Kerry’s successful Bank Holiday weekend continued on Monday with Fionán Mackessy retaining the M Donnelly All-Ireland Poc Fada title on Annaverna Mountain in Co Louth.
On the back of the Kingdom securing the All-Ireland women’s senior football title at Croke Park on Sunday, Mackessy ensured the Poc Fada crown would be staying in Kerry.
Played in some of the worst weather in the competition’s history, with driving wind and incessant rain on the Cooley Peninsula, Mackessy dealt best with the conditions to finish ahead of Limerick’s Colin Ryan.
The Kerry hurler completed the course in 40 pucks and 73.4 metres, but due to the inclement weather one section of the track had to be closed for safety reasons, reducing the length to three quarters of the normal distance.
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Offaly’s Cillian Kiely, himself a back-to-back winner in 2018-19, finished in third place.
GAA president Jarlath Burns was on hand to present Mackessy with his trophy.
Mackessy will be playing his club hurling in Kilkenny this year after transferring to county champions O’Loughlin Gaels in April. He is a significant addition to the reigning Leinster kingpins as they prepare to defend their Kilkenny senior crown.
O’Loughlin Gaels manager Brian Hogan spoke recently about the arrival of Mackessy to the club.
“It has been great to have him involved, obviously the key part is that he fits in with the personnel that are there. We are a pretty tight group and it is a testament to him that he has slotted in seamlessly,” Hogan told the Kilkenny People sport podcast.
“The lads have gelled really well, he’s a good lad and it’s fighting for places then, the competition which is great for a management team and exactly what you want. I suppose he’s looking forward to testing himself at club level in Kilkenny.”
Clare hurlers Peter Duggan and David Fitzgerald were among the participants on the Annaverna Mountain on Monday. The recent Liam MacCarthy winners braved the elements but couldn’t trouble the top places, with Duggan finishing eighth and Fitzgerald ending in 11th.
Killian Phelan of Kilkenny was fourth, with Roscommon’s Noel Fallon in fifth.
The senior camogie competition was won by Cork’s Molly Lynch for the fourth consecutive year. Galway’s Susan Earner, who was winner in 2017 and 2018, finished second.
It is the start of a busy week for Lynch, who next Sunday will captain Cork in Croke Park when they face Galway in the All-Ireland senior camogie final.
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