Poc Fada Craobh na hÉireann

July 27th, 2011

Some of Irelands top hurlers including Tipperary All Star Goalkeeper Brendan Cummins, Waterford manager and former Clare All Ireland winning goalkeeper Davy Fitzgerald, 2010 Poc Fada Craobh na hÉireann Champion Down’s Graham Clarke and five time all Ireland senior hurling medal winner former Kilkenny goal keeper James Mc Garry will be on Annaverna mountain Ravensdale County Louth this Saturday (30th July) in the 2011 M Donnelly & Co. All Ireland Poc Fada Finals.

The unique GAA sporting and cultural contest celebrates 50 years of being an All Ireland Championship event and it promises to be a great day of sport. The Provincial Poc Fada Champions Mark Butler (Leinster), Keith Raymond (Connacht), Stevie Brenner (Munster) and Ruairi Convery (Ulster) will also participate in this year’s Poc Fada as will the four Provincial runners up Karol Keating (Down), John Chawke (Limerick), Tadhg Haran (Galway) and Pat Burke (Westmeath). Patrick StrItch of the Den Haag GAA Club The Netherlands will be also facing the 5km mountain course as he won his way into the All Ireland Finals by winning the European Poc Fada title. Respected award winning sports journalist Christy O Connor of Clare will also be attempting to claim the M Donnelly All Ireland Poc Fada title.

Patricia Jackman of Waterford will be attempting to make history by winning her third M Donnelly Camogie Poc Fada title in a row. She however will face strong competition from previous champion Lyndsey Condell of Carlow, Rachel Monaghan Galway, Kathleen Taggart of Derry, Louth Camogie player Voureen Quigley and Armagh’s Christina Heaney

The M Donnelly Under 16 All Ireland Poc Fada will see Cillian Kiely (Uibh Fhailí) Sean Quinn (Sligeach) Darragh O’Callaghan (Corcaigh)) and Sean Savage (Dún) compete for the prestigious title. For more information on the Finals visit www.anpocfada.net.

The day’s events commence at 12 noon.

2011 is an historic year in the history of An Poc Fada Craobh na hÉireann and a special 50th Anniversary Programme has been prepared to celebrate the milestone. It recalls significant people and events in the history of this special hurling contest and should no doubt prompt many good memories for quite a few people.

On Friday the 29th of July there will be an under 14 Poc Fada on Slieve Foy at 4.30 and later that evening there will be an underage hurling Blitz at Cooley Kickhams’ Grounds. Local Louth, Armagh & Down hurling Clubs will be represented and it is expected that some of the hurlers participating in the All Ireland Poc Fada Final the next day will be attending the underage celebration of hurling.

The draw for the order of play took place on Saturday 23rd August at Fr. McEvoy Park the home of Cooley Kickhams.

Ann Callan (Vice Chairperson Cooley Kickhams),Nicholas Rafferty (Cooley Kickhams) Damien Callan (Vice Chairman “An Coiste Poc Fada”) and Shay Larkin (P.R.O. “An Coiste Poc Fada”) officiated while the young Hurlers of Cooley drew the numbers for the order of play as part of the 50th Anniversary Celebrations and also reconnecting with a club which alongside Naomh Monnine and in conjunction with the Carlingford Oyster Festival were instrumental in the “Revival” of An Poc Fada in 1981.

The order of play for the 2011 M Donnelly Poc Fada has been confirmed following the daw at Cooley Kickhams’ playing fields on Saturday 23rd August.

Mentors, parents, and the Under 10 Hurlers of the Cooley Kickhams Hurling Club who will host the Underage blitz on Friday 29th August. In the background, the legendary scenery of Queen Maebh’s Gap and Slieve Foy, the setting for the Under 14 Poc Fada contest.

M Donnelly All Ireland Poc Fada Final 2011

1. Mark Butler (Loch Gorman) The Leinster Poc Fada Champion and now holder of the Ollie Walsh trophy, faces the 5km All Ireland Mountain course for the firist time. The highly talented hurler a member of the St Martins Club is expected to mount a strong challenge.

2. John Chawke (Luimneach) The Kildimo hurler was runner up in the Munster Poc Fada which took place at Thurles racecourse in early July. John visits the 5km course for the first time and should give a good account of himself

3. Stevie Brenner (Port Láirge) The 2011 Munster Poc Fada Champion and proud holder of the Tommy Quaid Perpetual Cup, returns to An Poc Fada. The De la Salle Clubman is expected to do well on the 5km mountain course.

4. Neil Mc Manus (Aontroim) The Ruairi Og Cushendall clubman visits the Poc Fada contest for the first time. Neil holds two Ulster Under 21 and two Ulster Minor championship medals and has been a regular on the Antrim Championship winning Senior Team since 2007. Neil is expected to make a strong showing in this year’s Poc Fada Craobh na hÉireann.

5. Pat Burke (Iarmhi) The Ringtown clubman was runner up in this years Leinster Poc Fada Final and is a worthy contestant in the 2011 M Donnelly All Ireland Poc Fada Final. Pat visits the Annaverna mountain for the first time.

6. Brendan Cummins (Tiobraid Arann) The current all Star and all Ireland medal winning goalkeeper who holds the course record of (48) returns to the mountain. A four times winner of this contest Brendan is expected to challenge strongly for this years title.

7. Tadhg Haran (Gaillimh) The Liam Mellows hurler hopes to add the Poc Fada all Ireland medal to his all Ireland minor winning one. The Connacht runner up is also another newcomer to the mountain.

8. Keith Raymond (Sligeach) The Connacht Poc Fada Champion, the proud recipient of An Corn Niall McInerney will take on the demanding Annaverna mountain course for the first time. The Carly/St Josephs hurler faces his quest for all Ireland glory with confidence.

9. Davy Fitzgerald (An Clár). Regarded as one of the finest hurling goalkeepers ever, the Sixmilebridge clubman and current manager of the Waterford senior hurling team makes a welcome return to Annaverna. Winner of An Poc Fada Craobh na hÉireann in 1999 and 2002 Davy has been a great supporter of this contest.

10. Patrick Stritch (The Netherlands) Patrick was the winner of the European Poc Fada title and the Den Haag clubman is relishing the opportunity to take on the mountain. Patrick currently working in The Netherlands attends the University of Limerick playing Hurling with his home club of Clonlara in Clare. Football and Hurling have been played in the Netherlands since the 1970s and Den Haag are the European football champions of 2010.

11. James Mc Garry (Cill Chainnigh)The Bennettsbridge hurler makes a welcome return to Annaverna and the Poc Fada. James holds seven Leinster senior championship medals, 2 National Hurling League medals and five all Ireland senior championship medals and no doubt would dearly loce to add the All Ireland Poc Fada medal to his collection.

12. Karol Keating (Dún) Karol who finished runner up in the recent Ulster Poc Fada Final returns to the mountain. The Portaferry Club hurler should put his experience of the mountain to good use and he would be another hurler expected to be challenging strongly for the title.

13. Christy O Connor (An Clár) Christy along with Ritchie Burke of Galway lifted the Comortas Beirte (Pairs) title in 2000 and the St Josephs Doora Barefield clubman, now an accomplished sports journalist is relishing once again the Poc Fada challenge. He is expected to give a good account of himself

14. Graham Clarke (Dún) The 2010 M Donnelly All Ireland Poc Fada Champion who first took on Annaverna Mountain in 2002 returns to defend his title. A very popular winner last year, the talented Ballygalget Clubman is determined to retain his title

M Donnelly All Ireland Camogie Poc Fada Final 2011

1. Voureen Quigley Kilkerly County Louth is a proficient camogie player and gaelic footballer. She has won several county championships at all grades of camogie and senior and under 18 all Ireland medals at gaeloc football. She had the honour of being awarded player of the tournament at the prestigious Kilmacud sevens tournament.

2. Rachel Monaghan from the Mullagh Club in County Galway is recogonised as a very talented young player. She won an under 16 County Championship in 2009 and a muinor Championship medal with Mullagh in 2010. Rachel is also the proud holder of a Senior Schools Connacht Camogie 2011 medal and a Pan Celtic medal in 2009.

3. Lyndsey Condell of Naomh Bríd Club Carlow won the M Donnelly All Ireland Camogie Poc Fada title in 2007 and 2008. The experienced camogie player has won the Kilmacud Puc Fada three times and is expected to make a bold bid to regain this all Ireland title.

4. Christina Heaney from County Armagh started camogie with St Brigid’s Camogie club in Armagh before she joined St Mary’s Camogie Club Granemore when she was 18. She has won Junior and Intermediate Championship Medals as well as Div 2 League title and also a Mid Ulster League Medal.

5. Kathleen Taggart plays full back for her Club Lavey. The County Derry camogie players has won four Derry Senior Camogie Championship medals, , two Ulster Championship and an All Ireland Championship medal with Lavey. She has represented her County at both underage and senior level

6. Sarah Murphy plays for Newcaslewest club in County Limerick and is the first ever camogie player from Kerry to participate in the Poc Fada. She won the long puck all Ireland gold medal in the community games of 2008 and won a Minor Club championship title with Causeway Comprehensive School Camogie Team. In 2008 she won a county Feile title with Causeway GAA Club and was recogonised with two camogie player of the year awards in Causeway Comprehensive School 2009 and 2011

7. Patricia Jackman is a member of the Gaultier club in County Waterford and is returning to the mountain for the sixth time. The talented camogie player has won this contest in 2009 and 2010. Three in a row beckons for the two time Asbourne Cup winner and Ashbourne All Star. She has also won two county senior championship medals, a Kilmacud Sevens winner’s medal, National League Division 2 medals and an All Ireland Feile na nGael Skills Champion medal.

M Donnelly All Ireland Under 16 Poc Fada

1. Sean Quinn (Sligeach) will be the Connacht contestant in the Under 16 Poc Fada 2011. He plays for the Tourlestrane Club

2. Sean Savage (Dún) will be this year’s Ulster representative in the Poc Fada Under 16 contest. Sean is with the Portaferry Hurling Club

3. Cillian Kiely (Uibh Fhailí) will represent Leinster in this years under 16 Poc Fada . He is a member of the Kilcormac/ Killoughey GAA Club

4. Darragh O’ Callaghan (Corcaigh)) is the Munster representative in this years Under 16 Contest. He is a member of the Watergrasshill Club.

Comórtas Beirte – Pairs Competition

A. Patrick Stritch & Keith Raymond

B. Davy Fitzgerald & John Chawke

C. Brendan Cummins & Karol Keating

D. Pat Burke & Christy O’Connor

E. Tadhg Haran & James Mc Garry

F. Stevie Brenner & Neil McManus