Derby Tournament plays on through wind and rain at the AIPC
Michael Connolly of LHK/Keelings (left), chases after Tyrone’s Tommy Diaz in the 4 Goal tournament. It was a wasted run in the end when Tyrone took the President’s Cup in the tournament
With a little bit of luck from the weather gods over the All Ireland Polo Club, practise between showers in what would have been the qualifiers on Saturday 29 June paved the way to a cliffhanging, all-in final (Sunday 30 June) for the 4 Goal Presidents Cup and the 0 Goal Ladies Cup. Tyrone secured their second consecutive win thanks to Eamonn Laverty and team in the 4-goal league, once again besting LHK/Keelings and this time with a score of 6-5.
Tyrone’s Eamonn Laverty (pictured with Order of St Lazarus Grand Prior Conor Keoghan, who presented the prizes), Tommy Diaz, Dan Laverty and John Corbett were the winners of the 4 Goal Tournament for the President’s Cup at the All Ireland Polo Club, Dublin Ireland
“We had two great teams,” said the AIPC’s commentator Lar Sheeran. “The four-goal match in the last chukka with one minute to go and 5-all, it was just the toss of a coin. It was nearly the same thing in the 0 goal, Sixt was behind until their (last-minute) goal.”
Irish MEP Frances Fitzgerald was at the All Ireland Polo Club, Dublin Ireland to support a fundraiser organised by Derek Byrne, Keeper of the Insignia for the Order of St Lazarus during the Derby Tournament
The 0 Goal league for the Ladies Cup turned in their own cliff-hanger in a single day of finals, Sixt besting Keelings on 5 goals to 4.5 just before the end of the fourth and final chukka.
All Ireland Polo Club polo manager David Stone (left), who lined out for the 0 Goal winning team Sixt in the Derby Tournament and AIPC President Eamonn
Laverty, Captain of the 4 Goal winning team Tyrone
Mark Stone for the Sixt team (centre) keeps an eye on the ball as it stops in front of opponent Caroline Keeling of LHK/Keeling for her to play in what turned into a practise day amid frequent rain showers. Sixt would go on to win the Ladies Cup for the 0 Goal Tournament in better weather at the All Ireland Polo Club Dublin Ireland
Order of St Lazarus Grand Prior Conor Keoghan presented the Sixt team with the Ladies Cup, (l-r) Ian McCulla, Santi Gaviria, Mark Stone and David Stone at the Derby Tournament held at the All Ireland Polo Club, Dublin Ireland
Professional umpire Tristan Pemble kept the ball rolling throughout the Derby Tournament at the All Ireland Polo Club Dublin Ireland over two days and
through two leagues
Article by Kim Mullahey
Image credits: Kim Mullahey
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