World title dream comes true for McCarthy
An already memorable year went through the roof for Mullingar handballer Robbie McCarthy Jnr tonight, as he claimed the 2014 World Players of Handball (WPH) Players' Championship in Salt Lake City, Utah.
McCarthy – who completed an historic clean sweep of domestic handball titles earlier this year with an All-Ireland 40x20 championship win – defeated another living handball legend, American pro Luis Moreno in a thrilling final a short while ago.
The Westmeath man (26) was overcome with emotion on receiving the WPH Players' Championship Cup, a cheque for $20,000 and the coveted WPH champions' blazer – fittingly, a shade of maroon/purple not too unlike his native colours.
World no. 1 Moreno's storied rivalry with another Irish handball legend, Cavan's Paul Brady, faded into the background after Brady was stunned by Californian Mando Ortiz in Friday's first round.
McCarthy, meanwhile, held off another Californian, Emmett Peixoto, 21-20 after a pulsating and tiring first game on Friday, before coming up with the goods to see off Peixoto 21-11 in the second.
On Saturday, Brady's conqueror Ortiz came up against the Mullingar man, with Robbie cruising 21-6 in the first game, before delivering the most satisfying of killshots to clinch a 21-19 victory in the second.
In tonight's final, McCarthy prevailed after a thrilling tiebreak with Moreno, 14-21, 21-16, 11-6, with the All-Ireland champion oozing class throughout.
"I don't like to come and talk about my handball, but I have a fella back home who works with me, and the idea is to come and play your handball and see how far it gets you – test yourself, and don't be telling other people what your plans are," McCarthy said after tonight's decider.
"My plan was to just come here. I was lucky to get in; only for Aaron Garner pulled out, I was gone. To get here, it was amazing. Then [WPH executive director] Dave Vincent sent me an email, and straight away I accepted.
"But just to get here and test myself again is great. I'm due a break now, thank God."
An emotional embrace with his father and coach, Robbie McCarthy Snr, and his sister Aoife followed, as McCarthy paid tribute to Moreno for a sporting encounter.
"I want to say thanks to the most important person who came with me," he said, welling up with tears. "Only for him we'd have nothing, and I want to say thanks to Robbie [Snr] for making the trip."