Coffey family in Con Kirby semi-finals

THE Coffey family from Oatfield, Sixmilebridge will be represented in the semi-finals of the Con Kirby Memorial Open 550 at the Limerick Greyhound Racing Stadium on Friday night.
O’Garney Patch, trained by Bernard Coffey for his wife, Helen, qualified from a second-round heat last Friday. The  son of Ballymac Maeve-O’Garney Peral had a slow start from trap six; was baulked at the opening bend but made a good recoery to take third spot. The  30.07 winner of the heat was Laughill Billy, who led from the second bend to beat the Bridie Moore-trained Serious Sam by five lengths. O’Garney Patch was four lengths farther back for third place.
The talking dog of the second-round heats was the Rachel Wheeler-trained and Richard A Wheeler (Leyburn) owned Cama’s Crash (Crash-Mary’s Opal). The fawn dog certainly set a hot pace when leading all the way in heat one to win in a magnificient time of 29.64. He gradually drew clear of the field to win by six and a half lengths from the slow-starting Lass Cause. Third home was Liscahane Tiger.
Another fast winner in heat three was Varra Rumble ( 29.81). Owned in County Limerick by Tom Casey, the son of Westmead Hawk-Varra Lark was another trap-to-line winner when beating Coolard Chief by four lengths. Reserve runner, Varra Captain, owned by Maura Casey, was third.
Killian’s Express (30.11) won heat four from Riverside Cashen and Shaneboy Choice.
Trap draw for the semi-finals on Friday night:
Heat one: 1. Cama’s Crash; 2. Varra Captain; 3. Coolard Chief; 4. Riverside Cashen; 5. Lass Cause; 6. Killian’s Express.
Heat two: 1. Shaneboy Chives; 2. Varra Rumble; 3. Serious Sam; 4. Laughil Billy; 5. O’Garney Patch; 6. Liscahane Tiger.
The Hoppers from Liscannor also had a winner in Limerick on Friday night, their Rudi Blue (Duke Special-Run Ruby Run) doing the business in the fifth race on the card, an A4-graded 525. Trained by  Darryl Hopper for Cheryl Hopper, Rudi Blue broke well from trap four to establish an early lead and stay in front for the the remainder of the trip. His winning time was 29.27 when beating Itellyaboy by four lengths.
Slow off the mark from trap three, Meelick Raider, owned by Dan Flynn, Meelick, finished third in an open 525 won by the Graham Holland-trained Jacob’s Courage in 28.95, the best clock of the night. Jacob’s Courage won by half a length with Rallying Raider coming  home two-and-a-half lengths farther back.