Martina McMahon of Broadford, Limerick, in action during the Ladies open semi final in the oneills.com World Wallball Championships at UL Sport Arena. Photo by Stephen Marken/Sportsfile Photo by Stephen Marken/Sportsfile
By Paul Fitzpatrick
There will be an Irish winner in the Open Singles grade at the oneills.com World Wallball Championships after Martina McMahon and Fiona Tully qualified for the Ladies Open decider.
With number one seed Catriona Casey forced to withdraw with a knee injury during her quarter-final, Armagh's Caliosa Ní Dhúill progressed and despite a bold showing, she found Limerick lefty McMahon too hot to handle, the Treaty woman winning 21-4, 21-2.
"It's extra special, I have the backing of my family and my supporters here. It's great to be in a world final anywhere in the world but it is extra special here at the University of Limerick, where I went to college as well. but there's nothing won yet," McMahon said.
The Broadford woman will take on former Roscommon senior footballer Fiona Tully (St Coman's HC) in today's final. Tully dropped the first game 21-20 against Tyrone's Eilise McCrory but came roaring back to win the second 21-13 and edged home 11-7 in a fiercely-contested tiebreaker.
Tully and Kilkenny's Ciara Mahon will also contest the Ladies Open Doubles final against Americans Suly Ruiz and Melanie Sky.
Meanwhile, Conor McElduff's dream of becoming the first Irishman to win a World Wallball Open Singles title on home soil was dashed as he fell to American Nazir Marston in the semi-final at the University of Limerick.
Before a full house of 1,000 spectators, the Tyrone ace started well, easing into a 3-0 lead in the first game with his patented serve-and-shoot style in full flow, but he struggled to cope with the power and intensity of the 22-year-old New Yorker thereafter.
Marston was simply awesome as he pinned McElduff back with power drives down each sideline and when he had court position, he punished the Irish champion with spike kills off both hands. Marston eventually ran out a 21-13, 21-14 winner, much to the disappointment of the large home crowd.
"It feels amazing, I never got to play against Conor before and he played great," Marston said.
"I just told myself I had to play my game and if I lose, go down fighting. I've never seen anything like this tournament in handball before, it's amazing."
Marston will meet compatriot Timbo Gonzalez in the final after he put on a brilliant performance to sink fellow American Tywan Cook in the other semi-final (21-18, 21-8).
The finals serve off at 1pm today and are live on Sport TG4 YouTube.