Munster Championship 2008

Munster Championship

Reenascreena, Roscarbery, Co Cork

Sunday, 6th of July 08.


Well, well, well................. what a day! For this meeting the drags were divided into 4 categories:

Senior Pups, Maiden Pups, Senior Hounds & Senior Maiden Hounds. This was a nuetral course where the City & County combined their organisational skills to ensure a fair drag to be had by all. CB Tool Hire were the main sponsors of this drag.


Senior Pups

The Senior pups were the first slip of the day at 3pm. A total of 22 lined up and had a tough course ahead of them from heavy marsh ground, high grass and a lot of cattle spread out over its entirety. They got off to a rocky start and an even rockier finish................ The ICDA dominated both puppy drags. There was a great view of the finish where the first 3 dogs were racing head to head with each other in the last few fields. 'Sparky' of ICDA stepped up his pace to finish 1st, a length in front of ICDA's 'Randy'. Bernie Ralls 'Stracken' of Mayfield finished 3rd, just a length and a half away from the winning dog.

If ye're wondering where 'Johnny Murtagh' was, he landed his helicopter on the last road before the finish, but was a bit late because of weather conditions, hence the reason why Bernies 'Stracken' had to settle for 3rd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pictured Above: Senior puppy start



SENIOR PUPPY RESULTS:

1st 'Sparky', ICDA
2nd 'Randy', ICDA
3rd 'Stracken', Mayfield
4th 'Princess', ICDA
5th 'Ferryboy' KBA(Kerry beagle Assoc)
6th 'Ben', ICDA
22 ran, Time 21mins 40secs



Maiden Pups:

The 28 maiden pups were slipped 10mins after the senior puppy hounds and had the same course ahead of them, except the rain got heavier for these hounds. Reports from the roads were very varied and I only know whats true about the last road. The ICDA's 'Drifter' and Cillian Dohertys 'Montana' of Fairhill jumped the ditch over the last road together, but our 'Montana' got an awful fall to the ground, of which he stopped before going on again with 3 fields to go. These two were well clear of the following pack and raced hard to get over the finishing line. The winning honours went to the ICDA's 'Drifter' followed very closely by 'Montana' who took 2nd place with just a length between them. A good race to the finish though. ICDA also took the 3rd ticket with'Firefly Lady'.





Puppy Maiden Results:
1st 'Drifter', ICDA
2nd 'Montana', Fairhill
3rd: Firefly Lady', ICDA
4th 'Hit & Run', ICDA
5th 'Shane', Griffin United
6th 'Mossgrove Lad', ICDA
28ran, Time: 21mins 15 secs

Pictured Above right: Puppy Maiden Slip and first 4 placed hounds from left to right.

Senior Hounds:

The meeting of the day where 32 senior hounds lined up at 4:15pm in the worst weather conditions Mother Nature could have thrown at us. Torrential rain, freezing cold and there's us standing in a field of sh*t........................ Lads there's saner people locked up........

Video Clip above of the senior finish above .......
Anyway, a lot of experienced and very good hounds battled hard in this course. To name a few, 'Merlin', 'Black and Tan', 'Bluebell', 'Blue Boys Son', 'Denton Laser'......... The list is endless but there can only be one Senior Munster Champion. Of course the winning honours went once again to Michael John Buckleys 'Merlin' of Clogheen. Once this dog puts his mind to it and is anywhere within the pack for the call, this hound cannot be caught. He raced over the finishing line to the call like a scalded cat to finish a very comfortable 1st, followed by the very consistent 'Black & Tan' who had to settle for 2nd again, even though she had herself paced a few lengths from the pack that followed her, still could not get close to 'Merlin'.

Pictured Left: Father(on right) & Son(on left) Adam & Gary O Sullivan with their hound 'Black & Tan'

Senior Results:

1st 'Merlin', Clogheen

2nd 'Black & Tan' Northern Hunt

3rd: 'Coppeen Lady', ICDA

4th: 'Toffee Woman', Griffin United

5th: 'Blue Rocket', ICDA

6th: 'It's Hard To Say', ICDA

32 ran, Time: 29mins 14 secs

Senior Maiden Results:
1st: 'McGuigan', Clogheen
2nd: 'Ranter', Mayfield
3rd: 'Brandy Star', ICDA
4th: 'John T', Griffin United
5th: 'Black & White', ICDA
6th: 'Mayday', ICDA
30 ran, Time: 29mins, 5 secs

Pictured above: Ian Freyne with his Senior Maiden Munster Chamionship winner'McGuigan'