Ireland’s Paul Brady wins fifth successive world handball final

Paul Brady cemented his legacy as the greatest handball player the sport has ever seen with an unprecedented fifth successive world title in Calgary, Canada on Friday night , revealing afterwards that he was signing off from the Worlds after his finest hour.

Brady delivered arguably the best performance of his illustrious career as he saw off young Cork sensation Killian Carroll 21-8, 21-2 in just under an hour.

Brady tore into his young opponent from the off, firing bullets from the service box as he raced into a 17-4 lead in game one, reaching 18 with a deft ‘paddle kill’ in the left corner.

But there were signs as the match wore on that Carroll was growing into the contest. Brady made some uncharacteristic hand errors as the Corkman clawed his way to eight and successfully defended game-ball before the former Breffni footballer closed out the first with a textbook crack serve down the left.

Carroll was attempting to assert himself and slow the pace of the game down, with some success, with three-wall wrap and ceiling shots, but he looked in trouble whenever Brady upped the aggression and attempted to end rallies early and often.

And in the second game, the Cavanman was at his ruthless, brilliant best. Laying down an astonishing eight flat kills, he sped into a 16-0 lead.

Carroll pulled back two points but Brady was relentless, closing it out with two more amazing ace serves and three kills.

An emotional Brady held back tears after the match as he paid tribute to Carroll, and his family back home, who he said, had supported him throughout his career.

Earlier, Aisling Reilly saw off Cathriona Casey in a tiebreaker to retain the Ladies Open title.