No stopping McCarthy

THE oldest form of GAA Handball, the traditional game of Hardball, saw a first on Saturday evening in Roscommon as Westmeath’s Robbie McCarthy continued his impressive 2011 run of form when he added a first All-Ireland Senior Championship crown (Hardball) to the Irish 40x20 Nationals win in Wexford last month.

The Mullingar clubman has lost out in the last two All-Ireland Senior Softball finals to Dublin 60x30 legend, Eoin Kennedy, and will certainly be in a buoyant frame of mind with the 2011 series in that event to follow shortly.

A 12-21, 21-7, 21-9 senior Hardball Championship final win over Limerick’s Seamus O’Carroll in Roscommon saw him collect the 2011 honours.

Meanwhile, Padraig O’Carroll (Limerick) defeated Meath’s Peter Reilly in the Junior decider on a 21-8, 21-18 scoreline.

Next up will be the GAA Handball All-Ireland Hardball Doubles Championship finals with Limerick (Seamus O’Carroll & CJ Fitzpatrick) taking on reigning champions, Dublin (Eoin Kennedy & Egin Jensen) in the blue ribband Senior Doubles decider on Thursday June 16, in Roscommon at 8pm.