All roads lead to Croke Park tomorrow with two intriguing oneills.com Senior Doubles finals down for decision, writes Paul Fitzpatrick.
Both finals pit reigning titleholders against first-time contenders. Proceedings begin at 2pm with the Ladies’ Senior Doubles final, as defending champions Galway face off against the surprise package of the season, Tyrone.
Galway’s pairing of world Open Singles champion Ciana Ní Churraoin and the formidable Niamh Heffernan enter as favorites, contesting their third consecutive final. Their hard-fought triumph last year saw them avenge a heartbreaking 11-10 tiebreaker loss in 2023 to Cork’s Catriona Casey and Aishling O’Keeffe, and they now seek to reaffirm their dominance.
Opposing them, Eilise McCrory and Aoife Kelly have shown impressive form, with McCrory’s left-handed precision proving pivotal in their semi-final win over Kilkenny.
The Breacach/Loughmacrory duo are a well-balanced side who complement each other well, with Kelly steady and smart on the right and McCrory, a pure shooter, lethal if she gets a chance on the left, as she showed in the win over Ciara Mahon and Amy Brennan (who came close to a softball senior title last year) in the semi-final.
However, overcoming the Tribeswomen will demand another level of performance for Tyrone. Ní Churraoin’s agility and relentless consistency on the left, paired with Heffernan’s intelligent shot selection and explosiveness, make Galway the team to beat. While they started sluggishly in their semi-final against the Leinster pairing of Patricia Byrne and Holly Hynes, who played very well on the day, their experience should see them enter the final with sharpened focus.
The Men’s Senior Doubles final follows on the show court, featuring Cork’s Daniel Relihan and Michael Hedigan against the Kilkenny brothers Peter and Patrick Funchion in what promises to be a tightly contested affair.
Like their Galway counterparts, the Rebels are contesting their third consecutive final, having broken through for their maiden 4-Wall Senior Doubles title last year. A second championship would cement their standing as the premier pairing in the men’s game at All-Ireland championship level.
Standing in their way, the Kells brothers are no strangers to the business end of the championship, having steadily built their credentials over recent seasons. Though this marks their first appearance in the final, they arrive battle-hardened and with plenty of big game experience, having won the 4-Wall Intermediate Doubles in both codes, most recently in softball last year.
Relihan’s smooth strokes and excellent technique, allied to some unorthodox shots such as his trademark tomahawks, complement the tall, gutsy Hedigan, who bucks the trend somewhat for a right-side player in coming up with a lot of kills.
The Funchions are both outstanding players in their own right and, as a team, pair up very well. Peter plays the left and has perfect strokes on both sides, with Paddy a solid, steady performer on the right – and both know where the ‘bottom brick’ is, as they showed last time out in what was arguably a career-best showing against a formidable Meath pair in Brian Carroll and Gary McConnell, who are former champions in the 4-Wall code.
Cork’s last outing was a win over Robbie McCarthy and Colm Jordan in their first game of the campaign and they will be expected to come on for that match. They also have the benefit of having played in two previous finals, obviously winning last year, but if Kilkenny are not phased by the occasion – and there is every reason to believe they will perform on the big day – then an excellent contest is in store.
With both finals promising high-quality encounters, fans can catch all the action live via Spórt TG4’s YouTube channel.
Who will win the Men's SD final?
Cork
Kilkenny
Who will win the ladies SD final?
Tyrone
Galway
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