Big hitters show the way in long puck competition
HOW MANY whacks of a hurley does it take to drive a sliotar two miles?
Not nearly as many as you might expect when the players of Kilmoyley Hurling Club are put to the task.
In the club’s first-ever long puck competition on Sunday, it took three stalwarts of the club just 42 pucks to cover the two miles from Flaherty’s Hardware at Lerrig Cross to the Kilmoyley Community Centre, via the sportsfield and Kilmoyley Church.
Those three stalwarts were Paudie O’Connor, Nicky Cooke and Sean Curran; one of 14 teams to contest the main action of the day on the roads of the north Kerry community.
As with each of the teams they were comprised of a current senior player (Paudie), a former player (Nicky) and a juvenile player (Sean). Unlike the rest of the teams, Paudie, Nicky and Sean finished off the day by receiving the Patie O’Hara Memorial Shield for their achievement - from Helen O’Hara - at an after-party and barbecue at An Tóchar Bán in the heart of Kilmoyley.
However, the trio were given a run for their money from Maurice Murnane, Joe Murnane and Darren Godley close behind them in second place on 46 pucks.
“It was a great bit of craic and we were delighted with how it all went,” secretary of the club John Nolan said.
“Like golf, the teams went off in pairs marking each others’ cards with team members taking it in turn to hit the sliotar.
“Everyone enjoyed it so much that we are now going to make an annual June Bank Holiday event of the long puck.”
Long puck competitions were also held for the ladies of the club and for the under -14 boys and under -10 boys and girls teams.
Jessica Fitzell, Kristen Curran, Sarah Walsh and Sarah McCarthy won the Ladies category. David Godley, Conor Corrigan and Liam Flaherty won the boys under 14; Tomás Godley, Conor Nolan and Robert Monahan won the under 10 boys with Amy Corridan, Maeve Godley and Kellie Meehan winning the under 10 girls.
And those charged with stewarding the action and keeping the public safe even got the chance to compete too - in a contest won by Jerry Horan.