By Kim Mullahey

THERE may be time, in what remains of the summer season, to hope for better weather and a tournament specifically for the Pegus Trophy. Unfortunately, all six of teams in the horse show tournament lost out on the opportunity to play when a thunderstorm interrupted the final last Sunday in the Phoenix Park.

Tyrone’s team of Eamonn Laverty, Keelin McCarthy, Dan Laverty and Julie Kavanagh had earned their way to the final through a round-robin of matches in the first leg of the tournament on the previous day along with Wicklow’s Robert Patton, Elaine Monahan, Siobhan Herbst and Johnny Hearne.

As thunder rumbled in the distance and a shower of heavy rain fell on the already sodden pitch, the decision was final and the low goal final for the Pegus Trophy was postponed in favour of better weather before the end of the season. AIPC manager David Stone issued a brief statement noting: “Both captains agreed to abandon it.”

The low goal subsidiary final had taken place earlier in the day in better weather conditions that favoured Sean Reynolds, James Connolly, Evan Power and Hector Medrano of Rits, after four chukkas ended with a final score of 4½ goals to 4.

Abandoned

The match between Bunclody and Rocketts/Labstock went ahead shortly after the low goal final was abandoned, ending in favour of Bunclody’s Robert Hogg, Niall Murphy, Dan Connolly and William Clarke, with 6 goals to 4.

There was good weather through all but the fourth chukka at the end of the match for the 4 goal final between Horseware and Tyrone for the Novices Cup.

The final looked to be an inevitable win for the 4-goal handicapped Eamonn Laverty, Fecundo Matilla, Dan Laverty and April Kent of Tyrone but instead went to Horseware’s Tom McGuinness Jnr, Colm Kelliher, Michael Connolly and Joe O’Connell, a team averaging out at just 3 goals.

Tyrone had won their qualifying match on the previous day by a comfortable margin of 5 goals to 1 against Pegus, while Horseware had done the same against Rocklow to finish on a score of 8 to 3.

In a rare instance, however, the ½-goal handicap advantage wasn’t required for Horseware to win the final who secured a comfortable lead at 5½-2. Tyrone lost out on all but one of four penalty free hits, with Dan Laverty scoring the only penalty goal. Had the penalties been converted into goals there would no doubt have been a very different final outcome.

Strategy

Horseware’s Michael Connolly, who enjoyed better success in converting penalty opportunities, indicated that the final was a result of precision team strategy, assisted by heavy rain in the fourth chukka, which visibly caused Tyrone to fall apart.

“I think our strategy was clinical and it worked well to our advantage, and the weather played right into our hands,” he explained.

Connolly was responsible for marking Tyrone’s April Kent in the final and in one instance, turned the ball away from the Horseware goalmouth for a stunningly executed, long-distance field goal.

Meanwhile, the high goal subsidiary final was won by Pegus on 7-3 goals against Rocklow.