Delays hit Clonmel coursing after severe overnight frost

A severe overnight frost led to the postponement of the final day of the National Coursing Meeting in Clonmel, which thousands of enthusiasts were expected to attend.

Temperatures fell to about -4C in the Southeast on Sunday night and a covering of cloud early yesterday meant there was no likelihood of a thaw in advance of the planned start-time of the coursing events at 11.30am.

Organisers from the Irish Coursing Club made the decision at about 10am to postpone the final day until next Sunday, as the frost-stricken hard ground would have made it unsafe to run greyhounds and hares at the Powerstown Park venue.