All-Ireland Doubles Final Showdown Having suffered heartbreak in the 2007 60x30 season, Mayo's Dessie Keegan and Joe McCann will continue in their search for redemption when they take on Royal County pairing, Brian Carroll and Tom Sheridan, in the M Donnelly All-Ireland Senior Doubles final at Croke Park on Saturday next. McCann suffered a collapsed lung in the week prior to last year's final and was forced out of the Croke Park showdown. Now the pair from the West are out to make amends for what might have been but standing in their path is a strong Meath outfit who defeated favourites, Dublin, in the semi-final. "Last year was tough to take but we're back in a final now and we know it's all in our own hands," said Keegan. The hard-hitting backwall specialist will be competing in his third Senior Doubles final and insists last year's loss and that of 2005 are his main motivation. "Last year, it was a killing blow not to be able to play with Joe but I always knew what the result was going to be and just went through the motions in the final," he said. "But 2005 was a devastating defeat for both of us and that loss will hopefully help us to keep focused on Saturday." The 6'1 powerhouse is the current full-back on the Ballaghaderreen senior football team while McCann fills the centre-back position. Keegan is happy that the pair know each other's handball inside out having spent so much time training in recent months. "We train about six or seven nights a week together between football and handball so we know what each other are thinking and that's very important in the court." The Meath pairing of Brian Carroll and Tom Sheridan have also gelled well in their first year together and will be confident of taking glory against the Mayo men. Joining forces with Sheridan, winner of nine All-Ireland Senior Doubles titles, was a major step up in Carroll's career but the 21-year-old has settled well into the partnership and despite being in their first year together, the duo has shown they can mix it with the best. "We had a really tough game against Egin (Jensen) and Eoin (Kennedy) in the semi and now were in a final, anything can happen." Meath have had huge success in this competition and last won the title in 2004, while Mayo are looking to end a 42 year famine west of the Shannon. Only one team can survive this Croke Park showdown. In the Minor Doubles Final, Limerick young-guns, CJ Fitzpatrick and Seamus O'Carroll will be bidding for back to back titles when they take on Kilkenny's Ger McGrath and Patrick Funchion in the curtain raiser. Tipperary's Ger Coonan and Kilkenny's Nicholas Anthony will contest the Intermediate Singles final. ALL-IRELAND FINAL LINE-UP September 20th @ the Irish Handball Centre, Croke Park, 3pm Minor Doubles: CJ Fitzpatrick, Seamus O'Carroll (Limerick) v Patrick Funchion, Ger McGrath (Kilkenny) Intermediate Singles: Gerard Coonan (Tipperary) v Nicholas Anthony (Kilkenny) Senior Doubles: Tom Sheridan, Brian Carroll (Meath) v Dessie Keegan, Joe McCann (Mayo) Tweet

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