Golden tickets handed out for Kirby memorial

by MICHAEL MAHER

Burns as they defeated Shannon 10-5 in the final.

In September while representing Munster, she scored a hat-trick of tries as the province recorded a 47-5 bonus point win over Ulster in the PwC IRFU Under-18 Girls Interprovincial Championship.

2023

Starts Saturday 25th March

Be part of the action & support your local GAA Club!

Runs every Saturday night until Semi-Finals 15th April

FINAL: FRIDAY 21ST APRIL

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#Kirby2023

SECOND Round Heats of the €4000 to the winner Galway Greyhound Stadium A3 525 yards stake took centre stage on Saturday nights card at the track while six golden tickets were handed out in Limerick for the for the upcoming Con & Annie Kirby Memorial.

In the opening heat in Galway, the Thomas Keane of Kilmihil owned Glynnscross Liz stamped herself as a leading contender for overall honours as she routed her rivals by upwards of six and a half lengths in 28.97.

Headed from traps by Bay City Oscar in the centre of the track, the daughter of Droopys Sydney and Glynnscrosstyler gave her rival a broadside at the opening bend and quickly set sail for home down the back.

Keane had earlier visited the winners enclosure after race two where the trap five runner Chiquitita was very smartly into her stride and racing towards the opening bend she led her rivals by over two lengths with Rosshill News and Glynnscross Phil in closest pursuit. Rounding the bend the Keane owned Glynnscross Phil ran right round the outside of his rivals to join issue on the crown of the home turn with Chiquitita. Up the straight the pair had a ding dong battle with Glynnscross Phil (Droopys Sydney-Glynnscrosstyler) just gaining the day by a neck at the line in 19.61.

There was a thrilling finish to the A4 graded third contest as the Declan and Gerard Lillis of Cooraclare-owned Burnpark Crash, trained by Declan McDonagh of Liscannor, got up in the final strides to deny the pace setting Knockdrum Ripper by a neck in 29.29.

The opening contest of the night was an A5 graded affair and racing towards the opening bend Menmal Princess showed pace in the centre to lead her rivals by over two lengths rounding the opening two bends. Turning to run along the back straight Menmal Princess led the way to Brickhill Jane who had railed well to turn in second spot with the remainder all involved in crowding. Approaching the penultimate corner, the Kilmihil native John Collins and Mark Patterson-owned Brickhill One moved through on the leaders inner before taking command approaching the home bend. From this point the daughter of Skywalker Logan and Cudkevinbewrong drew clear to score by nearly six lengths in 29.85.

Last Friday night’s Galway card was an all graded 10-race programme with the concluding A3 graded 525 yards contest the top graded event on a card.

The sixth contest was a non-winner of their last four A3 contests and having found trouble in a couple of recent runs the Feakle

Five Syndicate owned Mounvoor Lad made no mistake as he swept his rivals aside with consummate ease down the back to score by eight and a half lengths form Blue Puma in 29.18.

The S2 garden eighth contest developed into a match from a very early stage as the fast starting Burnpark Ronaldo came away well and racing towards the opening bend he led Lissatouk Dave by over a length with Taurus Maisie in third place. Rounding the crown of the home bend Burnpark Ronaldo ran a little wide and this gave Lissatouk Dave, who cut to the rail turning for home, his chance. On the long run home the James McMahon of Cooraclare-owned Lissatouk Dave (Laughill Blake-Lissatouk Dolly) gradually gained the upper hand to prevail by a neck at the line in 19.15.

There were six golden tickets for the upcoming Con & Annie Kirby Memorial on offer in Limerick on Sunday and Pat Buckley accounted for 50% of the qualifiers with Bens Teddy the standout performer.

Owned by Kim Pritchard, Bens Teddy came into the event with a stunning 28.12 trial around Tralee and given his previous form around Limerick, he looked difficult to oppose despite the calibre of opposition in the AAO trial stake. Extending his lead with every stride up the home straight, the son of Droopys Sydney and Beechgrove Bell sealed an impressive victory with over six lengths in hand in a rapid 28.37.

Kyletaun Jerry was the first qualifier for team Buckley as he landed the opening A1 stake with an off-the-pace performance. A wide-open contest saw Blackstone Bobby go off the 2/1 favourite and it was Michael O’Donovan’s charge who showed first from trap three to lead. However, Kyletaun Jerry, owned by Kenny Glen, although four lengths adrift at halfway, ate up the ground to reel in the leader close home. Sealing a first career victory for connections, the son of Laugil Blake and Killaheen Queen crossed one length clear of Blackstown Bobby, The time was 28.91.

The second of the Buckley qualifiers came in race seven, an A3 trial stake, as Road Exile blitzed the field to win comfortably.

Murt Leahy sent out another trial stake winner in race 11 as Droopys Service ran out a wide-margin winner in 28.85.

Race eight saw the A2 trial stake go down for decision and this went the way of the favourite as the Owen McKenna-trained Cree Jo Jo won in style. Owned by Paul Carpenter, the choicely bred son of Laughil Blake and Coolavanny Chick duly delivered an emphatic performance to win with plenty in hand in a time of 28.59.