10-05-2025
Walsh out to make impression in first senior handball final against maestro Brady
It has been a whirlwind 12 months for Cork handballer David Walsh, who lines out in his first All-Ireland Senior Singles final today at the National Handball Centre, Croke Park.
Standing in his way is Cavan's six-time world champion Paul Brady, who is 19 years the Mallow man's senior. Making the semi-final of the Worlds and his first Senior Championship decider means Walsh has now firmly established himself as one of the leading elite players in the sport, having only broken through from intermediate ranks two years ago, but the 26-year-old is not getting carried away.
'It's definitely satisfying to reach your first senior final,' Walsh said after his breakthrough win over Meath's Gary McConnell last time out.
'It just shows the training that you're doing every day is working and paying off, so I'm looking forward to the final now.'
The vagaries of the calendar, with international events mixed in, meant that Walsh played three tough matches in eight days before a three-week break ahead of the final. He was glad, he said, for the chance to rest up and re-focus ahead of the biggest match of his career to date.
'Championship is just different; on the day it can be tougher, the games are longer compared to your tournament-style handball, so the three games in eight days was tough because you have your few niggles and stuff to manage.'
While his style is explosive, not unlike that patented by Brady, Walsh tries to remain calm and composed in the court.
'I suppose just treating every point individually as such, whether the score is 14-19 or 0-0, just treat every point the same, just try to win every single point,' he said.
'There's no point thinking about the score or thinking 'I'm losing by seven points' or 'I'm ahead by seven points' - it doesn't really matter at the end of the day. Just play every point as is.' Walsh's spectacular spin serves are a huge weapon but, he said, it's important to be selective when employing them.
'That's a good question. To be honest, the one down the middle often catches people straight away, so even if you leave that one for the last few aces, for example, and things like that. If you haven't thrown a hook in and you've been reversing all game, it might have an impact.
'It's tough enough on the body too, you don't want to over-do it and sometimes you literally want the ball to go straight down the left,' he said. ' There's no point in over-complicating it by putting a hook or a reverse on it. It's about just managing it I suppose and not over-thinking it.' Heading into the final, Walsh remains committed to the habits that have brought him this far.
'Just keep doing what I'm doing, to be honest,' he said.
'Whatever I'm doing seems to be working so I'll just keep focusing on myself, my serves, my returns, my shots, and that's all I can do really - just focus on what I can do.' The programme begins at the National Handball Centre, Croke Park at 2pm with the ladies Senior Singles final between Ciana Ní Churraoin (Galway) and Martina McMahon (Limerick). Both finals will be streamed live on the Spórt TG4 YouTube channel.
