Cavan's Paul Brady and Michael Finnegan booked their place in the DALKIA All-Ireland 40x20 Senior Doubles Final on Saturday last after a thrilling battle against Cork's Tony Healy and Colm Jordon. The meeting was scripted as a tight affair, but no-one could have predicted a 21-19 tiebreak finish to the drama that unfolded at the O'Loughlin Gaels venue in Kilkenny. The Cavan duo opened with intent, taking the first game 21-10, with Brady controlling the game and Finnegan providing a strong presence on the right. However, the Rebels lifted their game in the second, powering home to a 21-13 victory and forcing, what proved to be, a gripping decider. Healy and Jordon continued their good form in the early stages of the tiebreaker, but it was the experience of the Breffni pair that proved to be the difference in the dying stages, as Brady and Finnegan took their chances to triumph. They will now bid for an incredible fourth title in succession, having defeated Mayo's Joe McCann and Dessie Keegan in the 2007 final. Meanwhile in the DALKIA Ladies Senior Doubles Semi-finals, Kingdom pairing Maria Daly and Ashley Prendeville were unable to contain the power of Kildare's Anna Spence and Eimear Ní Fhallúin as they booked their final place. Spence and Ní Fhallúin were in top form as the Lilywhites progressed on a scoreline of 21-13, 21-15 after a close encounter at the same Kilkenny venue. Tweet

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