Eleanor Flegg

EQUUS Polocrosse Club recorded a double victory in Cork last weekend, taking home both the A and the B Grade trophies in Cork Polocrosse Club’s annual tournament at Ballyspillane Stables, Midleton.

The A Grade winners, Joanne Lavery, James Smyth and Ruth Shanahan beat Dara Mangan, Paul O’Leary and Lee Slowe of Carrickmines, with Shanahan awarded Best player in the Grade.

In the B Grade, two Equus teams vied for the title with Mark Hall, Cathy Matthews and Emma Errity beating Heidi Brabazon, Jason Mackey and Georgina Spillane in the final.

“Mark Hall stole the show in the B Grade,” commented Mike Murphy of Cork Polocrosse Club, “He well and truly deserved his nomination as best player.”

The C Grade winners were Wicklow Bay with Abbey Hamill, Emma O’Hagan, Zoe Nuzum, Ellie Walters, Rita O’Hagan and Cian O’Doherty beating a Munster team of Danny O’Leary, James Moore, Elise Beausang, Marion Carmody, Cormac Birrane and Pat Healy.

Horetown Polocrosse Club won the D Grade, with Sarah Murray, David Bolger and Emma O’Sullivan. Lisa Reilly of Equus, was awarded Best player. Horetown also won the junior competition with Leon Cleary, Fiona Walsh and Molly Jordan (best player).

“She is a young player who has come on a lot this season,” said Murphy.

Hamill, nominated as best player in the C Grade, was one of the young players who travelled to England earlier in the month to play their UK counterparts in a series of two test matches. Both open and under-16 teams, selected from the Irish squad travelled to the tournament at Celyn, near Chester, where Ireland’s open team lost to the British team 30-19 on the first day and 26-13 on the second.

“There’s a lot that the team will take away from this in preparation for the World Cup in 2015,” said Ireland’s manager Naomi Crowley. Many of the players on the squad are new to international polocrosse and the experience tested their ability to perform under pressure.

Ireland’s under-16s fared much better and, although they too lost both matches, there was a sense that they had given the British a run for their money. On the first day the match was a draw and Britain won by golden goal.

Special credit was given to the performances by Abbey Hamill and Paddy Flavin, who were named best players in their respective sections by the opposing team. Flavin also won the award for best horse and rider combination.

“Our juniors excelled themselves,” Crowley commented. “For most of them it was their first time representing their country. It was a very official occasion and their first exposure to such a high pressure environment.”

Cork Polocrosse Club trains regularly at Ballyspillane Stables, Midleton, which is run by the horse trainer Pat Healy.

“Pat was a great jockey in his day but now he’s discovered polocrosse,” said Murphy. “We’re open to new members and there are trained horses for hire to get you started.”

The next tournament will be hosted by Limerick Polocrosse Club at Collins Equestrian Centre, Athlacca, on August 30th-31st.