Louth's Darren Geoghegan in the running as Annaverna plays host to All-Ireland Poc Fada Finals
The modern Poc Fada recreates the legendary journey of Cú Chulainn who as the seven-year-old boy Setanta decided he had waited long enough to become a member of the famous Red Branch Knights of Ulster. So he set off from his home in Dundalk for the Macra, the Red Branch Knights school in Armagh, some 60km away. While crossing the Cooley Mountains, Setanta hit his sliotar far ahead and ran forward to catch it on his hurley stick before it hit the ground.
Today's contenders compete over the same Cooley mountains as Setanta once passed. The 5km Senior Hurling and 2.5 km Senior Camogie and U16 courses provide ample opportunity to practice pocs, as on average the Senior Hurling takes 46 pocs to win.
The modern All-Ireland Poc Fada dates back to 1960 when six boys from Dundalk (Mal Begley, Peter Crilly, Sean Mc Aeney, Jerome Mc Donagh, Peter Myles and the first-ever winner Damien Callan) under the watchful eye of An tAthair Pól Mac Shean, took part in the very first Poc Fada. The first All-Ireland Poc Fada took place the following year in 1961.
First sponsored by Martin Donnelly more than 25 years ago, the MD Sports myclubshop.ie All-Ireland Poc Fada Finals represent one of the longest-running sponsorships within the GAA and Camogie Association.
Spectators are very welcome to come along to Annaverna Mountain on Monday for 11am.
PLAYING ORDER
Senior Hurling
1. Cathal Dillon, Tipperary
2. Pearce Smyth, Down
3. Noel Fallon, Roscommon
4. Sean Og McLaren, Antrim
5. Killian Phelan, Kilkenny
6. Cillian Kiely, Offaly
7. Darren Geoghegan, Louth
8. Brendan Cummins, Tipperary
9. Pat Burke, Westmeath
10. Bobby Douglas, Mayo
11. Colin Ryan, Limerick
12. Fionan Mackessy, Kilkenny
Senior Camogie
1. Isobelle McInerney, Clare
2. Ellen Leech, Antrim
3. Patricia Coote, Westmeath
4. Maeve Muldoon, Galway
5. Sara Louise Graffin, Down
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6. Molly Lynch, Cork
U16 Hurling
1. Donnacha Collins, Derry
2. Oran Stratford, Galway
3. Sean Og O'Regan, Waterford
4. Conor Raleigh, Westmeath
U16 Camogie
1. Siofra Ginty, Offaly
2. Kayla Garrett, Galway
3. Saoirse Ryan, Tipperary
4. Eimear Ward, Antrim
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