Clogagh Ploughing Association held their 23rd annual ploughing match on Sunday last, February 17th, at Barleyfield, Kilbrittain.
CLOGAGH Ploughing Association held their 23rd annual ploughing match on Sunday last, February 17th, at Barleyfield, Kilbrittain, on the lands of Charlie and Valerie O’Connell, and hosted special guest Anna May McHugh, managing director of the NPA, who praised the standard of ploughing at the event.
This was the seventh weekend in a row of the Cork West ploughing season and the enthusiasm of the competitors hasn’t waned. There were 42 competitors taking part and with just the county final remaining this Sunday, 24th, at Bandon to gain points to qualify for the All Ireland.
Four classes – Senior Tractor, Under 28 tractor, 3 Furrow Conventional and Senior Hydraulic Vintage – are set to go all the way to the final match to decide who represents Cork West Ploughing Association in the National Ploughing Championships in Carlow next September.
The judges for Clogagh were Jimmy Barrett, East Cork; Eamon Murphy and Joe Slattery, Tipperary, and DJ McHugh, John Paul Fenton and Patsy Condron, from Laois. The Russian tractor, Kirovets K-424, which was won by Liam O’Driscoll as his prize for winning the European Reversible Championships in Russia last July was on display in the field and, while it didn’t have any implements attached to demonstrate it, its sheer size was a topic of much conversation and wonder.
At the prizegiving ceremony, held at the Kilbrittain Inn on Sunday evening, NPA managing director, Anna May McHugh, presented Jackie O’Driscoll with a trophy on behalf of Clogagh Ploughing Association in recognition of his 50 years of competitive ploughing. Also NPA chairman Denis Keohane presented Liam O’Driscoll with a trophy on behalf of Clogagh Ploughing Association in recognition of his victory in the European Reversible Contest in Russia last year.
Results
Senior Tractor: 1st Jim Grace 2nd John Murphy, 3rd Kieran Coakley, 4th Jackie O’Driscoll, 5th Denis McCarthy.
Intermediate: 1st John A O’Donovan, 2nd Stanley Deane, 3rd Denis Murphy.
Under 28: 1st Gerard Kirby, 2nd Aidan O’Donovan.
21 Under: 1st James O’Sullivan, 2nd Ian O’Farrell.
Ladies: 1st Ellen Nyhan, 2nd Rachel O’Driscoll.
Macra: 1st David Walsh, 2nd Cian Harrington.
3 Furrow Conventional: 1st Matthew Coakley, 2nd John Keohane, 3rd Michael White.
Senior Reversible: 1st Liam O’Driscoll, 2nd Ger Coakley, 3rd Michael Wycherley.
Under 28 Reversible: 1st Conor O’Farrell.
3 Furrow Reversible: 1st Padraig Walsh, 2nd Tim Lawlor, 3rd Dan Hurley.
Senior Hydraulic Vintage: 1st Denis Cummins, 2nd Michael Ryan, 3rd Mike Coomey, 4th Phelim Cotter, 5th Maurice Sheehy.
Trailor Vintage: 1st John Wolfe.
Confined Hydraulic Vintage: 1st James Keohane, 2nd Pascal Coughlan, 3rd Ite Wieserma, 4th Sean McCarthy.
Single Furrow: 1st Gordon Jennings, 2nd Damien Ahern.
Under 40 Horse: 1st Shane McCarthy.
Iron Horse: 1st Francis Naughton.
Upcoming fixtures: The Cork West county final at Kilbeg, Bandon, on Sunday next, February 24th.
