oneills.com All-Ireland 4-Wall Men's and Ladies Senior Singles action continues
Niamh Heffernan advanced to the semi-finals.
By Paul Fitzpatrick
The semi-final line-ups are set in the oneills.com All-Ireland 4-Wall Men's and Ladies Senior Singles following the last-eight ties at Croke Park.
Cork's Michel Hedigan almost pulled off a seismic upset as he took the first game against Diarmaid Nash (21-15) but the Clareman recovered to win 21-11, 1-1.
He will now meet Kilkenny's Peter Funchion, who beat Daniel Relihan of Cork (21-17, 21-16). Robbie McCarthy will take on last year's runner-up David Walsh after they beat Monaghan men Eoghan McGinnity (21-2, 21-7) and Gavin Coyle (21-11, 21-11) respectively.
In the Ladies, Roscommon's Fiona Tully takes on Mollie Dagg of Kildare, with world champion Ciana Ní Churraoin meeting Galway colleague Niamh Heffernan.
Nash felt that as the match wore on, he found his rhythm.
“He served unbelievably well,” said the Tuamgraney clubman.
“Obviously I was trying to get into the game but I wasn't really let get into it. I wasn't moving amazing in the first game but as the game went on, I improved. Championship is win or go home so you have to keep going.
“I started moving better in the second game and the dump kills started to work a bit better. Once I won the second I felt good and loose and it was just about continuing that on. We're on to the next one but, yeah - not easy.”
Nash jumped out to a lead in the tiebreaker and rode his momentum from there.
“Tiebreakers are about a good start, I started to serve well and kill well, I was taking the first kill opportunity which makes a huge difference, it puts the opponent under a lot of pressure not to make a mistake.
“Whereas if you are taking two or three attempts to kill the ball, he can get comfortable because he knows he's maybe going to get an opportunity. It's championship so... just go for it.”
Former Galway underage dual star Heffernan, meanwhile, improved as her match wore on as her hunt for a first Senior Singles title moves up a gear.
“She has beaten me the last three times we played so you can't keep going in with the same game plan,” said the Claregalway woman.
“I tried a new serve today, a different angle - I know Eilise loves to kill up front so I just tried to keep her back as much as I can.
“It's point by point, when I got into serve I tried to be so clinical, serve and try to kill - a three-shot rally.”
Heffernan is currently the number-one ranked player on the American pro tour and feels her regular trips across the water have improved her game.
“I love going to America, playing the players over there has definitely made me better when I come back over here. They play with a heavier ball and I think that helped my serves when I come back to the Irish ball,” she said.