World champion Paul Brady shook off the effects of the flu to survive a tiebreaker against defending All-Ireland holder Robbie McCarthy and advance to the oneills.com All-Ireland senior singles final after a dramatic day of action at Croke Park on Saturday.

Brady won the opener 21-7 but fell 12-5 down in the second as McCarthy dominated. Brady rallied to lead 14-12 but the Mullingar man closed it out. In the tiebreaker, though, Brady’s serve was dialled in and he closed it out 11-3.

“Believe it or not, I was in bed all week with the flu but I felt great today. But I suppose it was still there a little bit,” Brady said.

“What happened in the second game was Robbie played really well as he can, he’s a great champion and he played really well.

“I was at my best there today and I just had no answer in that second game. I think we were both tired, it was a tough game.”

The 45-year-old Cavan player will meet Cork’s first-time finalist David Walsh, 20 years his junior, in the decider on May 10th after Walsh defeated Meath’s Gary McConnell 21-4, 21-19.

Meanwhile, the women’s final will see two former champions face off after Galway’s Ciana Ní Churraoin got the better of Roscommon’s Fiona Tully and Limerick lefty Martina McMahon defeated Kildare youngster Mollie Dagg, both in straight games.

Ní Churraoin defeated McMahon in the final of the World Championships last November so the Broadford player has revenge on her mind.

“Look, on that day I don’t think I performed as well as I could, I didn’t seem to be able to kill a ball, but that’s not taking away from Ciana either,” McMahon said.

“The next big title for me is this All-Ireland championship and I’m going to put full focus into that.”