Healy and Brady contest all-Ireland US National final

Cork’s Tony Healy and Cavan’s Paul Brady will fight it out for the Men’s Open US Nationals title in Kansas, Missouri today following their decisive semi-final victories.

Healy defeated Seattle’s Sean Lenning, who many had tipped for a final place, in two straight games. The Rebel took the first 21-12 and while Lenning battle to the end, Healy finished well to take the second game 21-18.

After a difficult quarter-final against former world number one, David Chapman, which finished 21-15, 21-15, Healy was in top form throughout his semi-final.

The final meeting against Brady, a replay of April’s All-Ireland 40x20 final looks set to be a cracker.

The reigning champion defeated California’s Emmett Peixoto in two games in his semi, putting in an awesome display.

The Breffni man, now aiming for his fourth consecutive title, took the match on a score line of 21-12, 21-18 and was clinical in finishing. Peixoto, one of the top ranked American handballers, continued to battle but was unable to match the top –notch finishing of his talented Irish opponent.

The current world number one, also a member of the Cavan Senior Football panel, will be favourite to take this final but Healy’s form has been consistently good of late and an upset could be on the cards.

Meanwhile, on the domestic front, over 320 young handballers will converge on Laois and Offaly today for the Féile na nGael festival, with some top class action expected.

In Gormanston, the Irish Handball Council is running their inaugural residential summer camp, with some of the best coaches in handball attending.