WHILE the annual Dublin Horse Show was unable to go ahead in August, a similarly time-honoured tradition threw in a couple of cliff-hangers at the AIPC in Phoenix Park.

Wexford’s Paddy Casey, Jock Thompson, John Flavin and Tom Small went into extra time in the qualifiers last weekend at four-all against Tyrone at the end of the fourth chukka.

Tyrone finally ran out of road in the fifth chukka on six goals to five from Wexford, the match a snapshot of the final to come against LHK.

Wexford’s bid for the Novice Cup in last Sunday’s final continued into the third chukka until LHK’s Colm Kelleher, Caroline Keeling, Siobhan Herbst and John Flavin tied the score at four-all. Matching goal for goal until Wexford’s Tom Small tied the score at six-all, the final game turned on a Safety 60 when a Wexford defender sent the ball over the back line, and the 60-yard penalty hit awarded turned the game in LHK’s favour.

“Really close games from yesterday, no game had more than half a goal to a goal in it, it was all very tight,” said LHK’s Michael Connolly, who scored the Safety 60 and subsequent penalty hits.

“I think any team could have won it. We ended up getting lucky today but (the) phenomenal (Wexford) team deserved equally to win, four really strong players.”

Just after the fifth chukka, 60-yard penalty goal commentator Lar Sheeran, one of this country’s most renowned former polo players said: “The next goal won it. It didn’t get any tighter than that. This game was a good bit of sport in a very tight game.”

Workpal’s Ian Magahey, James Connolly, Keelan McCarthy and Emmett Connolly won their closely fought round robin subsidiary final ahead of Tyrone and Pegus.

Rocklow’s Paul Ronan, Brad Rainsford-Blackett, Emily Beere and Tommy Tagle won the 0-goal final for the Pegus trophy against Bunclody on five goals to 1.5 and the subsidiary final was won by Killyfaddy on 7.5 goals to three from Polo Wicklow.