Moment of truth as Robbie aims to stop the drive for five
The defining moment of his handball career potentially awaits Mullingar's Robbie McCarthy Jnr in Calgary this evening, when he takes on four-time world champion Paul Brady in the senior singles final of the World Handball Championships.
McCarthy - last year's Westmeath Examiner Sports Star of the Year - saw off American Sean Lenning in what GAAHandball.ie has described as one of the most thrilling games in the history of the tournament.
After mounting a comeback to win the first game 21-14, McCarthy dropped a game before winning a heart-stopping tiebreaker 11-10.
Team Ireland captain Robbie (28) called time-out at 10-7, but Lenning stormed back into contention with some crucial killshots.
On the cusp of victory, Lenning baulked however, and his Mullingar opponent prevailed.
Cavan legend Brady, meanwhile, advanced after beating Charly Shanks in straight games, winning the second 21-18 after being put through the ringer by the Armagh man.
Both results mean that McCarthy has the chance to set the record straight with Brady (35), who is on a drive for five consecutive world titles, and whom Robbie has yet to record a win against.
When asked about the almost inevitable crossing of paths between the two Irish handball giants before heading to Calgary, Robbie had this to say:
“I haven’t played Paul since March last year at a pro tournament in New York where the game went to a tiebreaker, but I’ve learned a lot since then.
“The most important thing is that Paul Brady is only human – he pulls on his gloves to play, just like the rest of us.
“I used to fear playing Paul, I thought he was a machine, but things have clicked for me in the past few months and the Navy has taught me that only I can make things happen and that I control own my destiny.”
The McCarthy/Brady clash begins at 5pm Irish time, and can be viewed on a live stream at http://www.wphlive.tv/live/.
The other all-Irish semi-final takes place at 6pm, and will see Clareman Diarmaid Nash face Cork sensation Killian Carroll, who dismantled top U.S. handballer Luis Moreno yesterday.
The singles final takes place at 8pm tomorrow (Irish time).
Meanwhile, Robbie's dad, coach and inspiration, Robbie McCarthy Snr, is hunting his third masters gold medal at the Worlds.
At 5am tomorrow morning (Irish time), he and Mick Dowling will take on American duo Lloyd Garcia and Gary Scogin in the semi-finals of the Men's doubles small ball masters event, for a place in tomorrow's final (10pm Irish time).
The younger McCarthy, with Diarmaid Nash, is also closing in on a doubles medal, and they will meet Moreno and Andy Nett in the senior doubles semi at 9pm tonight, with the final fixed for 8pm tomorrow night.
Brady and his doubles partner Michael Finnegan are on the other side of the draw, against Roscommon duo Rikki O'Gara and Joseph McCann.