Robbie McCarthy won the Oneills.com Men’s Handball All-Ireland Championship this afternoon, as he beat Diarmuid Nash in the final.
The Westmeath man made it his eighth All-Ireland title, as he won 21-19 and 21-7 against the 2022 winner from Clare.
McCarthy came back into the sport after a short break, admitting he’s enjoying the sport more than ever.
“Feels great to be back and to pick up another one,” said McCarthy to TG4. “I’m just playing for fun now and no pressure’s. I’m just enjoying myself, and it seems to be working.”
McCarthy won his first title in 2014 at the age of 26, and won three titles on the trot after that.
The man from Mullingar also has 12 Senior Softball Titles and 4 World Open Doubles to his name.
Nash held close to McCarthy in the first game, with the players going level at 19-19 towards the end of the session.
McCarthy showed his composure and experience to win the last two points, going 1-0 up against the man from Tuamgraney.
A crucial difference between the players was their serves: McCarthy opted for a power-serve approach, while Nash played his close to the roof, landing inches from the back wall.
Ultimately, those serves cost Nash, as McCarthy found a way to return them effectively in the second game, helping him go 12-4 up before a timeout was called.
Nash changed his serve soon after this and gained three points back on the board, but McCarthy’s kill shots and smart pass shots helped him bring the game to a close.
McCarthy is the only Westmeath man to have won the Men’s singles since its first outing in 1975, and he now sits only three titles behind Paul Brady’s record eleven wins.
Nash won the Golden Gloves tournament in Belfast last year, and bested Kilkenny’s Peter Funchion in this year’s semi-final, who won the Irish Nationals in 2025.
McCarthy doesn’t look like he’s slowing down yet, and his stress-free energy makes him a strong contender for future competitions at the ripe age of 38.
