Guarantees Smashed at the Galway Poker Festival

Main Event Heading for €400,000

The Galway Poker Festival defied the forecast snow and icy weather and continued to attract big numbers and plenty of action on Day 4. The three Main Event flights had nearly 400 entries between them bringing the current prizepool to over €364,000 with Flight 1F remaining on Sunday morning.

Ger Keenan is still the leading qualifier having brought 755,000 through from Day 1A. Next in line is Mary Galvin on 717k, with Paul Carr looming on 614k. Other luminaries amongst the qualifiers include Michael Dwyer (512k), Jamie Flynn (411k), Keith Cummins (400k), Michel Molenaar (382k), Mark Buckley (357k), and Padraig O’Neill (353k).

€70k in Claddagh Poker Cup

Just like the Sawdoctors before him Dave Cleary took the N17 in from Tuam and took first prize of €17,000 in the Claddagh Cup beating Spain’s Juan Lyons (€11,000) in the heads up. Gabriel Osborne filled out the podium collecting €7,500 for third.

Dan Sheridan Remembered

The annual Dan Sheridan Cup held in memory of one of Galway’s most popular poker figures as always drew a bumper field, mostly made up of locals who knew Dan well before his tragically early death.

Stephan Campbell, winner of the 2024 Irish APAT Championship came out on top again collecting €500 after a four way deal with Jorrit Baars (€4,000), Matin Joyce (€4,000), and Colm O’Toole (€3,860).

Denise is the Ladies’ Master

Denise Fusciardi, one of the best known and highest regarded women on the Irish poker scene reproved her talents when beating a fearsome field of 52 female warriors to win the Galway Ladies’ Masters and €2,800. Julie McCann was second with Smurph (Colette Murphy) taking third for her second cash of the week so far.