Athlone €30K in a Day got off to a flying start, and it was clear from the off that this was going to be something a little different. Led by the Midlands Poker community, what rolled into Athlone Springs felt less like a €30K one-dayer and more like an invading army. The noise, banter and atmosphere made Athlone Springs louder than we had ever heard it during a poker tournament.

The €200 Main Event was already over the guaranteed €30,000 by Level 4 of Flight 1A, and there was a unique, amped-up energy around the room. The noise level and energy were up there with any IPT one dayer and it may have been our best one to date.

Poker in the Midlands is strong. Really strong. And there’s a close knit community full of top talent and that was perhaps the biggest takeaway from the opening flight.

If there was ever proof that Athlone needs a multi-day festival, this was it.

Flight 1A eventually attracted an impressive 306 entries, and a €49,940 prize pool, already well beyond the original €30K guarantee, with plenty of action still to come in the second flight.

Gavin O’Rourke led the way, turning his 30,000 starting stack into an enormous 255,000 chips, with John Farrell close behind on 250,000. David Flanagan (160,000), Sylvester Geoghegan (135,000) and Derek Connellan (125,000) also finished among the big stacks.

There were plenty of familiar faces through to the final, including Tadhg Kelly, Dion Tyler Somers, Charlie Porter, Siobhan Blaney, Shane Keary, Rachael Tarmey, Martin Ward, Edward Glennon and Paul Fitzpatrick.

And, perhaps inevitably given the numbers that showed up in Athlone, the Midlands Card Club contingent was well represented although Robbie and Ray would have plenty of work to do when they returned.

Flight 1A had delivered on every level: 306 entries, €49,940 in the prize pool, 40 qualifiers and an atmosphere that suggested Athlone had stumbled onto something much bigger than a one-day event.

And there was still more to come… much more poker fans.

Flight 1B Hyper

If Flight 1A had brought the atmosphere, Flight 1B Hyper brought the speed.

The €200 Hyper hit 101 entries, adding another €16,484 to the prize pool, with players looking to squeeze their way into the Main Event final day in a much shorter window. It was loud and there was an excitement with the shouts of “All in and Call” and “ All the biscuits” echoing around the room over and over again.

And there was no shortage of familiar faces making the attempt.

At the top of the pile were David Brennan and Declan Brennan, both qualifying, while Robbie Bryant also found his way through after another bullet.

David Butler, Andrew Caplan, Robert Casey, Junior Costa, Paul Coyle, Anthony Crampton, Laura Crasenco and Jamie Cunningham were among the other players to survive the turbo-charged flight.

There was plenty of experience among those making it through, with Robert Kiersey, Kevin Lynch, Alan McBride, Sean Murtagh, Tommy O’Rourke, Eddie Sheridan, Kyle Smyth, George Stoddart, Colman Wheatley and Dickie Whiteside all securing their spots in the final.

Between the two flights, Athlone had already produced a huge turnout, and with the Hyper adding another 101 entries to the Main Event numbers, the €30K in a Day was rapidly turning into something considerably bigger.

The final was beginning to take shape.

 

Athlone €30K in a Day Main Event Final

An incredible Main Event final saw Robbie Bryant make the money with a min-cash for €650. As the great Mick Graydon said last week in Galway: “You can’t win every tournament, Robbie.”

Catching up with Robbie after his exit he told me: “ I got out with the min cash so I’m happy. It’s so important to cash these events”

As the field began to shrink, several familiar names made solid runs. There were still Midlands hopes alive, with Adam Dempsey, Dion Somers (another bright young talent coming out of Tullamore) and Frederico Hitner all going deep for the Midlands Card Club, while Robert Kiersey, Laura Crasenco, Anthony Crampton, Kevin Lynch, Tommy O’Rourke, Eddie Sheridan, Kyle Smyth and Colman Wheatley were among those to make the later stages before eventually falling short of the money.

Siobhan Blayney was also looking to go back-to-back after her Eglinton win the previous week.

But it wasn’t to be.

Siobhan fell just shy of the final table, but she is a serious player and one to keep an eye on. She cashed for €900.

Mary Hogan also made a strong showing, finishing 16th for €800, while Christine Dunn followed closely behind in 18th for €750.

Once the fog had cleared, we were looking down the barrel of a bumper final table. And our final nine all had eyes on the announced €15,000 top prize.

Charlie Porter held the chip lead, with Paudie Cusack and George Stoddart also well placed, while Edward Glennon, Mark Daniel M., Adam Dempsey, Rachael Tarmey, Alan McBride and Paul Fitzpatrick completed the final nine.

 

Final Table Chip Counts

• 3,255,000 – Charlie Porter (Seat 5)
• 2,405,000 – Paudie Cusack (Seat 9)
• 1,435,000 – George Stoddart (Seat 3)
• 1,370,000 – Edward Glennon (Seat 8)
• 1,080,000 – Mark Daniel M (Seat 6)
• 810,000 – Adam Dempsey (Seat 2)
• 700,000 – Rachael Tarmey (Seat 1)
• 615,000 – Alan McBride (Seat 7)
• 440,000 – Paul Fitzpatrick (Seat 4)

The final stages saw a battle, with Rachael Tarmey the player to watch as she powered into the latter stages. Tarmey eventually found herself up against a very determined Charlie Porter. Porter held K7 against Tarmey’s JQ, and a king on the flop followed by no help on the turn or river saw Tarmey exit in 7th place for €1,800. There was a well deserved round of applause for Rachael from the remaining players and the media team alike.

The Final Six

With Tarmey gone, six players remained and the battle became even more intense.

Alan McBride eventually exited in 6th place for €2,200, followed by Mark Daniel M. in 5th for €2,800.

Edward Glennon then hit the rail in 4th place for €3,900, leaving our final three.

The remaining players continued to battle patiently into the early hours, knowing that every decision now carried huge ICM implications and financial consequences.

Eventually, Paudie Cusack hit the rail in 3rd place for €5,800.

And then there were two.

Stoddart vs Porter

In Killian Farrell’s debut year on the tour we referred to him as the crossbar specialist. Charlie Porter may now be taking over the mantle. Not that he was complaining.

Porter and George Stoddart went heads-up for the title and after a lengthy battle, a deal was eventually discussed, leaving both players with €11,335 locked up, with €2,000 left behind for the winner, along with the trophy.

And it was George Stoddart who finally got his hands on it.

Stoddart couldn’t hide his emotion as he celebrated winning the €30K in a Day Main Event, taking €13,340 and the trophy.

Porter collected €11,335 for an excellent runner-up finish.

After 407 entries, a €66,425 prize pool, George Stoddart was the last man standing.

Congratulations, George Stoddart –The Athlone €30K in a Day champion.

Saturday Night NLH

The Saturday night €150 NLH brought another lively field to the tables, with 79 entries creating a €9,480 prize pool and plenty of familiar names made deep runs, with Robbie Bryant, Anthony Crampton, Kieran Lynch, Derek Murray and Mark Spelman all making deep runs.

At the business end, Anthony Crampton took 6th for €550, followed by Shane Fitzsimons in 5th for €700. Mark Spelman then finished 4th for €970 before Alexander Bernstein fell in 3rd for €1,380.

That left Helio Netto heads-up against the legendary Willo Connolly.

It was a fitting final pairing. Helio is one of the genuinely nice guys of Irish poker and has been around the business end of tournaments a lot lately, and to see him go heads-up with a legend like Willo was a fitting way to finish the night.

But there was to be no stopping Helio.

Netto took down the Saturday Night NLH for €3,000, with Willo Connolly collecting €2,030 for second.

A great result for Helio, another deep run and another trophy to add to what has been a very strong spell at the tables.

 

Next stop Athlone

If Athlone proved anything, it is that €30K in a Day can be a whole lot bigger than €30K.

And now the circus moves on.

Next stop: Limerick.

On Saturday, September 5th, the Irish Poker Tour heads to the Castletroy Park Hotel for another €30K in a Day and after what we witnessed in Athlone, you’d have to wonder just how big this one can get. Another 2x Guaranteed prizepool? Why not indeed.

See you there poker fans.