Page 78 - INTO THE WEST - March-April 2018

FOCUS ON HANDBALL • FOCUS ON HANDBALL • FOCUS ON HANDBALL
Brilliant performance to claim the Senior 40x20 Singles All-Ireland
CHAMPION: Martin Mulkerrins, celebrates with family and friends after winning the O’Neills All-Ireland 40x20 senior singles title.
ON St Patrick's Day an awesome performance by Martin Mulk- errins saw him lift the 2018 O'Neills All-Ireland 40x20 senior singles title in Kingscourt, defeating reigning champion, Charly Shanks. Ahead of the men's final, questions were being asked if Mulkerrins had what it took to win an All-Ireland, having narrowly lost in the previous two semi-finals. But the
Galway man swatted aside such foolish doubts in a mesmerising performance to dethrone Armagh's Shanks 21-9, 21-11. The reigning champion raced into a 3-0 lead but wasn't to score again until Mulkerrins had accumulated
17 unanswered points with blistering kill shots, powerful pass shots and a blitz of spin serves
which bamboozled the Ulster champion.
The Galway man brought his 'A' game to his first
senior final and continued his high paced attacking
play in the second set. Shanks drew on all his experience to try and get a hold of Mulkerrins and was rallying well.
Although the pair were together at 3-3, again at 6-6 the Tribesman was simply unstoppable and at 15-10 up he
was in the homestretch. Shanks battled on, and two of the games best rallies were played on match point
which Shanks defended twice but a spin serve to the left saw the Moycullen man claim his maiden title in
fine style. To the delight of all his supporters he not only becomes the first Galway man to lift the coveted senior singles title, but also earns the right to captain
Team Ireland at this summers World Championships in Minnesota.
Page 78 – INTO THE WEST