Afternoon of firsts at Dungarvan

IT was an afternoon of firsts at yesterday’s well-attended Dungarvan Harriers point-to-point meeting at Kilossera as riders’ Paul Kiely, Daragh Howard and Michael Roche all attained their initial career victories.

Cappagh native Paul Kiely (19) opened his account aboard his brother Tom’s Patsys Castle (10/1) in the first division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Patsys Castle, a creditable fifth on his debut behind Ballybough Pat at Dromahane on New Year’s Eve, took up the running before the final fence and odds-on shot War Correspondent had just moved through when coming to grief here. Patsys Castle them made the best of his way home with the son of Windsor Castle prevailing by a short head from the eyecatching Scuderia in what was the closest finish of the afternoon.