The time has come.

After the semi-finals of the M Donnelly Senior 60x30 Singles Championship on Saturday, only two will remain in contention for the big alley honours.

Ducksy Walsh faces young gun, Michael Gregan of Wicklow, while defending champion, Dublin’s Eoin Kennedy will go to battle against Dessie Keegan of Mayo. Having last competed in the 2002 All-Ireland final, Walsh could soon make the breakthrough once again. “It’s great to be back at this level and I’m as fit as I’ve ever been before,” said the Kilkenny star.

Walsh claimed 13 consecutive All-Ireland senior titles between 1985 and ‘97, and went on to take three further titles from 1999-2001. After losing out to Dublin’s Eoin Kennedy in the 2002 final, most people in the handball world sensed it was the end of dominance for the man they call ‘Ducksy’. Five years on, the Kilkenny handballer has put his name back into contention for top honours.

Also on Saturday, the 2006 champion, Dublin’s Eoin Kennedy takes on Mayo’s Dessie Keegan at Mullingar at 7pm. “Eoin is a very deserving champion but I’m really looking forward to the game because I know he doesn’t really like playing me,” Keegan stated. “I’m not going to Mullingar to make up numbers and this is a great opportunity for me to make an All-Ireland final.”

Kennedy is indeed a formidable opponent and has claimed Senior Singles honours for the past three consecutive years. Keegan will be the clear under-dog going into the weekend’s battle, but heated warfare is expected between the talented pair.
Eoin Kennedy (Dublin) in action against Dessie Keegan (Mayo)