Draghunting: Kerry dominate on home ground in Munster Championship

A Kerry-dominated Munster Championship at Scartaglen on Sunday saw them take the first three places in the Senior Draghunt with Patsy landing the spoils.

To be fair the course was good open terrain but with the Cork hounds at a disadvantage only one came to the fore with the Trina and Ken Long Southern/Carrigaline Harriers trained hound picking up fourth ticket.

The finish was also surprising with the Cork Association deciding to revert to a ditch finish as their call finish was put to one side for the day.

Strangely enough, the two Cork leading hounds Authority of Northern Hunt and Captain James of Shanakiel Harriers led the hounds into the finish but seemed to swerve off and lost their chance of glory.

In the end the Joseph O’Driscoll Portmagee-based hound Patsy saw off Bobby from Killoe with another Kerry hound in the shape of Not Now Jake snatching third ticket.

For the trainer of championship leader Authority John O’Callaghan it was disappointing finish after a gallant effort from his hound.

“Look it was a good effort on terrain that we are not used to running on but congratulations to the winner and also to the connections of Blue Daisy from our own association who kept the flag flying with a well-earned fourth ticket,” he said.

There was also success for Kerry in the Senior Maiden draghunt when the Patrick Dillon trained Blackmore denied a Cork success with a sterling run.

For Gerry Murphy and Sheila Cummins, it was so close and yet so far as their duo Penny’s Girl and Tiger’s Boy finished close up in second and third.

The remaining tickets went to the Kerry association as Gerry Murphy reflected on a good day for his club and kennel: “You are always a little disappointed when you go so close in winning a major championship but to be honest I am proud in the manner my hounds performed.

“We have another big draghunt at Blarney on Sunday next and hopefully we will go one better but well done to Patrick Dillon in training the winner.” 

The Puppy draghunt was supposed to be a fresh trail but many trainers were dismayed at what they witnessed at the start.

All trainers were forced to drive out three miles before heading up a laneway to what was declared as the starting point of the draghunt.

Various trainers have contacted this scribe complaining that no runner came in with a hunt to the hounds and amazingly how trainers allowed their hounds be slipped hoping they would pick up the hunt is mind-boggling.

The end result despite some hounds managing to make their way to the finish it was decided to void this unsatisfactory draghunt.

No doubt there will be an interesting debate about this venue at convention in February 2024 as this is not good enough for a major championship meeting.

On Thursday we will look at the Donal O’Mahony meet on Sunday that will hopefully be a huge success for all concerned.

Munster Senior Championship: 1. Patsy (Kerry); 2. Bobby (Kerry); 3.Not Now Jake (Kerry); 4. Blue Daisy (Southern/Carrigaline Harriers); 5. Blaithorm (Kerry); 6. Jake (Kerry).

Senior Maiden: 1. Blackmore (Kerry); 2. Penny’s Girl (Shanakiel Harriers); 3. Tiger’s Boy (Shanakiel Harriers); 4. Busy Maid (Kerry); 5. De Niro (Kerry); 6. Zebo (Kerry).

Puppy: Declared void, unsatisfactory draghunt.