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Senior Handball Doubles All-Ireland Treble Joy for Kennedy and Jensen - Mon, 17 Sep 2007

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Egin Jensen & Eoin Kennedy won their third successive Martin Donnelly softball doubles with a comfortable victory over Mayo's Dessie Keegan & Kevin Geraghty from Mayo played in Croke Park on Saturday 15th September last.

For Eoin Kennedy the 28 y.o. from the St. Brigid's club in Blanchardstown is a year he will remember fondly and entering the history books as only the 3rd player to win the grand slam of 60 x 30 titles, the others being the late John Ryan (Wexford) 1957, and Walter O?Connor (Meath) 1998. Welcome visitors to the finals included Dave Vincent & Jeff Kastner from the U.S.H.A who are interviewing the top Irish players before they head to Los Angeles to take part in the U.S. handball open next month.

Dublin were first on court followed shortly afterwards by the Mayo men. Kevin Geraghty came in for the injured Joe McCann. Before the start Eileen Dunne of RTE Master of Ceremonies read out the achievements of the players while Katie McCarthy from Westmeath sang Amhran na bhFiann. Referee Paddy Collins from Tipperary got the game under way. Kevin Geraghty the late replacement for the injured Joe McCann served first but straight away Kennedy got Dublin into serve.

The favourites going into a 2-0 lead when the unbelievable happened. Kevin Geraghty missed a high return down the right, Keegan seeing the situation raced to the back wall. Only about 5 feet from the glass back wall and his back to the front wall Keegan somehow returned nonchalantly with his right a back hander landing perfectly onto the front wall a low shot that rolled out. Kennedy was ready to pounce but the placed ball from Keegan's was so accurate that Kennedy could only look on. It is a shot that is well worth looking at again and again and hopefully the TG4 Camera man will show the clip.

Geraghty got a nice score off the left side left leaving Dublin just 3-2 in front. Egin Jensen started to fire up with a high serve to Keegan's left and landing over on Geraghty's right. Dublin soon pulled away Kennedy was razor sharp even Keegan's low pounding shots that looked winners was picked beautifully by Kennedy and the Dublin players played Geraghty's right side to maximum effect. With Jensen's accurate cross court serving Keegan was kept out of the game and Geraghty faced the bombardment from the Dubliners. Kennedy & Jensen racked up an 18-2 lead without reply. Mayo got 3 more scores and 2 more accurate serves from Jensen to Geraghty's right corner ended the first game by 21-5.

In game two it was all Dublin. Keegan taking all the serves from the back with Geraghty standing a little ahead of him. Geraghty was missing chances while Keegan persisted with going for the big kills from far out mostly dropping short. Dublin raced into a 13-0 lead. After this score Keegan with his hands on his waist waiting Dublin's serve knew that the final was going away from them. Jensen had an excellent evening for Dublin and his great serving and great awareness cutting out Mayo's returns put Dublin into a comfortable position. Mayo got a score but Dublin continued to head for the finishing line. Kennedy had a chance to wrap it up at 20-1 but missed. Mayo got 4 points in a row but it came too late as Dublin duly won the treble and Kennedy celebrated his grand slam. Martin Donnelly of the sponsors presented Eoin Kennedy & Egin Jensen with the Independent Cup.

Afterwards I asked Dessie Keegan his thoughts on the final and that he must have been disappointed with how the game went.

"I'm not awfully disappointed said Dessie. I'm disappointed for Joe that on Monday night late I realised that he wouldn't be playing. I had to scramble to get another partner. I got Kevin on Tuesday night and we had 1 training session and to be honest the writing was on the wall. I'm around handball long enough I knew in order to beat Dublin this year we needed a fully fit Joe, me firing on all cylinders and Joe firing on all cylinders. Credit to Dublin they were absolutely ruthless. I would have done the same thing myself. Realistically speaking we had no hope tonight. And that is the way it panned out in the end."

I managed to catch up with Eoin Kennedy and I asked him his thoughts just after winning the softball doubles 3-in-a-row. Absolutely delighted to win it, came Kennedy?' response. Three years ago we didn't think we would be standing here today having won the 3-in-a-row. Delighted to get through tonight.

You must have been very pleased as well with the fact that you have also won the grand slam all 4 titles in the big court this year.

"Yes, absolutely I have enjoyed some good company John Ryan and Walter O'Connor the only 2 to have done it. To join the illustrious company I'm absolutely delighted."

I asked Eoin was he surprised how easy and comprehensive it was in the end the win? "Yes, it was comprehensive win but it was very hard for Kevin coming in with Joe missing out. Joe is so strong and fast. Joe and Dessie have a lot of experience together. For Kevin coming in at such short notice and having to play on the right side with the glass wall was very difficult. He played well, we also played well and on the right we were just too strong."

One final question to Eoin what does he think of his doubles partner Egin Jensen who played super handball tonight?

"Yes, it is a pleasure playing doubles with Egin. He is an absolutely fantastic player. You can always depend on him. You don't have to think twice when the ball is gone in. You know he is going to do something good with it. He dominates the right side. Kennedy highly praised Jensen describing him as one off the greatest doubles players of all time. He is really absolutely fantastic. It is a pleasure to have played with him over the years."

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