Cork Draghunting: Hannah Banana moves into second in race for Puppy Championship
Aoife O'Keeffe with Captain James of Shanakiel Harriers winner of the Senior draghunt at Tower
A sensational finish from Hannah Banana in the Kerry Pike/Fair Hill Harriers saw her move into second place in the race for the Puppy championship title.
When the hounds showed on the finish they were tightly packed but Hannah Banana came from fifth position to gain the valuable points.
In the end the winner had a half- length to spare over Not Now Ike of Clogheen trained by William Freyne and Ryan Duffy.
The ever consistent Knock’s Boy trained by Michael Crowley of Griffin United was a close up third.
Aaron Freyne’s Jamie’s Dream is the new leader in the championship as she snatched fourth ticket ahead of clubmate Honeysuckle and Authentic.
It really is a fascinating conclusion to the Puppy championship and winning trainer Troy O’Mahony was naturally pleased in the manner his hound finished in such a crucial draghunt.
“It has been a good year in the Puppy grade with many of the hounds on par and I suppose the Rerun of this draghunt will be another competitive one,” he said.
The action switched to Kerry Pike for the Senior meet on Sunday and it proved to be a huge success for the host club when little brothers Captain James and Authority fought out the finish.
In the end the battling qualities of Captain James of Shanakiel Harriers saw him get the business done in style as he outfought the champion in waiting with a length and a half to spare.
Another promising hound in the shape of Sean T ran another credible race to snatch third ticket that will have pleased the Griffin United father and son training partnership of John and Sean O’Sullivan.
The remaining tickets were filled by Jamie’s Gem, Riley and Blue Lad who all put in good shifts in this good open drag hunt.
Speaking after the draghunt winning trainer Barry O’Keeffe was naturally pleased to see his talented hound produce the goods.
“It was a good finish and when your hound can see off the champion in waiting he has had to dig very deep,” he said.
It was a good day for Shanakiel Harriers in the Senior Maiden draghunt when they filled the four tickets.
In the end the honours went to the Sheila Cummins and Gerry Murphy trained Northern Belle who saw off his kennelmate and champion in waiting Tigers Boy.
Another Shanakiel Harriers trainer Kieran Kearney had the next two places with Kerry Surprise and Kilbrittain Girl with the Mayfield duo Magic’s Beauty and Calvin’s Lad concluding the ticketing hounds.
It has been announced that Timoleague will host next Sunday’s Puppy All-Ireland draghunt and we are back to Watergrasshill on Sunday October 1 for the Senior equivalent.
1. Hannah Banana (Mayfield); 2. Not Now Ike (Clogheen); 3. Knock’s Boy (Griffin United); 4. Jamie’s Dream (Clogheen); 5. Honeysuckle (Clogheen); 6. Authentic (Northern Hunt).
1. Jamie’s Dream (Clogheen) 86; 2. Hannah Banana (Mayfield) 85pts; 3. Ashcroft (Northern Hunt) 82; 3.; 4. Knock’s Boy (Griffin United) 74; 5. Slievemish Bounce (Clogheen) 56; 6. Authentic (Northern Hunt 41.
1. Captain James (Shanakiel Harriers); 2. Authority (Northern Hunt); 3. Sean T (Griffin United); 4. Jamie’s Gem (Clogheen); 5. Riley (Shanakiel Harriers); 6.Blue Lad (Southern/Carrigaline Harriers).
1. Northern Belle (Shanakiel Harriers); 2. Tigers Boy (Shanakiel Harriers); 3. Kerry Surprise (Shanakiel Harriers); 4. Kilbrittain Girl (Shanakiel Harriers); 5. Magic’s Beauty (Mayfield); 6. Calvin’s Lad (Mayfield).
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