Kim Mullahey

TWO of the most coveted cups in the Irish collection were up for grabs recently at the All-Ireland Polo Club in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, the Pakistan cup and the Patriotic challenge cup, won last year by Britain’s Buck’s club.

Tyrone’s Eamonn Laverty had not won the Pakistan Cup since 2011 and along with his son Dan Laverty, William Clarke and Fecundo Matilla, set out to change that in the four-goal round-robin against Pegus and LHW Insurance.

David Stone, Mark Stone, Jack Armstrong and David Stone Jnr, lined out for the Pegus team and accumulated 10 goals over the two days.LHW Insurance which comprised of Colm Kelleher, Caroline Keeling, Michael Connolly and Denis Connolly earned 22 goals over two days of competition, however Tyrone took the cup home with a total of 23 goals. “We haven’t won the most coveted cup in the AIPC since 2011,” said Eamonn Laverty just before he was presented with the cup on behalf of the team. “We were absolutely delighted to have won against the very skilful LHW Insurance.” Laverty went on to represent Ireland’s Kildare Street club for the patriotic challenge cup along with David Stone, Jack Armstrong and Alejo Tagle.

The international tournament, played each year against a British team, has been ongoing since 1903. This year the UK Buck’s club was represented by Lindsay Smallbone, Charles Schrager, Robert Simpson and Gus Prentice.

Ireland held the lead in the early stages and the scores were tied at three goals apiece early in the fourth, chukka, however the Irish team went on to score a famous victory by five goals to three.

The zero goal tournament for the Stanley Corcoran cup was won by Lar Sheeran, Michael Connolly, Pat FitzSimons and Robert Patton for Wicklow against Rocklow’s Paul Ronan, Paul Ronan Jnr, Mark Ronan and Sean Connolly on a score of five goals to three.

The zero goal subsidiary final was won by Sam Driver, Jack Armstrong, William Clarke and Denis Connolly for Rockett’s Castle against Derville Meade, Nicholson Boyd, Harrison Boyd and Colm Kelleher of Tu Va on a score of three goals to one.