THE summer polo season at Curraghmore Polo Club last weekend ended on the bounce of a ball, taken in a penalty shoot-out between Curraghmore and Lake Tour Stables and the ultimate, tie-breaking sudden death goal.

Curraghmore and Lake Tour qualified for the round-robin final in the Ronan Group Cup -1 to -6 goal tournament in Waterford, beating Rocklow and Bishopland respectively while Northern Ireland Polo Club (NIPC) also qualified in beating Ballindenisk.

Through six chukkas in the final Sheldon Williamson, Emily Beere, Tina White and Steven Power for Curraghmore tied with Lake Tour’s John Flavin, Paddy Flavin, Denise Power and Paudie Daniels at seven-all. Curraghmore, earning six goals after two chukkas against NIPC before tying with Lake Tour at one-all; NIPC going on in the last two chukkas to give up an additional six goals to Lake Tour.

Power hitters John Flavin for Lake Tour and Curraghmore’s Sheldon Williamson stepped up, each scoring two goals in the best of five attempts in the penalty shoot-out. While Flavin missed his next opportunity, the sudden death goal was won by Williamson in what was a lucky bounce of the ball.

“It was one lucky bounce and quite nerve-wracking,” said Williamson of the tie-breaking goal he scored just before being presented with the tournament cup. “I was looking at it after I hit it. John (Flavin) thought I had missed and then it bounced back in. I said please bounce right (towards the goalmouth), and it did. It bounced out and then bounced back in.”

While the tournament was considered to be at the lowest of the lower league at –6 goals, the number of goals scored throughout told instead a story of huge strides made through the season as skills improved, even among the very lowest to qualify for amateur regulation competition at -2 goals.

Rocklow were relegated in their qualifying rounds to the subsidiary round-robin final along with Ballindenisk and Bishopland, winning their level with six and half goals to three from Bishopland and two and a half from Ballindenisk.

Individual handicaps are currently under review for adjustments to be confirmed early next year, and Sheldon Williamson has stated that it is the right step to take.

“I think everyone needs to sit down and look at the handicaps,” he said. “It was quick polo for -2 to -6 polo, lightning fast. That wasn’t -2 (goal) polo.”

The Most Valuable Player of the tournament was Emily Beere, who was on the Curraghmore side to deliver her own parcel of goals while supporting team attempts in their matches.

The best playing pony was India, a successful racehorse to polo pony acquisition owned by Rocklow’s April Kent.

All prizes including MVP, BPP and the winning teams were sponsored by The Equine Warehouse, and the Ronan Group Cup is presented annually by sponsor Paul Ronan Sr.