Kim Mullahey

FEW involved in Irish polo could have accurately predicted the outcome of the Freebooters Cup four-goal tournament at the AIPC in Phoenix Park last weekend, particularly when one of the teams in the final had a half-goal handicap advantage.

Horseware’s Tom McGuinness Jnr, Colm Kelliher, Michael Connolly and Joe O’Connell averaged just three goals against the four contributed by Eamonn Laverty, Dan Laverty, Fecundo Matilla and Julie Kavanagh of Tyrone and duly lost their preliminary match, but provisions were in place for a golden fifth chukka in the event of a win by Tyrone in the final.

The stronger team inevitably won in the final’s four chukkas but failed to score in the golden fifth, resulting in an amicable draw for the Freebooters Cup and opening the way to an historic cross-border partnership for Tyrone and the Louth-based Horseware.

Veteran polo player and match commentator Lar Sheeran described the standard of polo in the golden chukka “was one of the finest in the tournament”.

Tyrone entered the final ahead by one match, and all that was required was a second win to sweep Horseware from the tournament. Dan Laverty scored early in the first chukka, but Horseware’s Michael Connolly was on fire in the second chukka with a good penalty free hit on a Tyrone foul in addition to a clean field goal. With Tyrone already battling from a half-goal behind, Dan Laverty came back from a very accurate ride-off by Michael Connolly to score.

Tyrone’s Fecundo Matilla scored a good penalty free hit in the third chukka which was almost immediately answered by a goal from Horseware’s Connolly but Matilla retaliated again with another free hit on a Horseware foul.

Horseware’s Joe O’Connell was responsible for two goals in the fourth chukka and Tyrone’s Eamonn Laverty took one for a score of 5½ goals to 5, a loss for Tyrone that prompted the golden fifth chukka.

Neither team was willing to give an inch of valuable ground to force the winning goal and, the score unchanged at the end of the fifth chukka, the Freebooters Cup, crafted in 1887, was taken home by Tyrone until next January, when it will be claimed by Horseware.

Sean Reynolds, James Connolly, Keelin McCarthy and Hector Medrano of Rits won the zero-goal final for the Ladies Cup against David Stone Jnr, Paul Ronan, Derville Hoey and William Clarke of Labstock/Pegus with a score of 5½-3 goals.

The zero-goal subsidiary final was won by Tyrone/El Nino’s Eamonn Laverty, Dan Laverty, Elaine Monahan and Johnny Hearne against Tinakilly’s David Stone, David Connolly, Mark Ronan and Mel Sutcliffe on 3½ goals by Tyrone and 2 from Tinakilly.

The AIPC will host the Canada Cup next weekend, September 6th-7th with teams from Ireland and Canada. The tournament and the cup last won by Canada are returning following an absence of 10 years.