The defending champions and favourites from Clare and Cork swept to victory, once again, in the finals of the men's and women's O'Neill's All-Ireland 40x20 Doubles Championships, at Kingscourt.
And they had a bit to spare in the end, after the opposition made a brave fight of trying to topple the holders.
Cork's Catriona Casey and Aishling O’Keeffe fully justified their favourites' tag to outpoint Roscommon sisters Fiona and Siobhán Tully and collect the crown for a fifth consecutive time, taking just two games to retain the title. They are also the 60x40 champions.
A tit-for-tat opening 10 minutes saw the first game tied at 4-4 before the Cork duo turned on their trademark power play to dominate and win at 21-6.
The second match saw some great play from both sides but, again, the experience and quality of Cork saw them prevail 21-12 and keep the crown for another year.
It wasn't a good day for siblings as Galway brothers Martin and Diarmuid Mulkerrins failed to wrestle the men's title from holders Diarmaid Nash and Colin Crehan (Clare).
The Galwegians were aiming to close a yawning gap of 40 years from the last and only time that brothers won a Senior Four-Wall Doubles title.
The Kirby Brothers Pat and Michael, from Clare, were the last in 1979 to collect the trophy.
The Galway pair were not, however, interested in history but success and they began their bid for glory by storming to a 15-6 lead in the opening salvo. Once the Clare duo survived the early blitz they reeled in the challengers and tied the game at 16-16 – then allowed the Mulkerrins just one more ace to win 21-17.
That loss could have broken the Mulkerrins’ spirit but it didn't and they responded to open a 9-3 lead in the second game.
However, the more experienced Doubles duo of Nash & Crehan drew level at 9 before eventually winning 21-12 and retaining the honours for another season.
The Boys' Minor Final was a marathon, as Monaghan’s Eoghan McGinnity & Konrad Kowal defeated Kilkenny’s Jack Holden and Jack Doyle 9-21, 21-16, 21-17. The win sealed the Minor Slam for McGinnity and saw Konrad become the first Polish native to win an All-Ireland title.
In the Girls' Minor Final, Kildare’s Leah Doyle and Abby Tarrant took the honours after a tough battle with Mayo’s Claire Reynolds and Cuilleann Bourke, winning 21-18, 21-8. That win sealed a Minor Slam for Doyle for the second successive year.
O'Neill's All-Ireland 40x20 Handball Doubles Championships at Kingscourt
Men's: Clare (Diarmuid Nash/Colin Crehan) dft Galway (Martin & Diarmuid Mulkerrins) 21-17, 21-12.
Ladies': Cork (Catriona Casey/Aisling O’Keeffe) dft Roscommon (Fiona & Siobhan Tully) 21-6, 21-13.
Boys' Minor: Monaghan (Eoghan McGinnity/Konrad Kowal) dft Kilkenny (Jack Holden/Jack Doyle) 9-21, 21-16, 21-17.
Girls' Minor: Kildare (Leah Doyle/Abby Tarrant) dft Mayo (Claire Reynolds/Cuileann Burke) 21-18, 21-8
Other Grades at various venues:
Junior: Antrim (Jordan O'Neill/Mark Rainey) dft Clare (Fergal Coughlan Jnr/Ciaran Malone) 20-21, 21-18, 21-18.
Intermediate: Wexford (Galen Riordan/Peter Hughes) dft Tyrone (Ryan Mullan/Gary McCrory) 21-5, 21-4.
35+B: Antrim (Kevin & Fionntan Gamble) dft Kilkenny (Diarmuid Burke/Anthony Martin) 21-14, 21-11.
40+: Antrim (Sean Devine/Seamus O'Tuama) dft Kerry (Dominick Lynch/John Joe Quirke) 21-20, 21-13.
45+: Offaly (Conor O'Brien/Sean Ryan) dft Tyrone (Chris Curran/Finbar Fullen) 21-11, 21-17.
45+B: Galway (Graham Casburn/Morgan Duggan) dft Tipperary (Joseph Ryan/Finbar Ryan) 21-18, 19-21, 21-12.
50+: Antrim (Paddy Crothers/John McGarry) dft Meath (Tom Sheridan/Jimmy Reilly) 21-9, 21-8.
55+: Cork (John Herlihy/John Hedigan) dft Antrim (Donal Armstrong/Stephen Brady) 8-21, 21-11, 21-14.
60+: Wexford (Michael Rossiter/Benny Doyle) dft Antrim (Thomas Maguire/Tony Caddell) 21-15, 19-21, 21-17.
Ladies' Intermediate: Clare (Doireann Murphy/Clodagh Nash) dft Kildare (Hannah Dagg/Mollie Dagg) 21-3, 21-6
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