Handball: Corkman David Walsh takes on familiar foe in quest for All-Ireland 4-Wall glory 

THE ZONE: David Walsh of Cork during the semi final of the 4-Wall Men's Senior Singles All-Ireland Championship at the National Handball Centre in Croke Park. Pic: Stephen Marken

David Walsh’s quest to become just the second man to bring the All-Ireland 4-Wall Senior Singles title back to Cork will continue tomorrow evening (Saturday) as he takes on a familiar foe.

Standing in the 26-year-old Mallow man’s way is Westmeath veteran Robbie McCarthy, one of the most decorated players in the game who has found the thrill of the chase hard to resist, returning from a short-lived retirement for another crack at the Gael Linn Cup.

“Robbie is a very difficult opponent to play but understanding his style of play is definitely helpful in playing him,” Walsh told the Irish Examiner.

“Hopefully that will help me tomorrow – I’m sure he’ll be saying the same but for me it will be about focusing on my own game, my own shots, from the get-go and hopefully things will go my way.” 

Walsh – a teacher in Goatstown ETSS in Dublin - made the handball world sit up and take notice when he stunned McCarthy in the quarter-final of the 2024 World Championships. 

He rode his momentum to a couple of prestigious tournament wins that winter and a maiden All-Ireland final appearance last May, where he lost to the recognised ‘GOAT’, Paul Brady, who has since hung up his gloves.

No Corkman has won the coveted title since Tony Healy in 2004. Pic: Stephen Marken

Walsh’s coronation seemed inevitable but his results since have been up and down, raising some questions ahead of the clash with McCarthy.

“You could look at it that my form dipped but you could also say that the expectation has gotten greater. In 2024, I was in the All-Ireland senior semi-final, last year I won some ranking events and made the senior final. You do learn as you go, this is only my third year playing senior handball.

“Last year it was a long season from August, right up until the senior final in May, so my main focus this year was to be as fresh as possible for the latter stages of the championship. I definitely think I’m playing well, the body is good and I’m really looking forward to it, that’s the main thing, the hunger is definitely there.

Walsh claims he will use last year's final as motivation. Pic: Stephen Marken

“Growing up, as you progress through the grades, your goals change. I always wanted to win a minor final, then you win a minor final and get your jersey for playing in that. Then you want to win an intermediate – that’s the thing in handball, there’s always the next goal. You win an intermediate and get to senior and you think ‘I could win a senior here’.”

No Corkman has won the coveted title since the great Tony Healy in 2004. Walsh was close last year against Brady and knows a similar level of performance would have him right there again.

“Last year’s final will be used as motivation. There was nothing in it.], it was 11-9 (in a tiebreaker). It’s good that in my head, I know I can mix it with the best. I’ll take confidence from it and motivation from it. I’m fully aware of the challenge I have tomorrow, it’s going to be an absolutely huge challenge but I’ll give it my all as I always do,” he said.