THERE was every reason to believe that amateur teams at Bunclody Polo Club earlier this month (July 15th-16th) would be going home empty-handed when they were stacked against just two highly skilled professional players.
At one time viewed as the only way to win a tournament, particularly at the AIPC in Phoenix Park, professional polo players had been relegated to the past as amateur teams moved up in average handicaps.
Oak Lodge’s Gonzalo Lopez-Vargas, captained by Pat Fitzsimons made short work to the first slot in the high goal finals in the qualifying match against Pegus Horse Feeds, the natural disappointment palpable in a five goal to four loss in overtime.
LHK Insurance went down to Revolution in their qualifying match in spite of the respectably handicapped Francisco Acosta at two goals, Revolution winning on their four goals scored to two.
Revolution’s qualifying round win presaged the strength of a team that only recently got together, brought on by the simple desire to win fairly and without the support of a highly ranked professional.
The only thing that got in the way of a clear win for Revolution was by Jack Armstrong’s own admission, overconfidence when the team was well ahead in the fourth chukka at six goals to two from Oak Lodge, going on to win by a single goal at six goals to five.
“We got overconfident and thought we could relax but we were an amazing team,” said Jack Armstrong just before his team of April Kent, Dan Laverty and Xavier Frank were presented with the Bunclody Perpetual Cup. “We were four friends playing together. We all played around the same level as a well balanced team for the first time.”
The Casey Cup went to Now You See Me, and at the level of goals being scored by hot-shot Keelan McCarthy is bound to see his handicap go up from zero goals later this year.
The team line-out marked the return of Sam Driver, who joined Evan Power and Sheldon Williamson.
The low goal round-robin tournament was marked with cumulative scoring involving Now You See Me, Wexford and Bunclody over two days, the low-goal win going to Now You See Me on nine goals to four and a half from Wexford.
The high goal subsidiary final was won by LHK Insurance, beating Pegus Horse Feeds in a close game on four goals to three.