Brady secures 7th Singles Crown

Cavan’s Paul Brady had a busy weekend of Gaelic games action. On Saturday evening, Brady created history in winning his seventh All-Ireland Senior Singles crown in the handball alley, recording a 21-17, 21-7 victory over Armagh’s Charly Shanks. Less than 24 hours later, he made an appearance for the Cavan senior footballers in their league victory over neighbours, Fermanagh.

Brady’s victory at the Kingscourt Handball Complex saw him equal Pat Kirby’s long-standing record of 6 consecutive senior singles titles in the GAA Handball All-Ireland Championship. The victory also equalled Kilkenny’s legend, Michael Walsh’s record of seven in total.

In front of a capacity crowd, both players served up a cracking first game before Brady sealed the opener 21-17. The Breffni man then produced a scintillating second game performance, leading 18-2 at one stage, before the resilient Armagh man staged a tenacious comeback with five consecutive aces.

However, to the delight of the large Cavan fan-base, Brady reeled off three dazzling serve and killshots to claim his sixth in a row and seventh senior title in total. Following his record equalling success, the Cavan man did point out that, “records are not there to be equalled, they are there to be beaten and that is what I will be targeting to do next year.”

Brady will now focus his attentions on the doubles championships, where he and partner, Michael Finnegan, will be out for avenge last year’s final defeat to Mayo’s Dessie Keegan and Joe McCann.

“We lost the senior doubles final last season and we are very eager to reclaim that cup,” said Brady.

Charly Shanks, who was contesting his first ever final, was optimistic in defeat against one of the all-time greats of the game.

“This was the first step for me in getting to the final and it will take an incredible effort to get back and defeat Paul,” said the Clann Eireann clubman.

“He is such a special player that it will only take an outstanding display to eventually see him lose out in the championship.”

Shanks is certain to be back, but once again, Brady has reaffirmed his position as number one in Ireland.