Cummins is Poc Fada king once more

Tipperary goalkeeper Brendan Cummins retained his M Donnelly All-Ireland Poc Fada title at the Cooley Mountains in Louth today in wet conditions.

A large contingent of supporters, including European boxing champion Bernard Dunne, witnessed Cummins take his third title in four years as he completed the course just one puck behind his course record with a score of 49.

Due to All-Ireland championship commitments Cummins missed the 2005 contest and it could have been so easily title number four for the Grange-Ballybacon player.

As in last year's All-Ireland Poc Fada contest, Ulster champion Graham Clarke again finished in second place overall with the Ballygalget clubman completing the course in 51 pucks.

Meanwhile, Offaly goalkeeper Shane O'Connor finished in third spot with 52 pucks.

Former winners Albert Shanahan (Limerick) and Davy Fitzgerald (Clare) failed to make an impact with Brendan McNamara (Clare), Keith Carr (Galway), John Grealish (Galway), Patrick Mulanney (Laois), Jason McManus (Fermanagh) and James Skehill (Galway) among the others who took on the gruelling 5km course.

However, there was some success in the senior hurling pairs competition for Mullaney and O'Connor. The midlands duo took first spot with the Laois goalkeeper contesting his first Poc Fada event while it was his Offaly counterpart's second time of asking.

First and second positions in the senior camogie catagory brought youth to the fore with Leinster champion Lyndsey Condell of Carlow just ahead of Waterford U-16 captain Patricia Jackman, and Down's Fionnuala Carr in third place.

Limerick's Aaron Ryan won the Under-16 boys competition with a score of 31 pucks while Antrim's Michael Devlin and Darragh McKiernan of Louth were second and third respectively.