Poc fada gives boost to Roscommon hurling

Saturday was a memorable day for Roscommon hurling as Gerry Fallon and Noel Fallon scooped the senior and Under-16 titles at the 2009 M Donnelly All-Ireland Poc Fada finals on the Annaverna Mountain.

Mon, 03 Aug, 2009 - 12:43

Saturday was a memorable day for Roscommon hurling as Gerry Fallon and Noel Fallon scooped the senior and Under-16 titles at the 2009 M Donnelly All-Ireland Poc Fada finals on the Annaverna Mountain.

Gerry Fallon, a first-time entrant, trailed reigning champion Brendan Cummins by two pocs at the last turning point on the 5km mountain course.

But he came home strongly in wet and windy conditions to claim the senior trophy with a final tally of 60 pocs, one ahead of Cummins.

"It's brilliant. I never thought before that I would win anything like this," said the Oran clubman.

"I didn't know what to expect, but trekking across the mountain it didn't take long to understand what had to be done.

"The flagmen were great - they stood where I was to hit the ball and that was most of it."

Fallon, along with his younger namesake, was delighted to give Roscommon hurling a shot in the arm after the seniors' recent heavy defeat to Armagh in the Nicky Rackard Cup quarter-finals.

"We haven't had much to shout about below there, with the hurling in Roscommon," he admitted.

"But all you can do is keep going and what can you do after that?

"Winning the Poc Fada, I'm sure I'll try and get back next year and defend it.

"No more than there will be a lot wanting to follow me next year, because it's not every day an All-Ireland comes back to Roscommon."

2009 M DONNELLY ALL IRELAND POC FADA FINALS RESULTS -

Annaverna Mountain, Cooley, County Louth

M DONNELLY ALL IRELAND POC FADA FINAL

Gerry Fallon, Roscommon 60 pocs

Brendan Cummins, Tipperary 61

Albert Shanahan, Limerick 62

Brendan McNamara, Clare 62

Fintan O'Brien, Dublin 63