Injury forces Westmeath handball legend to concede in national final

There is a new name on the Ducksy Walsh Cup after Meath’s Gary McConnell sensationally claimed the All-Ireland singles title from Westmeath’s Robbie McCarthy.

Eleven-time champion McCarthy dropped the first game and unfortunately sustained an injury and had to withdraw midway through the second.

McConnell, controlling the tempo and fly-killing consistently, cruised to a 21-8 win in the opener. Mullingar’s McCarthy came out shooting in game two and quickly opened a 6-0 lead but McConnell came roaring back to lead 8-7, at which stage McCarthy (38) was forced to concede on an injury default.

After the game, McCarthy – who had been unbeaten in the softball code since 2019 - announced that he is to retire, bringing the curtain down on a remarkable career at the elite level in the sport, although he did leave the door slightly open.

“I have a little bit of a niggle the last couple of weeks but I'm taking nothing away from Gary either way, injury or no injury, that was a serious performance. He's a credit to Kells and to the sport,” McCarthy said.

Asked about his emotions, the Mullingar man said: “It's grand, it is what it is. I can still go home to my kids, it's a game of handball at the end of the day. I'm after having a long career, I have no hard feelings whatsoever, the man deserves his All-Ireland, credit to him.

“I think especially with the niggles this year, it's nearly time to call it a day.

“It kills me to say it but there's a new man taking over now and let him deal with all the young lads that I've had to deal with over the last couple of years, it's not easy going!

“I just want to kind of look after my summers and spend time with my kids. There comes a time when you can't train the way you used to train. I'm going to try and go away but I know these lads keep ringing me for games... I'm hoping to go. Not saying I'll definitely be gone but I am hoping to go this time.

“I'm after having a great career, I can't thank GAA Handball enough and everyone who has looked after me over the years.”

McCarthy received a warm ovation from the crowd but it was McConnell’s day. The Kells-based fire-fighter and personal trainer has been extremely successful in doubles and has won singles titles in other grades, but this was his first All-Ireland Senior Singles title, the elite level.

“A fella said to me, and it really annoyed me, a couple of years ago, ‘you’re like Andy Murray’s brother in tennis, you only win in doubles’ and it really bugged me,” McConnell said.

“I was wondering if everybody thought that and it was definitely one of the things that really pushed me on this year.”

McConnell spent the early exchanges attempting to suss McCarthy out, he said, and gradually imposed himself on the game.

“It’s funny, I didn’t have a game plan as such. Robbie is one of these guys that makes you adjust, you just have to go in and bear with it for a couple of minutes, ease yourself into it,” he said.

“That was the mindset we had talked about all week, what are you going to do. He always has something up his sleeve, you don’t know what he’s going to do.

“It was all about me, being in the right frame of mind. I’m a firm believer that if I show up on my game, nobody can touch me, especially in the ‘big court’,” he said.