2023 M. Donnelly GAA All-Ireland Poc Fada Finals launched at Croke Park:
By John Harrington
The 2023 M. Donnelly GAA All-Ireland Poc Fada Finals were officially launched today by Uachtarán Cumann Luthchleas Gael, Larry McCarthy, and Uachtarán an Cumann Camógaíochta, Hilda Breslin, in Croke Park.
This is the 20th year that camogie players will compete in the All-Ireland Poc Fada Finals, and to mark the occasion 2004 winner and Galway native, Stephanie Gannon, became the first woman to be inducted into the Poc Fada Hall of Fame along with 1981 and 1983 senior men’s winner and five-time Limerick All-Star, Pat Hartigan.
The Poc Fada continues to be sponsored by Martin Donnelly who has been sponsoring the GAA Poc Fada for more than 25 years through his MD myclubshop.ie brand – a significant contribution that has given the competition great support.
A total of 26 players (senior men, senior women, U-16 boys, U-16 girls) will return to the Annaverna mountain on Bank Holiday Monday, August 7, starting at 11.30am, for what should be another keenly contested event.
Kilkenny native and Clara club-man, Killian Phelan, caused something of an upset last year when he won the senior men’s Poc Fada at his very first attempt.
He narrowly beat reigning champion Colin Ryan of Limerick into second place, and is looking forward to giving it his all again this year.
“It’s great to be there again and I’m really looking forward to defending the title,” he told GAA.ie
“It was incredible to win it last year because it was neck and neck between myself and Colin Ryan the whole way around. The feeling when I knew I had won it last year was just unbelievable. I’m just hoping to give it a good go again this year.”
Poc Fada champions will always have special place in the GAA history books, and for 1981 and 1983 winner, Pat Hartigan, to now also be added to the Hall of Fame was a very proud moment for the South Liberties clubman.
“You have no idea the honour I feel today for receiving the Hall of Fame,” he said. “To be invited here to Croke Park by the Poc Fada committee and be presented with it 42 years after winning the Poc Fada for the first time is an incredible feeling.
“I’m so honoured to be a Poc Fada Hall of fame recipient, I just cannot put it into words, and I tend to be a quite expressive person! But whatever I could say just couldn’t sum up the feelings I have. It’s beyond my wildest dreams.”
2023 M. Donnelly GAA All-Ireland Poc Fada playing order
Senior Hurling
1: Liam Watson (Ulster runner up)
2: Mark Fahy (Connacht winner)
3: Sponsors pick
4: Sponsors pick
5: Fionán Mackessy (Munster runner up)
6: Ronan Byrne (Louth)
7: Conor Woods (Ulster champion)
8: Matt Kenny (Leinster champion)
9: Pat Burke (Leinster runner up)
10: Brendan Quinn (Connacht runner up)
11: Colin Ryan (Munster winner)
12: Killian Phelan (Reigning champion, Kilkenny)
U-16 Hurling
1: Sean Og McLaren (Ulster champion)
2: Sean Kelly (Connacht champion)
3: Callum Lawlor (Leinster champion)
4: Rian Mulcahy (Munster champion)
Senior Camogie
1: All-Star selection
2: Katie MCormack (Musnter champion)
3: Hazel Austin (Leinster champion)
4: Susan Earner (Connacht winner)
5: Emma Mulvaney (Ulster champion)
6: Molly Lynch (Reigning champion, Cork)
U-16 camogie
1: Grace Fox (Leinster champion)
2: Alannah Farrell (Connacht champion)
3: Tiarna Kelly (Ulster champion)
4: Maryellen Holmes (Munster champion)