Puppy All Ireland 2009

The long awaited big day arrived for puppy trainers at Reenascreena, Co Cork yesterday, where 32 pups lined up to run the longest open course yet. It really was a long tough course for these young hopefuls, running on a mixed terrain of hard and soft ground. At just under 40 minutes, this years puppy All Ireland course gave no advantage to any favoured hound,as it was a sure test of stamina, determination and the ability to just complete this open course.
Left; Puppy slip


All hounds were slipped at 2:30pm and it was definately one of Timmy McCarthys 'Sheares Park' hounds who led them climbing uphill in the 2nd field, he was lifting it and set a savage fast pace for his followers. At the divide it was 'Mossgrove Quietly' of the county who led this road. They were all moving at a very fast pace
Above; Anxious trainers calling their hounds to cross the finishing line.....

At the finish, they seemed to take minutes to show before they would cross the last road 2 fields out from the finish. I don't know what happened but there had to have been a check between the 2nd last road and the last as only 9 pups showed in a line running toward the last road. They had a few lengths between each other and the leader was identified as Timmy McCarthys 'Sheares Park Boy'. Once they crossed the last road the call went up. Fast Finishing 'Sheares Park Boy' upped his speed but was under pressure from Eamonn Murphys 'Blue Machine' of the County. Trainers screaming for their hound just to give that bit more as now they were running together. 20 lengths from the line and Eamonn Murphys 'Blue Machine' got a burst of speed and pulled away from 'Sheares Park Boy' to cross the line 1st snatching this years Puppy All Ireland title. 'Sheares Park Boy' still held on to take runner up prize for an elated Timmy McCarthy of Southern Harriers. ICDA also took the 3rd ticket with 'Mossgrove Quietly', with 4th place going to Gary O Sullivans 'Skylark' of Northern Hunt.


Above; All Ireland Puppy finish (especially for Eamonn Murphy who was at the Cork/Kerry game)


Above; Sarah O Keefe of ICDA with 2009 Puppy All Ireland Winner 'Blue Machine'




Above; L-R 2009 Puppy All Ireland placed hounds....

Puppy All Ireland Results;
1st Blue Machine, ICDA
2nd Sheares Park Boy, Southern Harriers
3rd Mossgrove Quitely, ICDA
4th Skylark, Northern Hunt
5th Speedy, Southern Harriers
6th I Want You, Northern United
32 Ran, 39mins 35 secs