When a course lives up to expectations it really makes one appreciate what a wonderful sport we have. So when the stands at Greenmount Park erupted following the final of the Una O’Sullivan Memorial Irish Cup this afternoon the cheers weren’t only for a brilliant winner but also for a meeting and a coursing season that was so enjoyable. However it really was the perfect course, contested by the two greyhounds which stole the show in every round, Stickmein with his devastating early pace and Ashmore Mac with his ultra consistent fast clocks. Slipper Richard Quinn got them away perfectly behind a miller of a hare and Judge Bernard Goold was in the perfect position to see Ashmore Mac come from behind to take the first and only turn by nothing more than a neck. Joy for John Boyle (Boyle Sports) and the Dowling family, disappointment but pride intact for Nathan & Glen Healy & family.

Ashmore Mac is a son of Blades Of Hope – Ballymac Amber and his dam has now bred a Derby, Oaks & Irish Cup winner. Remarkably Ashmore Mac was successful on the first and last weekend of the season, winning the Reserve Derby TS at Kilflynn. In between he won the full Derby TS at Abbeydorney and reached the Derby quarter-finals at Clonmel. But was there ever a hotter Reserve Derby TS than the one at Kilflynn ?. In the final he had beaten today’s Irish Plate winner and withdrawn from the second round was none other than Seven Barrows !!!.

Pups were also triumphant in the Irish Purse and Irish Plate. The Purse went to Callaway Pat which had been a leading fancy for the Cup but lost sight in the first round when well in control. Trained by Owen McKenna he is owned by the Denis Murphy & Loughlins Bar Syndicate led by our ICC President. The Plate went to Awaiting Trial for owner Paul Horig & trainer Kevin Barry. The winner had an unusual trait of running wide of his game but his superior pace was never in question.

The KMN Syndicate c/o Seamus Neary, Kilkenny will be reliving Butterfield’s just-up defeat by Daoimean Dubh in the first round of the Oaks for a little while yet but she has given them a terrific few months and today she added the Patsy Byrne Select Bitch Stakes to her Castleisland Oaks TS and the Corn Na Feile Puppy Oaks. The Gerry Holian trained bitch was simply superb over the last two days.

It was lovely to see Bernard Quinn and the Woodpark prefix back on the podium at a feature meeting and Woodpark Jewel representing Tradaree was a top class winner of the Kyle Champion Working Members. And would you believe joint owner Eoin Gavin is a past pupil of stake sponsor Michael Field.

The venue has been a very lucky one for John & Alan Troy and Patrick Sutton (Irish Cup 2016, Irish Purse 2025) and they were collecting silverware again today following the success of their dog pup Essentially in the Greenmount Stake.

And so concluded a most enjoyable three days hosted by Co Limerick CC. There is no doubt but the extra week was of great help to them with the preparation of the ground & hares and thankfully they were rewarded with much better weather than had been forecast in advance and a Cup final that was as good as we have seen since they moved to Greenmount Park 22 years ago (when the winner was none other than Ashmore View). We send our heartiest congratulations and thanks to everyone at the club.

Stickmein, an Una O’Sullivan Memorial Irish Cup semi-finalist as a pup 12 months ago, is now 6/4 favourite to go two better in this season’s renewal. His early pace has been a feature of this event so far and none of his opponents have been able to live with it. The other stand-out performer has been the pup Ashmore Mac but despite his fancy clocks he remains a 3/1 chance with all those around him in the bottom half priced similarly. Interestingly we have an even divide of All Age & Pups and the last eight includes two Derby runner-ups, a Derby semi-finalist, a Derby quarter-finalist and an Irish Cup semi-finalist. The other three are a pup beaten just up by the outright winner in Rd3 of this season’s Derby, a pup which never made it to Clonmel and the winner of a very hot Deise Cup at Dungarvan this season (beating Champion Bitch Stakes winner Aran View in the final).

And so the scene is set for what should be a thrilling conclusion to the 2025/26 coursing season. Lets take a quick look at the last eight.

SWEAT THE ASSET: Connections were very disappointed when Bridie, Res A for the Oaks didn’t get a run at Clonmel but getting ample compensation here. Winner of a really competitive Deise Cup at Dungarvan just before Christmas. Will be an outsider but the red collar is enjoying huge favour (21 of the 24 courses this afternoon went to the Red !!).

MAGICAL TITAN: Lost a thrilling RD3 buckle at Clonmel but a shade fortunate to get the flag in RD3 here today against Moyle Alonzo. With a turn he may have been in trouble. Same price as he was yesterday morning so getting the job done but needs to come away better from slips.

STICKMEIN: Killing his opponents with his devastating early speed. Semi-finalist here last year and already on the podium three times this season at Cashel, Ennniscorthy & Glanworth. The one to beat if he keeps bombing away.

SILENT STORM: Was always going to be a most interesting runner in the Irish Cup after missing Clonmel. Changed ownership to the locally based Cuine Syndicate and is giving them a brilliant run. A shade fortunate to get flag over Kerry Craft in RD3 but then again connections were a shade unfortunate not to get flag with Central Giver in RD2 so were due a bit of luck. Will need to stay close in early stages to Stickmein.

ASHMORE MAC: This pup reached the Derby quarter-final earlier this month but his demolition of Mr Trendsetter in RD1 yesterday came as a shock. However it was no fluke with two more fastest of round clocks today. Would be a most popular winner for Derby sponsor John Boyle. Will be on the right collar to the final.

COOGA MAGIC: Derby runner-up in 2025 but has had his problems this season and it is brilliant for his Syndicate owners to have him back to his best. Doing everything right and holding his clocks well. The dogs he beat with ease in RD1 & RD2 are running very well in Purse and Plate which is often a great indicator. However his biggest test is to come.

BALLYMAC AWIL: This season’s Derby runner-up and everyone wondering if the six runs up Clonmel will start taking their toll tomorrow. However he has been very professional in all his courses here so far and once again the ones he beat along the way are still in contention for the Purse & Plate. Could possibly meet his kennel-mate Ashmore Mac in semi-final.

BALLINABOLA CHA: What has been a wonderful All Age season so far for this 2025 Derby semi-finalist isn’t over yet. Could the Irish Cup be joining the Cups won at New Ross, Carlow & Old Kilcullen on the mantlepiece ?. Remember Gigantor had won the Cup at Old Kilcullen also. Has met formidable opponents in all three rounds but is hunting exceptionally well and won’t be easily beaten.

To conclude we will have a quick look at the other stakes.

Patsy Byrne Select All Age Bitch Stake

Clocks & Betting would suggest that this is between the pup Butterfield and last year’s winner Ballymac Mulan. The 6/4 on offer for Ballymac Mulan might prove to be good value.

Dick Fitzgerald Memorial Irish Purse

All eyes will be on Callaway Pat and Mr Trendsetter who were fancied to go a long way in the Irish Cup but made early exits in different circumstances. Another pup running very well and on the favoured red collar all the way is Good Energy. Mr Trendsetter ran his best course this afternoon so might be the one to beat.

Bill Chawke Irish Plate

This is a wide open affair with only one pup remaining, Awaiting Trial. Any of the last eight are capable of winning. Success for Typical Magic would give him a unique Clonmel Powerstown Cup / Irish Plate double but he will be wearing white all the way.

The 115th running of the Irish Cup, kindly sponsored once again by the O’Sullivan family in memory of Una, got off to a great start today at Patrickswell in perfect weather. The majority of the fancied runners made it safely through to RD2, the exceptions being Callaway Pat which lost sight when looking a certain winner and Mr Trendsetter which was put in his place by another of this season’s Derby quarter-finalists Ashmore Mac. It was no surprise to hear that John Boyle’s pup had recorded the fastest clock of the day, 11.86, such was the manner of his victory.

Ante post favourite Magical Titan looked impressive in his straight run but his clock of 12.04 was beaten a number of times afterwards including by another pup Machiavelli (11.93) which Titan now meets tomorrow morning. It should be a thriller but the red collar will definitely be an advantage to the favourite. Second favourite and recent Derby runner-up Ballymac Awil certainly did nothing wrong but perhaps we were expecting a better clock than 11.91 after his fireworks in the early rounds at Clonmel. Derby semi-finalist Mallory Park took a while to get going but his opponent Gunship put in another good display in the Irish Purse this afternoon which makes one look at Mallory Park’s course in a more positive light.

Two of the most impressive runs today came from Stickmein and Cooga Magic. Stickmein, a semi-finalist here 12 months ago, simply bolted from slips and the course was over after 50 yards. Cooga Magic, Derby runner-up 2025, looks to be back to his best and has a great opportunity now of reaching the third day at the very least. Champion Stakes winner Five O Five though looked to be running slightly offline for the majority of his course and could easily have been flagged out. He should win his next but will then have to be at his very best if as expected he meets Stickmein in RD3. Another to catch the eye in that second quarter was Silent Storm which came in from the reserves.

We certainly have some very exciting buckles to look forward to tomorrow morning, not least Ashmore Mac v Challenger Deep, A Bitta Luck v Sparkplug Kerry and Ballinabola Cha v My Town. It looks like a very good renewal of Ireland’s oldest coursing classic, first run 120 years ago, but it is wide open and impossible to predict the Final 8 never mind the Winner. Coursing resumes at 11.30am on Saturday morning. Make sure you are there !!!

NON RUNNERS

American Trio (first quarter), Banoffee Pie (second quarter) and Needham Date (second quarter) will be absentees when the Una O’Sullivan Memorial Irish Cup gets underway at Patrickswell this morning. It is expected that Ballinaveala Finn and Silent Storm and Typical Magic will take their place. 2025 Champion Bitch Stakes winner Metal Queen will also be a non-runner from the Patsy Byrne Select Bitch Stakes on Day 2. The pup Dobbseys Girl will line up instead against Hoping For Five.

IRISH CUP BETTING

Magical Titan is as low as 5/1 to continue the great run in the Irish Cup of greyhounds beaten in the third round of the Derby the same season. Three of the last four Irish Cup winners, Berlin Station, Cool Spirit and Bobby Browne had exited the Derby at the third round stage but made amends at Patrickswell a few weeks later. The thrilling buckle on Day 2 of this year’s National Meeting between Magical Titan and Derby winner Seven Barrows will live long in the memory and coursing enthusiasts eagerly await the reappearance of the Guilfoyle family runner on Friday.
Interesting the Top 10 in the betting are equally divided between pups and second season dogs. Nearest to Titan in the betting at 7/1 is another pup and one which almost went all the way in the Derby, runner-up, Ballymac Awil. Early money has come for Derby quarter-finalist Mr Trendsetter, a litter brother of Seven Barrows & Daoimean Dubh, and he is now only 8/1 compared to 12s for the pup which beat him in Clonmel, Mallory Park. Completing the list of pups at the top of the market is Callaway Pat (10/1) who falls into the same category as Magical Titan having reached the third round of the Derby.
Not surprisingly one of two second season performers at 8/1 is the recent Champion Stakes winner Five O Five. He is joined at that price by 2025 Derby runner-up Cooga Magic from whom much can be expected if he is back to his best. Both Moyle Alonzo and Ballinabola Cha have already had a very successful season and are priced at 12/1, the same price as My Town who has not visited the winner’s enclosure since taking the Derby TS at Ballyduff in November 2024 but is highly respected.
The Patsy Byrne Select Bitch Stake which gets underway on Saturday has the makings of being a vintage renewal. The pup Butterfield heads the market at 2/1 which does seem very short. Ballymac Mulan, going for back to back victories in this event is 5/2 and 2025 Irish Cup runner-up Moyle Magic is 3/1. Metal Queen (winner of the Champion Bitch Stakes at Clonmel last season), Eulogy (Champion Bitch Stakes semi-finalist this season) and Shes Our Sky are next best at 4s and 5s.
Both Boylesports and Berkie Browne are now offering ante-post odds but it is worth pointing out that there is a good bit of variation in their prices and it will be interesting to see which of them has got it right.

ORDER OF RUNNING

CO LIMERICK
Hosting the 115^th Irish Cup   

Friday, Saturday & Sunday 27^th & 28^th February, 1 March.  

Judge: Bernard Goold      

Slipper: Richard Quinn jnr  

Start 11.30am all three days

Friday: RD 1 Una O’Sullivan Memorial Irish Cup – Interval – RD 1 Irish Purse. RD 1 Kyle Champion Working Members Stake.

Saturday: RD 2 Irish Cup. RD 1 Patsy Byrne Select Bitch Stakes – Interval – RD 2 Irish Purse. RD 3 Irish Cup. RD 1 Irish Plate.  

Sunday: RD 2 Kyle Champion Working Members Stake. RD 1 Greenmount Stakes. RD 2 Select Bitch Stakes. RD 3 Irish Purse. RD 2 Irish Plate. RD 4 Irish Cup. Interval – All Semi-Finals – Interval – All Finals.   

IMPORTANT NOTICE – CAR PARKING

Please be aware when attending the 2026 IRISH CUP that recent ground works on the top field mean that parking and viewing from vehicles is very restricted. Parking in this area is limited to Greyhound Trainers and Co. Limerick CC members only. The organisers kindly ask all attendees to respect and follow the instructions of the parking attendants and to use the main racecourse parking facility.

Will Bill stay on Top of Fantasy Tree

There are two strong opinions on this season’s Una O’Sullivan Memorial Irish Cup. One is that the pups are an above average lot and will have a huge say in the final outcome. The other is that the Champion Stakes winner Five O Five (pictured) is most likely to prove best of the second & third season greyhounds. Should either or both scenarios come to pass then the Sporting Press Fantasy competition is as good as over. However our current leader Bill Lonergan of Tree Top fame, Cahir, Co Tipperary knows very well that there are no certainties in coursing and he won’t be getting the suit and tie ready for the ICC Awards Night on May 3^rd just yet. He does have a very strong team heading to Patrickswell though with Five O Five, Return To Racing, Challenger Deep and Coverbridge plus Moyle Magic (Irish Cup runner up 2025) in the Patsy Byrne Select Bitch Stake. The last three named showed a distinct liking for the venue 12 months ago.   

Bill’s nearest rivals are Billy Cashman/Timmy Moynihan (Tralee) and mother, son combination of Marie & John Field who both won the competition before playing individually. The Fields are probably not going to make any ground on Bill unless Eulogy wins the Bitch stake and all the Irish Cup results fall right for them (interestingly they also have My Town in a different selection on 585 points). However Billy & Timmy have a lively chance with Gone To Strand & Moyle Alonzo in the Cup and Ballymac Mulan in the Bitch Stake. Alonzo was on the easy list after the Kingdom Cup so the two runs in the Champion Stakes will have brought him on and he should be challenging the pup Magical Titan on Saturday afternoon for a place in the last eight. Derby winner Gone To Strand needs a return to form but Brendan Matthews is always dangerous at the Irish Cup after a quiet Clonmel.  Mulan is going for back to back victories in the Select Bitch Stake.

Blathnaid Leen from Killarney needs a big performance from Challenger Deep and Eulogy for her top selection to win but in her selection on 575 points she has another Brendan Matthews runner Warship and should he raise the final flag on Sunday then Blathnaid would be sitting nicely. Three time Fantasy winner Sean Doyle, Ennis is still there with a chance of a fourth success if 2025 Derby runner up Cooga Magic goes one better in the Irish Cup. He has a lovely draw in the bottom section of the third quarter and the bookmakers have him priced at only 8/1. (Sean also has last season’s Irish Cup semi-finalist Stickmein running for him in a lower down selection). Neil Enright, Rathkeale  who led this season’s Fantasy Coursing competition for several weeks has one last throw of the dice with Ballymac Loral which ran very well to win the UK Stake at the recent National Meeting.

Con O’Connor from Millstreet has three chances with Suspicious Minds, Lone Missile and Banoffee Pie and the latter reached the quarter-final of the Cup as a pup last year. The hopes of Terry Maguire/Christy Flynn (Portmarnock) are very much alive with Ballinabola Cha & Sparkplug Kerry. James Wade, Cashel who appears near the top of the leaderboard every season but is still waiting for that elusive victory will be relying on Mango to change all that. And finally we spotted Master Tactician in the selection of Jack Foley, Abbeyfeale but he is meeting the ante-post favourite in the first round.

In the Fantasy for Charity Competition, our leader Cormac Thompson (510) will be hoping Five O Five can complete the Irish Cup / Champion Stakes double that was last achieved in 2010.  Steve Dobie (475) also has Five O Five plus his own runner Ballymac Loral, My Town and Ballymac Mulan in the Bitch Stake. Dan O’Donoghue (470) is never too far away in the Fantasy Competitions and he could win €1000 for his charity if Challenger Deep goes at least one place better than his semi-final finish 12 months ago. Dan also has Eulogy in the Select Bitch Stake. Adrian O’Neill (445) will be doubly celebrating if Cooga Magic raises the last flag of the 2025/26 season being a member of the John McLoughlin & Cooga Syndicate and also having the dog in his Charity selection together with Banoffee Pie. Sharon Coss (410) is very well represented with Ballinabola Cha, Mango, Gone To Strand and very importantly the Coss family runner Sparkplug Kerry. And the last of our Charity Players with a squeak is Anne Marie Keane (400) who requires a huge performance from Coverbridge and Hoping For Five (Bitch Stake) if her chosen charity is to receive the lovely prize sponsored by a very generous coursing supporter. 

Leaderboards To 25/02/26
Sporting Press Fantasy Coursing Competition
	Name	Points
1	Bill Lonergan, Cahir	645
2	Bill Lonergan, Cahir	625
Jt 3	Billy Cashman / Tim Moynihan, Tralee	615
Jt 3	John & Marie Field, Castletroy	615
Jt 5	Blathnaid Leen, Killarney	610
Jt 5	James Wade, Cashel	610
7	Sean Doyle, Ennis	605
8	Neil Enright, Rathkeale	600
9	Con O’Connor, Millstreet	595

 

TIPPERARY & DISTRICT  

Friday, Saturday & Sunday 13^th, 14^th & 15^th February

Judge: Liam Kelly             

Slipper: David O’Connor

Start 11.30am all three days

Friday: Twice through Lattin & Emly Stakes

Saturday: Start with Inter Club Stake. Once through Inter Club Stake. Twice through Champion Puppy Stake. Once through Champion Bitch Stake (immediately after interval).

Sunday: Start with Inter Club Stake, Lattin & Emly Stake, Champion Bitch Stake and complete card. All semi-finals to be run after first interval.    

ALL IRELAND OPEN
For P.B Holland Memorial Cup
Hosted by Cork County Open with support of Ballymacoda CC

Sunday 15^th February

Judge: John O’Connell            

Slipper: Shane O’Brien     

Meet in Ballymacoda Village at 10.00am.

First Brace in Slips 10.30am