Limerick All-Ireland hurling winner crowned national Poc Fada champion

LIMERICK All-Ireland SHC winner Colin Ryan was crowned national Poc Fada champion this Saturday in Co Louth.

Pallasgreen man Ryan won the Corn Setanta trophy after winning the M. Donnelly All-Ireland Poc Fada final at Annaverna Mountain in the Cooley Peninsula.

A Liam MacCarty Cup winner in 2018, Colin Ryan becomes the fifth Limerick man to be crowned national Poc Fada champion.

The first staging of the competition was in 1961 when Limerick native Br Vincent Godfrey was winner.

Pat Hartigan was the winner in 1981 and '83 and another two-time winner was Albert Shanahan in 2001 and 2005.

Tommy Quaid won the title in 1991.

Now Colin Ryan joins that illustrious list of Limerick Poc Fada winners.

In 2019 Colin Ryan finished in fourth place in the All-Ireland Poc Fada final - just four shots behind the winner Cillian Kiely from Offaly. Ryan had qualified for that final as runner-up in the Munster Poc Fada final.

With Covid-19 ensuring no competition in 2020, Ryan was among those invited to take part in this Saturday's 2021 event and he did so in style. Ryan was presented with the Corn Setanta by GAA President Larry McCarthy.

Ryan finished ahead of Cathal Kiely of Offaly, with Laois senior hurling goalkeeper Enda Rowland in third. Defending champion Cillian Kiely was back in sixth.