Paul Brady’s dream of a sixth world title remains on course after a dramatic day of action at the O’Neills World 4-Wall Championships at Croke Park.
The Cavanman impressed as he cruised to a 15-2, 15-4 win over Cork’s Michael Hedigan, who had recorded an eye-catching win over American Sam Esser 24 hours earlier.
Sensationally, the leading overseas hopes were all toppled as the Irish players recorded a number of famous wins.
Meanwhile, in the Ladies Open, Tyrone left-hander Eilise McCrory got her tournament off to a flyer with a comfortable straight games win over her county colleague Clare Conway.
But the big story was the drama in the Men’s Open as Mexican brothers Luis and Daniel Cordova, highly-ranked on the professional tour in America, fell to Cork’s Daniel Relihan and Kilkenny’s Peter Funchion respectively while the rising star Stateside, 22-year-old Chicago man Ray Ure, was beaten in a very close tussle by 2022 All-Ireland Senior Singles champion Diarmaid Nash of Clare.
In a near two-hour battle, Funchion eventually got past the younger Cordova 15-11, 10-15, 11-8 while Relihan overcame an injury and a 10-7 tiebreaker deficit to defeat Luis Cordova 11-10 in the tiebreaker.
Nash and Ure – an all-State champion in high diving and cross-country running as well as the best young handballer in America – also went the distance, with the canny Nash dismantling Ure’s attacking game in the tiebreaker.
There was no such drama in the other Open Singles matches as Martin Mulkerrins, Killian Carroll and Robbie McCarthy all cruised through against Braulio Ruiz (Los Angeles), Ivan Burgos (Canada), Shane Dunne (Kilkenny) and Michael Hedigan (Cork).
The quarter-finals are down for decision tomorrow (Thursday) at Croke Park, with Nash v Carroll the tie of the round.
Elsewhere, it’s Mulkerrins v Funchion, while Brady takes on Relihan and McCarthy meets Walsh in a repeat of this year’s All-Ireland semi-final, which Mullingar’s McCarthy won.
Meanwhile, the Ladies Open Singles served off, with Kilkenny’s Aoife Holden losing to Arizona’s Mikaila Esser in another 11-10 tiebreaker.
Breacach’s McCrory, Kildare’s Mollie Dagg, Limerick’s Martina McMahon and Galway woman Niamh Heffernan all recorded wins, with the top seeds entering the fray tomorrow (Thurs).
