ALLEY CHAT with Padhraic Roberts
Keith Armstrong shows real class to win All Ireland under 17 singles title
With a performance that oozed class throughout the entire match Keith Armstrong produced his best display of the season to see off the challenge of Jamie Kelly, Galway in the All-Ireland under 17 singles final played today at Talbots Inch.
This may have been the last match on a long day at the Kilkenny venue but those who waited witnessed a terrific exhibition of juvenile 60×30 handball at its best as the young Kilmyshall player showed maturity beyond his years to rescue a difficult situation and run out a hugely impressive 21-15, 21-6 winner
Kelly had come out on top when the two clashed previously in a wall ball event but this was 60×30 and this was a new Keith Armstrong. Keith did have the best of the early exchanges to lead 6-1 but Kelly was very competitive and when he levelled at 6-6 he was playing the type of handball needed to win this All Ireland title. Wexford supporters began to be really concerned when the Galway player continued this domination to forge 14-7 in front but Keith shored up his defences and showing terrific fighting spirit he got himself back into this All Ireland final just in time to prevent the first game slipping from his grasp.
Behind a good serve he began to control the court and what went on inside those four walls and as the chances were created he took them all with supreme authority. He had a great killshot into the right hand corner and he deployed this time after time until he levelled at 15-15. Jamie tried all he knew to stem the tide but Keith was rampant now and he finished by far the stronger to win 21-15. It was great recovery and a match changing move.
The second saw the Wexford youngster at his brilliant best and after the early stages had been fairly even he simply took charge of tie in brilliant fashion. There was absolutely nothing the Galway player could do as Keith put the ball in the most difficult of places and when the return was not safe enough it was punished each and every time. It was hugely impressive stuff and it continued all the way to the finish as Keith Armstrong showed his full potential on his way to racking up a facile 21-6 win.
Holly Hynes and Roisin Walsh are All Ireland under 16 doubles champions after cracking final
Holly Hynes and Roisin Walsh produced their best performance of the season when they needed it most to win a nail-biting All Ireland girls under 16 doubles at a packed Talbots Inch today.They went into their final against Katie McCarthy and Laura Stack, Limerick knowing that only their best would be good enough and while it appeared they had things well under control when they led 16-9 in the second having won the first game 21-15, the wheels fell off in spectacular fashion as the Limerick girls mounted a successful fight back to bring the match to a deciding tiebreak. This was a long and tough match throughout and Holly and Roisin were never headed in the first game apart from the opening serve when they conceded the first score of the match. The Wexford girls led 9-3 and later 16-9 but on each occasion Katie and Laura pulled the deficit back to a single point. The serving was proving vital and when either side ‘got it right’ clusters of points were scored. At 16-15 to Wexford the game was up for grabs but it was Holly and Roisin who finished the stronger to clinch the opener by 21-15.
They began the second in fine style to lead 6-0 but then coughed up eight points in a row to go behind. A difficult period followed as both pairings battled for supremacy but from 10-9 in front it was Holly and Roisin who made the break for home. When they were 16-10 in front it appeared the title was bound for Wexford but the Limerick girls showed terrific bottle and passion to level at 17-17 before going on to win 21-17. It was now a case of who wanted it the most and the tie break took a long time to answer that question. Holly and Roisin took an early 5-1 lead and were almost half way to the title. Limerick came back to 5-3 before the Wexford girls won a number of crucial rallies to surge 8-3 ahead. But just when we thought they had it, Katie and Laura came back one more time to lead 9-8 and it was squeaky bum time all over again for Wexford. Holly and Roisin then won the most vital rally of their young lives to regain the serve and moments later they had the two winning points in the bag for a victory that was as hard-earned as it was richly deserved.
Brilliant performance by Anthony Butler secures All Ireland under 15 singles title
He sprang from the traps and swarmed all over the fancied Kavan O’Keeffe, Waterford in the first game of the All Ireland boys under 15 singles final at Talbots Inch today, but it was when he came under extreme pressure in the second game that we saw the very best of Anthony Butler.
All Ireland titles are of course won on the day but it is the preparation put in beforehand that paves the way for victory and the young Ballyhogue player had certainly put in the effort this season by taking part in the county 60×30 adult championship and several club adult tournaments along with the county juvenile championship. It all provided invaluable experience for the talented youngster who as a result has shown astonishing improvement in the past few months.
If there were nerves it did not show in that first game as the Wexford youngster served and passed his way to a comfortable 15-1 win but despite the scoreline he was working really hard and taking no chances and he knew the skilful Waterford player had more to give if allowed to do so.
Kavan did find his feet early in the second and after Anthony has eased into a 4-1 lead the Munster champion began to control the shortline with serious intent. Suddenly it was he who was killing the ball in the corners and using his trademark overhand right to guide the ball down the side walls and after a particularly productive service game he had taken a 6-4 lead. Anthony then regained the serve but failed to add to his tally and when Kavan increased his advantage to 9-4 the match appeared to be getting away from the young Wexford player. It was then however that we saw the very best of Anthony Butler as he clawed his way back to level at 9 all with a mixture of fantastic serves and rallies. He was to fall behind again at 9-10 but the momentum was now firmly with him and from there to the finish he won every rally. One of those rallies in particular when the score was 12-10 in his favour epitomised the positive attitude he brought to this final. Throughout the rally which contained about 12 shots he was very much on the defensive as Kavan hit what looked like certain winners on several occasions but he refused to yield and when he got the opportunity himself he took it with aplomb. That put him 13-10 ahead and set him up for victory. The next point came from a great serve and when Anthony dived to push the last ball around the top left hand corner the spirit of the young Dungarvan player was finally broken.
