2024 M. Donnelly GAA All-Ireland Poc Fada Finals launched at Croke Park:
By John Harrington
The 2024 M.Donnelly GAA All-Ireland Poc Fada Finals were officially launched by in Croke Park today by Ard Stiúrthóir Cumann Lúthchleas Gael, Tom Ryan, and Munster camogie Chairperson, Christine Ryan.
Also in attendance was Martin Donnelly who has been sponsoring the GAA Poc Fada for almost three decades 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 5, for what should be another keenly contested event.
The senior men’s Poc Fada could be one of the most competitive in the history of the competition, with four former winners all vying against one another.
Kerry hurler Fionán Mackessy is the reigning champion, Kilkenny’s Killian Phelan won in 2022, former Limerick hurler Colin Ryan won in 2021, and Offaly hurler Cillian Kiely was back-to-back champion in 2018 and 2019.
Also in the mix as a sponsor’s pick will be Clare senior hurler, Peter Duggan, who finished third in last year’s competition.
Cillian Kiely is hoping for more silverware having already won the Joe McDonagh Cup with Offaly year, but knows he’ll be up against it with such a quality field.
“It’s going to be a savage competition,” Kiely told GAA.ie “Obviously Fionán is the reigning champion and a serious striker of the ball which I’d know from playing against him when Offaly play Kerry.
“Colin Ryan is a serious striker of the ball too and always very steady on the mountain. And there was only a couple of metres between myself and Killian Phelan in the Leinster Poc Fada this year so it’s going to be seriously competitive.”
At today’s launch Gerry Goodwin and Denise Lynch were inducted into the M.Donnelly GAA Poc Fada Hall of Fame.
Tyrone native Goodwin made headlines in 1982 when defeated big names like Pat Hartigan and Ger Cunningham to win the senior men’s Poc Fada title.
“I really appreciate this,” said Goodwin. “It’s been a great morning that has brought back some wonderful memories.
“Winning the Poc Fada in ’82 was unbelievable, and the reaction back home in the club when word got out was incredible.”
Former Clare camogie star, Denise Lynch, won the women’s senior title in 2005 and is a huge fan of a competition she believes is something truly unique.
“The Poc Fada is a phenomenal competition,” said Lynch. “It’s nice to compete as an individual in Gaelic games.
“As much as I always loved to be part of a team and always hoped I was a good team player, it was nice to do something as an individual and achieve something as an individual too.
“From that point of view it’s a great competition because there’s nothing else really like it in team sports.”
Monday, August 5
2024 M.Donnelly All-Ireland Poc Fada playing order
Senior Hurling
AN OTHER (Sponsors Pick)
Cillian Kiely (Leinster Champion)
Peter Duggan (Sponsors Pick, Clare)
Cathal Dillon (Munster Runner Up)
Colin Ryan (Munster Champion)
Finbarr Kelly (Ulster Runner Up)
Bobby Douglas (Connacht Runner Up)
Killian Phelan (Leinster Runner Up)
Darren Geoghegan (Louth)
Conor McAlister (Ulster Champion)
Noel Fallon (Connacht Champion)
Fionán Mackessy (Reigning Champion, Kerry)
Senior Camogie
Anna Kearney (Munster Champion)
Ciarrai Devlin (Ulster Champion)
Kerri Austin (Leinster Champion)
Susan Earner (Connacht Champion)
AN OTHER (Sponsors Pick)
Molly Lynch (Reigning Champion, Cork)
U16 Hurling
Connor Delaney (Ulster Champion)
Tony Mahony (Leinster Champion)
Colm Fitzgerald (Connacht Champion)
Matthew O’Sullivan (Munster Champion)
U16 Camogie
Ona Kennedy (Leinster Champion)
Roisin Ferncombe (Munster Champion)
Leah Horan (Connacht Champion)
Katie Donnelly (Ulster Champion)