Paul Brady

rollout

I made a search of the forum but couldn't find a thread on Paul Brady so thought I'd start one up.

Over the past 2 weekwends Cavan's Paul Brady won both the 40x20 (small court) singles and doubles All Ireland Senior titles. A formidable achievement for any man but he competed in both these finals with a double break to a finger on his left hand picked up in football training the week before the singles final. As far as I know he requires surgery to help repair the damage, which he had put off until after last weekends doubles final.

I was present at both finals and can only say that the exhibition he put on in the singles in particular was breathtaking. A nervy start saw Brady go 9-1 down to Armaghs Charly Shanks but Brady pulled back to take the first and then dominate the second to win 21-4.

As my user name suggests I'm a handball player and a handball fan so I may be biased in my opinions but the service, dedication and performances Brady has given to the game over the past 10 years has been extraordinary. A look at his record on the major championships and tournaments ove the past 8-9 years show how dominant he has been.

World Singles Champion: 2003, 2006, 2009
All Ireland Singles Championship: 2003, 2005 - 2011
All Ireland Doubles Championship:2003, 2004, 2006-2008, 2010, 2011 (all with Michael Finnegan)
US Nationals Singles Champion: 2005 - 2010

It's difficult in most sports to compare players spread over eras and generations. Is Nadal better than Borg? Maradonna than Puskas? The difference in the skills necessary varies from generation, training methods adapt, the physical stature and possibilities possessed and required by participants changes also, etc. On top of this handball is in the unenviable situation where, at present it is a long way from it's peak in participant numbers. However, Brady is so far ahead of his nearest rivals that I feel he has legitimate claims to being one of the best.

Future generations will look back at Brady and assume we lived in a golden age of athletes.

Gingy

Great singer as well.......

In fairness that's some achievement, I always feel that handballers don't get the credit that they deserve within the association.

DB10

Best ever handballer?

Also should credit him that he is very good footballer and has represented Cavan for the senior team brilliantly the last decade or so.

Training for both could never have been easy and working as well. Deserves every bit of credit he gets.

Bummer1234

Great lad for the sport in Cavan and Ireland...And deserves all the credit DB10 mentions!!

megadodge

As a handball fanatic myself I'm also quite biased, but I honestly think he's as good a sportsman as this country has ever produced.

He's just so good, it's impossible to put it in words, but I would suggest to anybody who appreciates true greatness, if they have a chance to see him live do it before he's gone. You don't need to know anything about handball to realise you're in the presence of something extraordinary.

We might never see his likes again.

Mardy Bum

I was just going to start this thread!

He is so far ahead of anyone in the sport it is ridiculous. He is the Pele and Maradona of handball. He works harder than anyone in the game both in Ireland and America and it shows on the court. He should be considered a national hero up there with the likes of Sonia O Sullivan, Peter Canavan etc but he is not because of the lack of recognition the sport gets. Imagine a hurler playing an AI Final with a broken wrist well he done the equivalent and hammered his opponent.

He has broken all the great Irish records and there is only one or two in the States he has to settle and then he can quite easily be regarded as the best player in history. Not bad for a Cavan man.

Grudaire

If only he played Big Alley....

He is miles ahead when it comes to small alley, it's impressive seeing someone dominate the sport so much.

rollout

Kennedy is well on his way to being thought of the same way in the big alley. He still has a bit to go to equal Duxies haul but i can't see who will realistically challenge him over the next few years.

On another note, Nash must have had some nationals. Some big scalps taken this weekend.

megadodge

rollout wrote: »

Kennedy is well on his way to being thought of the same way in the big alley. He still has a bit to go to equal Duxies haul but i can't see who will realistically challenge him over the next few years.

Well considering McCarthy got 20 and 16 of him last year, I'd consider him a "realistic" challenge.

I also believe that young Paidi Quish (only u16) is the best big alley juvenile I've seen in donkey's years and by the time he's 20 could be challenging for the big one.

Mardy Bum

megadodge wrote: »

I also believe that young Paidi Quish (only u16) is the best big alley juvenile I've seen in donkey's years and by the time he's 20 could be challenging for the big one.

Sure didn't Finnegan win about 3 minors in the big court and hes still waiting for a senior, theres a big step up!

rollout

It's a long road between under 16 and challenging for a senior title. There's plenty of players have shown great promise underage but didn't live up to their potential or hype.

I haven't seen Quish play so can't comment on him personally.

It would be great to see a few new faces coming through to put it up to Eoin. His last real challenger was Barry Goff from Wexford. Does anyone know if he is playing these days or is he back concentrating on the hurling?

megadodge

I appreciate the huge difference between juvenile and senior, but this kid is so good I firmly believe he'd win the minor this year if he entered it and when you look at his pedigree and 'backup team', I think it's safe to say he'll be kept on the straight and narrow in the meantime.

Then when you take the massive improvement all people go through from 16-21ish I just can't wait to see what he's like then.

By the way, why have my comments on McCarthy seemingly been ignored? He came very close to beating Eoin last year! Far closer than Goff did.

Mardy Bum

megadodge wrote: »

By the way, why have my comments on McCarthy seemingly been ignored? He came very close to beating Eoin last year! Far closer than Goff did.

It will be McCarthy who will be the first to beat Brady and Kennedy I'd say, if he keeps going the way he is.