Mayo man set to defend national title
Tooreen goalkeeper Bobby Douglas in action against St Gabriel's. Picture: Sheila Fernandes
The dust hasn't yet settled on Mayo's win in Croke Park last Sunday, and already there is National titles on the line for a Mayo competitor this weekend.
The All-Ireland Hurling and Camogie Poc Fada competition takes place this Bank Holiday Monday commencing at 11.30am in the Annaverna Mountains in Co Louth.
Tooreen and Mayo goalkeeper Bobby Douglas is in the eleven-man line-up to compete for Senior Men's honours. The Mayo custodian recently won the Connacht Poc Fada championship in the Connacht GAA Centre, overcoming both Galway representatives on the night. Douglas will be joined on the mountain circuit by Roscommons Noel Fallon who finished runner-up in Connacht.
This year will see the Tooreen man take on the Annaverna Mountain for the third time, having finished fourth place last year. This experience will be invaluable and could see a Mayo representative bettering last year's effort. Mayo's last representative to conquer the Louth mountain terrain was Tooreen legend Joe Henry, who backed up his Connacht victory in 1995 by going on to finish third in the National Poc Fada competition that year.
The All-Ireland Poc Fada is held over a mountain terrain and usually takes sixty shots or more over a five-kilometre course to complete. It is a battle of skill, power, endurance and stamina while experience of the course is also invaluable. Along with the Senior mens competition, there is an U16 Boys competition, a Senior Camogie competition and an U-16 Camogie competition held on the day.
It has been a hectic past month for Douglas after winning his first Connacht Senior Poc Fada title early in July. The following weekend he got married to partner Emma, before his Tooreen clubmate and friend Fergal Boland helped Mayo GAA claim Sam Maguire. And with a little bit of luck this Monday, more honours could be on its way to Mayo and Tooreen.
