High noon showdown between Brady and Mulkerrins

World Handball Championships

From 1,675 entries across the board, the oneills.com World 4-Wall Handball Championships has been whittled down to eight in the elite grades, with the semi-finals of the Men’s and Ladies Open Singles down for decision today (Saturday).

A dramatic day of action in the quarter-finals of the Men’s Open on Thursday saw fancied Robbie McCarthy and Killian Carroll sensationally ousted. In the first of the semi-finals, five-time champion Paul Brady, who at 45 has done the unthinkable and reached the last four, will face number one seed Martin Mulkerrins.

Texas-based Mulkerrins (31) has won the last five professional tournaments in the US and has been in dominant form thus far but has never beaten the iconic Brady so an epic battle is promised.

In the second of the semi-finals, Clare’s Diarmaid Nash and 25-year-old Mallow man David Walsh, conqueror of McCarthy, go head-to-head, with both men in outstanding form to date.

All matches will be streamed live on the Spórt TG4 YouTube channel here.

It is a busy day for the Cavan players involved, with the county guaranteed a number of medals in a best-ever showing at the Worlds.

Out of luck this morning in the Over 70s Singles final was Dominic Sheridan, who lost a close game to Dan Brennan from California, but Sheridan still has the Doubles final (with Monaghan man Michael McCarron) to come.

Joe Dillon is currently in action against Jack Doyle of Kilkenny in the Men's A Singles final.

James Brady pairs with Michael Gregan of Wicklow in the Over 40 A Doubles final. Paul Fitzpatrick and Eddie Halligan meet Clare in the Over 40 B Doubles final.