Clonduff Club has been running a Poc Fada on The Hen Mountain since 2007 initially as part of the Boley Fair Festival but after its demise the Club continued to run the event. In June 2018 the Hurling team tragically lost one of its members Pearce Branagan. The Hurlers decided to introduce the Pearce Branagan Cup for the event and award it to the winning man. There was an amazing entry of 48 competitors, mainly from Clonduff and some of Pearce’s University friends. Up on 30 others climbed the Mountain on Saturday 8th September, some as spotters and some ‘just for the craic’! And there was even a baby-sitting service at the foot of the mountain!
There were competitions for Adult Male, Adult Female, U16 Boy, U16 Girl. The weather was favourable though not much sunshine! The first competitor home was U12 Camog Hannah Shields but it was her big sister Ellen who collected the title narrowly beating other sister Blaithin by one poc! In the Boys event Paudie Clancy had height, age and experience over the other lads and romped home to take the title. In the Ladies event it was a two-horse race between Leanne Quinn and Orla Morgan, with Orla taking the title. The men’s event was keenly contested with five competitors finishing on 17 pocs apiece. The final outcome was decided back at the club with each of the five men – Niall Quinn, Danny Nugent, John Murphy, Declan Napier (Senior Hurling Manager) and Fionnbharr Murphy with one poc down the field to decide the winner. But that wasn’t enough – Danny and Declan finished in a dead heat and had to go again! The pressure got to Danny to fluffed his poc and virtually hand the title to Declan!
Everyone was treated to a cuppa in the Club before The Branagan Family presented the trophies, firstly to Orla and then the Cup and trophy to Declan. John Murphy, as Hurling Rep on the Executive spoke on behalf of the Club, thanked everyone for coming whether participating or spectating and specifically mentioned the Branagan Family for allowing the Club to remember Pearce in this way.
