Cork Draghunting: Tiger's Boy upsets the odds in Senior All-Ireland 

THE Senior All-Ireland Draghunt proved to be a huge success at Bartlemy with the honours going to 25-1 shot Tiger’s Boy of Shanakiel Harriers.

The hounds were slipped at Bartlemy before they made their way back to Watergrasshill. They raced in the direction of Knockraha before veering left in the direction of Leamlara. The long tough run back to Bartlemy saw the hounds complete the 17-mile course in a time of 45.30 minutes.

The change of weather certainly gave every hound a chance on the day as stamina was certainly needed in this test of endurance.

Reports from the various vantage points saw Captain James do much of the early running but as the draghunt matured fatigue kicked in as many of the fancied hounds found the going too tough to handle.

When the hounds came into view the winner had a slender lead but to the surprise of the large attendance, he swerved left off the line of the hunt as he looked to have thrown away his chance of glory.

Luckily the hounds that took over the running looked tired at the end of this famous draghunt as just in the nick of time Tiger’s Boy got back on the line of the hunt as they entered the last field.

In a terrific race to the tape Tiger’s Boy just did enough to see off the Stephen and Philip Smyth INDHA Cavan-trained Zena who was only passed 10 yards from the tape.

Credit to the Cavan hound who is actually a maiden in the northern association and to run a career-best and go so close to winning the biggest draghunt in this country is testament to the effort she put in on the day.

For the winning hound Tiger’s Boy who won the Senior Maiden championship in the Cork City and County Harriers association it was an incredible run as trainers Gerry Murphy and Sheila Cummins looked shell-shocked.

For the Castletownkenneigh-based trainer this win was a dream come true for his kennel.

“What can I say only that we are delighted and shocked in the same sentence but to be truthful I did feel he would run a big race as his form of late has been consistent,” he said.

To be involved in the sport for many years and win the blue ribband draghunt for the first time is something that Murphy will never forget.

“It doesn’t get much better than this and we will certainly have a good celebration as getting a win like this might never again happen again in our lifetime,” Murphy added.

Joe and Sean Hennessy of the IHT have been involved in the sport for many years and the latter looked extremely pleased when their charge Tex crossed the tape in third place.

In a draghunt where many of the leading hounds found the going rather tough the Kieran Kearney-trained Kilbrittain Girl of Shanakiel Harriers finished a gallant fourth.

Blue Lad has been a model of consistency for Trina and Ken Long of Southern/Carrigaline Harriers and it was fitting that this hound would finish another impressive season when picking up fifth ticket.

Rory Bannon of the INDHA Cavan association completed a great day for the northern outfit when his bitch Too Hot to Handle completed the ticketing hounds.

It was a day for the outsiders as Tiger’s Boy roared to his biggest-ever success.

Senior All-Ireland Senior Draghunt: 

1. Tiger’s Boy (Shanakiel Harriers); 2. Zena (INDHA Cavan); 3. Tex (IHT); 4. Kilbrittain Girl (Shanakiel Harriers); 5. Blue Lad (Southern/Carrigaline Harriers); 6. Too Hot to Handle (INDHA Cavan).