Mulkerrins: It’s ‘kill’ or be killed at the worlds
This year’s Men’s Open Singles field at the World Handball Championships is so strong that it will be a case of kill or be killed, believes Team Ireland captain Martin Mulkerrins.
The Galway man, 25, who captured his first All-Ireland Senior Singles title back in March, will be a leading light on the 19-strong official Irish squad who fly to Minnesota on Tuesday for the latest renewal of the triennial event.
The blue riband Open Singles draw is stacked with quality and, says Mulkerrins, the player who can marry consistency with aggressive shot-making (a kill, for the uninitiated, is the most attacking shot in the game) will be the one crowned champion.
“I would consider myself an offensive player, I would go for the kill if it’s a 50-50 call,” Mulkerrins told the Irish Examiner at yesterday’s official launch at the O’Neill’s factory in Dublin.
“I think especially in tournaments like this, with a round of 32 and an extremely tough round of 16, you don’t want to be in that court any longer than you have to.
"It’s important that you put your opponent under pressure on the serve and if an attacking opportunity arises, you have to go for it.
“With the speed of the American courts and their ball, I don’t think too many players will be adopting a defensive style.
"I see it as a tournament where we are going to see a lot of low, hard power play and players looking to finish games quickly.”
Moycullen clubman Mulkerrins displayed exactly those traits in surging past defending champion Charly Shanks of Armagh in the All-Ireland final on St Patrick’s Day last but he is aware of the importance of timing his run.
“It’s important to peak at the right time and I feel like it’s all coming together over the last week,” he said.
I’d been knocking on the door for a few years, in the previous two years I’d lost tiebreakers in the All-Ireland semi-finals to Charly Shanks and Robbie McCarthy, who went on to win it both years so I was there or thereabouts.
“I suppose this year was a little bit different, I was away before Christmas in Uganda doing some voluntary work and only came back on Christmas Eve.
“After that it was about improving week on week, I had a poor enough performance in the first ranking tournament of the year in January but I did feel that every week, I was improving.
“I think I timed it right and I played as well as I could on the day and that’s what it takes at this level.”
While Mulkerrins name-checks top Americans Sean Lenning and Armando Ortiz, along with Mexican brothers Luis and Daniel Cordova, as strong threats, the main contenders will come from closer to home, including reigning champion Paul Brady of Cavan and Boston-based Mallow native Killian Carroll.
“There will be nothing easy out there. It’s probably the deepest draw I’ve seen in a World Championships,” he insisted.
“Aside from Paul and Killian, you have the likes of Robbie McCarthy, Diarmaid Nash, and Colin Crehan just to name a few Irish players in the men’s grade.
"It’s as good as it’s ever been, there’ll be some mouthwatering matches.”
Play serves off next Friday in the one-wall divisions, with the prestigious four-wall grades, in which Mulkerrins and Co compete, scheduled to begin on August 12.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
