Following a complete domination of the World Handball Championships in Portland, Oregon last week, Irish handballers return home on Wednesday, led by Men's and Ladies Open champions, Cavan's Paul Brady and Antrim's Fiona Shannon. Brady and Shannon both collected their third consecutive titles, a feat that is unlikely to be ever repeated. "It's taken a while to sink in, particularly because I've been in so much pain since the final," said Brady, who suffered severe damage to his quad three weeks ago. "The injury has really taken its toll on the rest of my body and my next goal is to deal with getting physically right again." Brady spent three year's preparing for the World Championships, but the injury he suffered cast a major doubt over his participation. "I couldn't train for two weeks and my confidence was very brittle," explained Brady. "I played one training game a few days prior to the championship, but mentally it was very difficult to remain focused on the games and not the injury." The 30-year-old opened the defence of his world title against American, Eric Hilgren, and while his movement looked visibly restricted, Brady managed to pull of an emphatic victory. "I suppose in the first game I was trying to adjust to the heavy strapping and I felt the pain-killing injections wearing off, but thankfully I pulled through," said Brady. "The pain persisted in all of the games and I began to struggle physically with playing daily so I received more injections and by the time the final came, my body was running on sheer adrenalin," he said. Brady defeated rising young Texan star, Allan Garner, in the final, but it was not without drama. In the first game, the Breffni man recorded a 21-14 win, but Garner displayed some awesome killing to force a tiebreaker. In the decider, at 3-0 up, Brady was forced to take an injury time out after colliding with the side-wall. Playing through severe pain, he managed to finish out the game and secure an 11-7 victory, and fulfil his three-in-a-row mission. Antrim's Fiona Shannon replicated the incredible feat when she defeated fellow Saffron handballer, Aisling Reilly in the Ladies Open Final. Nineteen year old, Reilly had chances in the opening game, but the experienced defending champion finished out the game at 21-19 and when pushed in the second, was able to stand up to the task with a 21-16 victory. "I'm absolutely delighted with the win," said Shannon. "I knew it was going to be tough, but things went well for me in the second game and it's an unbelievable feeling to have taken my third title." Shannon went on to partner sister, Sibeal, to take the Ladies Open Doubles title, having lost in the 2003 and 2006 finals. "It's very special to win the Doubles with Sibeal," she said. "We've been so close at the last two worlds and it's great to finish off the week on another high." Fiona and Sibeal defeated Kerry's Maria Daly and Antrim's Aisling Reilly in an 11-4 tiebreaker to take the first Ladies Open Doubles title to Ireland. Almost 270 Irish handballers took part in the World Championships last week, where Ireland dominated the underage and adult four-wall events. Kilkenny's Ducksy Walsh collected the Masters A title, while Dublin's Eoin Kennedy and Cavan's Michael Finnegan won the Men's Open Doubles crown. In the juvenile events, Monaghan's Padraig McKenna won the 15 and Under, with Lauren O'Riordan (Roscommon) taking the Girls 15 and Under title. Wicklow's Shauna Hilley won the 19 and Under Singles event, where she defeated Roscommon's Leona Doolin, in yet another tiebreak finish. The official squad arrives in Dublin Airport at 4pm tomorrow (Wednesday), where they will be greeting by GAA President, Christy Cooney. Tweet

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