Gaelic Games

Handball: Paul Brady rolls back the years to win US Nationals

Five-time world champion completed a record-equalling 11th title

Paul Brady won the US Nationals in Los Angeles on Saturday. Photo: Morgan Treacy/Inpho

Paul Fitzpatrick
Sun Jun 30 2019 - 16:21

Five-time world champion Paul Brady completed a remarkable comeback at the US Nationals in Los Angeles on Saturday when he cruised to a record-equalling 11th Open Singles crown.

The 39-year-old Cavanman won this title 10 times between 2005 and 2015 (missing out only due to injury in 2009) but remained agonisingly one short of the record following three successive defeats.

The emergence of Boston-based Corkman Killian Carroll seemed to mark the end of the Brady era but the veteran rolled back the years to storm to an emphatic victory on Saturday night when he saw off Galway’s former All-Ireland senior champion Martin Mulkerrins in the final.

Moycullen’s Mulkerrins had ousted Carroll in the semi-final while Brady dismantled American David Fink and the former Breffni footballer was always in control in the final, pinning the 26-year-old back with powerful pass shots and nerveless kills in front court.

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Afterwards, Brady – who turns 40 in September – hinted that he will return next year for an assault on a 12th title.

“I put so much into this, nobody knows how much I was hurting. I was determined that it couldn’t end like that,” he said.