Over 100 competitors took to the fields of Screagan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly to compete in the 85th National Ploughing Championships on Tuesday.

Farmers from all corners of the country took part in 11 different classes, ranging from conventional, reversible and two furrow classes.

Participants from West Cork were particularly successful on the day, winning five out of the 11 classes on the first day of competitions in the three-day event.

Conditions were described as variable for day one of the competition by Cork East ploughman Dave Mulcahy.

“Conditions are variable, it’s a bit tricky in places where combines have left tracks in the field during the harvest.

“Weather conditions were difficult for the harvest this year and combines were probably brought into fields when they were still wet,” he said.

Furrow Junior Plough Class:

  1. Matthew Coakley, Cork West – 201 points
  2. Ned Conway, Kilkenny, -181 points
  3. James Murphy, South Tipperary – 164 points

Furrow Senior Plough Class:

  1. James Pendergast, Waterford – 211 points
  2. Pat Furlong, Wexford – 189 points
  3. Peter Buchanan, Donegal – 187 points

Intermediate Conventional Class:

  1. John Murphy, Cork West – 222 points
  2. Dave Mulcahy, Cork East – 220 points
  3. Allan Davis, Laois – 109 points

Intermediate Reversible Class:

  1. Ger Coakley, Cork West – 257 points
  2. Michael Wycherley, Cork West – 241 points
  3. Joe Slattery, North Tipperary – 232 points

Under 21 Conventional Class –  Junior Grade:

  1. Aidan O’Donovan, Cork West – 229 points
  2. Michael Burke, Galway – 194 points
  3. Padraig Deery, Monaghan – 192 points
ploughing

President Higgins alongside Cork East ploughman, Dave Mulcahy.

Under 21 Conventional Class – Senior Grade:

  1. Lorcan Bergin, South Tipperary – 239 points
  2. Lee Simms, Donegal – 227 points
  3. Jamie Hayes, Cork East – 211 points

Under 28 Conventional Class – Junior Grade

  1. Aidan Higgins, Galway – 181 points
  2. Mikey O’Halloran, Kerry – 170 points
  3. Seamus McConnon, Monaghan – 161 points

Under 28 Conventional Class – Senior Grade

  1. Kieran Coakley, Cork West – 215 points
  2. Sean Tracey, 202 points – 202 points
  3. Frank Cullen, Wexford and Brendan Greene, Laois – 202 points

Under 28 Reversible Class

  1. Dermot Ryan, Offaly – 112 points
  2. Stephen Whelan, Wexford – 101 points
  3. Eric Wickham, Wexford – 100 points

Under 40 Horse Class:

  1. Jeremiah Delaney, Cork East – 149 points
  2. Gearoid McCarthy, Cork West – 139 points
  3. Eamon McDonagh, Mayo – 128 points

Vintage 2 Furrow Trailer Class:

  1. Tommy Cullen, Wexford – 151 points
  2. Bobby Owen, Kildare – 132 points
  3. John Woulfe, Cork West – 131 points
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