Friday.
