Knock’s Boy of Griffin United wins Southern/Carrigaline Harriers Senior Draghunt

Knock’s Boy of Griffin United showed all his class to win the Southern/Carrigaline Harriers Senior draghunt at Ballygarvan on Saturday.

The host club moved their meeting forward a day to facilitate trainers and ers take in the hurling final at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Sunday.

The one guarantee you get at this venue is good open clean running and the hounds seemed to enjoy it from start to finish.

As the hounds appeared on the finish the winner looked to have a slender lead and on the race to the tape, had to show all his resilience to hold off the strong finish of Ashcroft who was flying at the death.

The third ticket went to the consistent Not Now Al from Gary and Nicole Freyne’s Clogheen kennel.

The winner who is the reigning Senior All Ireland champion is slowly showing his class in this campaign and the father and son training partnership of Ger and Noah McCarthy were elated after the draghunt.

“We are thrilled as Knock’s Boy is a very genuine hound and is now showing his true form but its early weeks in the season and we will not be getting carried away,” Ger McCarthy said.

The biggest cheer of the day was reserved for the Senior Maiden winner Tadgh’s Lad of Mayfield who once again showed incredible focus on the finish to see off clubmate Don’t Panic Lad trained by Denis and Anthony Wall.

Ironically the Wall brothers used to train the winner but gave him to Mayfield stalwart Mickey O’Brien and this hound has certainly found his new surroundings to his liking.

Kerry Pike/Fair Hill Harriers trainer Pat O’Mahony’s good start to the season continued when he filled third and fourth tickets with Hannah Bawn and Rodman.

Naturally, the winning trainer was pleased with his hound’s performance.

“I am thrilled in the manner Tadgh’s Lad has started the season and long may it continue as I am enjoying the present run with him,” O’Brien said.

The Puppy meeting was hosted at Waterfall on Friday and on a beautiful evening a fine draghunt was witnessed by a large attendance.

To be fair the young hounds this season are handling various terrains in a solid manner and once again they drove the hunt at pace.

When the hounds came into view, they were a few in with a chance of landing the spoils but in the style of a good hound Border Mystery showed a terrific turn of foot to cross the tape ahead of the Adam and Gary O’Sullivan Northern Hunt trained Settle Down.

Shanakiel Harriers have some talented hounds in this grade and they also secured third ticket with the Finbarr O’Sullivan-trained Mossgrove Rodger.

The winning hound is from the Barry O’Keeffe Carrigaline kennel and he was very happy that his hound got off the mark for the season with his impressive display.

“We are delighted as Thomas Cochrane is also involved with all our hounds and to get your first win of the season is always a special feeling,” O’Keeffe said.

The Southern/Carrigaline Harriers club would like to thank the landowners in Waterfall and Ballygarvan for giving them leave to run at both venues.

Results: 

Ballygarvan Senior: 

1. Knock’s Boy (Griffin United); 2. Ashcroft (Northern Hunt); 3. Not Now Al (Clogheen); 4. Wolfe Tone Lady (Northern Hunt); 5. Not Now May (Clogheen); 6. Wolfe Tone Lass (Northern Hunt).

Senior Maiden: 

1. Tadgh’s Lad (Mayfield); 2. Don’t Panic Lad (Mayfield); 3. Hannah Bawn (Kerry Pike/Fair Hill Harriers); 4. Rodman (Kerry Pike/Fair Hill Harriers); 5. Kane (Griffin United); 6. Royal Court (Griffin United).

Waterfall Puppy: 

1.Border Mystery (Shanakiel Harriers); 2. Settle Down (Northern Hunt); 3. Mossgrove Rodger (Shanakiel Harriers); 4. Void; 5. Slievemish Duchess (Clogheen); 6. Chancer (Shanakiel Harriers).