The Galway Summer Festival Main Event delivered a final table worthy of the occasion, and when the dust finally settled, it was Ray Bryant who stood tallest.

With 225 entries creating a €36,720 prize pool, the final table brought together a strong mix of Irish poker talent and international players. But the story of the day belonged to Bryant, who showed exactly why patience, experience and knowing when to pick your moment can be so valuable when the cards refuse to cooperate.

For much of the final table, Bryant was card dead.

Really dead.

Rather than forcing the action, he waited. He picked his spots, protected his stack and trusted that the opportunities would eventually come. There was no panic, no wild swings. Just Bryant doing what Bryant does and waiting for his moment.

One man making life particularly difficult was Fergal Coyle, seated directly to Ray’s left and proving to be a constant thorn in his side through the early stages of the final table.

But poker has a way of testing even the most patient player. Sometimes you sit there, hand after hand, watching the deck give everyone else something to work with.

You wait.

And then, eventually, it is your turn.

When the cards finally came for Ray, he made them count.

Bryant moved through the field with the quiet confidence we have become accustomed to, taking out Coyle in fourth place in a pivotal blind-on-blind confrontation.

Coyle shoved with pocket sixes and Ray was faced with a decision holding A7 offsuit. He made the call.

The board ran out J-J-T-Q-7 and Coyle was sent to the rail in fourth place for €2,400.

A very game Dermot Quinn was next to fall in third for €3,250. Quinn had already done the hard work in Day 1C, qualifying with an impressive 486,000-chip stack, and he carried that momentum all the way to the final three.

That left Bryant heads-up with Samuel Atherton, with the Galway Summer Festival Main Event title within touching distance.

Before the final battle could begin in earnest, a heads-up ICM deal was discussed and agreed.

Atherton locked up €5,570, while Bryant secured €5,900, with €1,200 left on the table to play for alongside the trophy.

And Ray wanted the trophy.

The Bryant Brothers Do It Again

There was a little extra motivation behind the victory.

Brother Robbie Bryant had already done the business earlier in the festival, winning the €10K In A Day. Ray admitted afterwards that he felt he needed to produce a big result of his own.

“I felt like I needed to come out and get a big result after Robbie had done the business again in the €10K In A Day.”

And boy did he do it.

Ray followed Robbie’s victory with one of his own, adding another Galway Summer Festival title to what became a very memorable festival for the Bryant family.

Two brothers. Two titles.

Not a bad way to spend a weekend.

A Deep and Talented Final Table

Behind the champion, it was a final table packed with quality.

Fergal Coyle finished fourth for €2,400, Robert Gabriel took fifth for €2,000, while Ben Hibbins continued an excellent festival with sixth place for €1,770.

Rodrigo Ferraro finished seventh for €1,550, while young up-and-coming prospect Alex Coughlan from Midlands Card Club in Tullamore took eighth for €1,400.

Cyril Doherty finished ninth for €1,250, with Shella McSweeney rounding out the top ten for €1,100.

There were also plenty of strong performances from the Day 1C qualifiers. Alongside Quinn, Hibbins and Farrell, Shane Keary, Christopher Mitten, Morgan Doody, Kenneth Greaney, Aiden Cullinane, Dylan Yip and Siobhan Blaney all converted their opening-flight runs into Main Event cashes.

And for Keary, the day became even more memorable.

Keary Takes Down the First-Ever IPT PLO 5 Card Courchevel

After finishing 21st in the Main Event for €600, Shane returned to the PLO 5 Card Courchevel and went all the way.

It was also a little bit of history for the Irish Poker Tour, with PLO 5 Card Courchevel making its debut on the IPT schedule. And if the new variant brought something fresh to the festival, the players certainly brought the atmosphere.

The craic, banter and constant noise around the tables made it arguably the liveliest and most entertaining corner of the room throughout the evening. There was a different kind of energy around those tables. Arguably less solemn concentration, more laughter between the hands, more stories, more slagging and plenty of volume.

The new variant attracted 29 entries and created a €3,480 prize pool, with Keary ultimately taking the inaugural IPT title for €1,630.

Kate Zed finished runner-up for €950, with Ian Hamrock taking third for €650.

For Keary, it meant another piece of Galway Summer Festival silverware after an already impressive Main Event run.

At this stage, we could almost use a stock image of Shano at the PLO tables. He keeps finding his way to the sharp end of these events and, more often than not, walking away with the trophy.

Is he the best tournament Omaha player in the country?

He just might be.

A Final Flourish for the Festival

The festival’s final tournament also delivered another winner, with Eglinton regular Siobhan Blaney taking down the €150 IPT Monsterstack for €2,570 after overcoming a 71-entry field.

Charlie Porter finished runner-up for €1,650, with Martin Cassidy completing the top three.

It was a fitting way to bring the Galway Summer Festival to a close.

And what a festival it was.

From the opening cards to the final trophy, there was something about this one. When you hit your first Guarantee within 4 levels of play, you feel that this one was going to be special. The room had been busy, the tables were full, the vibe was lively and the usual mixture of characters, competition and craic made the Eglinton feel like home for a few days.

But the headline had already been written.

Ray Bryant was the man leaving with the Main Event trophy.

He sat there while the cards refused to cooperate. He absorbed the pressure, waited for the tide to turn and, when it finally did, he was ready.

That’s tournament poker.

You don’t always get to choose the hand you’re dealt. Sometimes all you can do is sit there, take the blows, keep your stack intact and wait for the storm to pass.

Ray Bryant did exactly that.

Then, when his moment came, he stepped forward and took it.

The Galway Summer Festival Main Event title was his.

And after Robbie had already put the Bryant name on the trophy earlier in the festival, Ray made absolutely sure it stayed there.

Two brothers. Two trophies.

And a Galway weekend they won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

Next Stop: Athlone

And just like that, Galway is in the books.

But there isn’t much time to sit around admiring the trophies.

Our next outing is next weekend, with the €30K In A Day coming to the Athlone Springs Hotel on Saturday, August 22.

So rest up, players.

The tables will be waiting.

We’ll see you all there.

Keep calm and play poker.

From the opening flight, the energy was infectious and it never let up. The kind of atmosphere we have come to expect from the Irish Poker Tour, with the Eglinton buzzing from the first hand to the final bag.

Day 1A of the €15,000 Guaranteed Galway Summer Festival Main Event saw 78 entries take to the tables, with 11 players making it through after more than eight hours of play.

It was another full house at the Eglinton, with plenty of familiar faces, big stacks and plenty of noise around the room as the field battled for their place in the final.

Leading the way was Ray Bryant, who put together a monster stack of 348,000, followed by Sean Walsh on 321,000 and Rodrigo Ferraro on 288,000.

Top 5 Day 1A Qualifiers

1. Ray Bryant – 348,000
2. Sean Walsh – 321,000
3. Rodrigo Ferraro – 288,000
4. Alex Coughlan – 264,000
5. Tommy O’Loughlin – 208,000

It was another memorable couple of days for the Bryant family, with Ray progressing through the Main Event after his brother Robbie Bryant took down the €10k in a Day the previous night.

And while Robbie didn’t quite manage to join Ray in the Main Event final, the family name was certainly doing plenty of work around the Eglinton.

Ben Hibbins Takes Down PLO 7-Max

There was no shortage of action away from the Main Event either, with the PLO 7-Max providing another full day of four-card poker.

The event attracted 25 entries, creating a €5,280 prize pool, and after almost nine hours of play it was Ben Hibbins who emerged victorious, taking home €2,490 and the PLO 7-Max title.

Hibbins faced a strong final table before finding himself heads-up against Shane Keary, who had put together an excellent run throughout the event.

The heads-up battle was a proper back-and-forth affair, with momentum swinging between the two players. Neither was willing to give an inch, and the battle had a little bit of everything — big pots, big swings and plenty of tension.

Eventually, Hibbins found the breakthrough he needed to close it out.

Keary took €1,430 for second, while Brian O’Sullivan completed the podium in third for €1,060. Patrick McGinley rounded out the paid places in fourth for €300.

PLO 7-Max Final Results

1. Ben Hibbins – €2,490
2. Shane Keary – €1,430
3. Brian O’Sullivan – €1,060
4. Patrick McGinley – €300

A hard-fought victory for Hibbins, with Keary pushing him all the way in an entertaining heads-up battle.

Summer Festival Main Event 1B: Cyril Doherty Leads the Way

The second flight of the Summer Festival Main Event brought another 95 entries to the tables, pushing the prize pool beyond the €15,000 guarantee to €15,504.

Leading the way was Cyril Doherty, who finished the flight with an impressive 619,000 chips. Doherty built one of the biggest stacks of the day and heads into the final with a commanding position.

Also enjoying a huge day was Pat O’Callaghan, who bagged 515,000 to finish second in the counts. The Eggy’s own was in flying form throughout the flight and now takes a huge stack into the final.

Robert Gabriel finished third with 358,000, followed by David Grealis on 316,000. Louis Martin (197,000) and Brendan Reaney (194,000) also finished the flight with sizeable stacks.

Further qualifiers included Lars Peterson (165,000), Vincent McNeela (115,000), Emmett Scott (114,000), Samuel Atherton (104,000), Jude Ainsworth (95,000) and Ronan Gilligan (77,000).

There were plenty of familiar names among those who fell short of qualification, including Robbie Bryant, who finished 43rd.

Shane Keary also came up short in 50th, but there was little time for disappointment after his deep run in the PLO earlier in the day. After battling all the way to heads-up there, Keary was straight back into the Main Event looking for another deep run.

After six hours and 48 minutes of play, the bags were finally packed, with Doherty emerging as the clear chip leader and 11 other players joining him through to the final.

And now, after two packed flights, plenty of big names and more than a few twists and turns, we are all set for a blockbuster Galway Summer Festival Main Event final today at 3:30pm.

The surviving players return with the title, the trophy and the biggest share of the prize pool all up for grabs.

The Eglinton is ready. The players are ready. Let the final begin.

The Galway Poker Summer Festival has wasted no time producing big winners, huge final tables and plenty of talking points, with the action beginning on Thursday and building towards a spectacular weekend.

Thursday: O’Donnell takes the €8k in a Day

Thursday evening got the festival underway with the €8k in a Day, attracting 98 entries and creating a prize pool of €11,760.

It was James “Mad Dog” O’Donnell who emerged victorious after a nine-hour battle, taking home €3,010 and 500 league points. Shoutout to Mad dog for his memorable table talk.

Michael Ryan finished runner-up for €2,800, with Thomas Healy completing the podium in third for €1,500.

Karol Mucha, Matej Madurkay and Ronan Gilligan rounded out the top six, while Katie Harrington, Norbert Golebiowski, Kenneth Greaney and Matthew O’Brien also made the money.

There was also plenty of familiar Galway talent deep in the field, setting the tone for what was to come.

Thursday night: Keary conquers the PLO

The PLO players then took centre stage, with the €250 PLO 8-Max attracting 24 entries and generating a €5,070 prize pool.

It was Shane Keary again who came out on top, turning his 30,000 starting stack into a €2,535 payday and 200 league points. You didn’t think Mr Keary would come to Galway and not get a trophy? No chance.

Eglinton regular Jamie Harrington finished second for €1,520, while Tarka Roche took third for €1,015.

The final table also featured Ben Hibbins,  Donal MacAonghusa, Fergal Coyle, Vincent O’Toole and Emlyn Long.

Friday: The €10k in a Day begins

Friday brought the opening flights of the €10k in a Day, with players battling through two starting flights for their place in the big final.

Day 1A attracted 75 entries, with 12 players making it through to the final carrying chips.

Lars Peterson led the way with 288,000, followed by Matthew Blayney on 276,000 and Kevin Lynch on 257,000.

Barry O’Sullivan, Norbert Golebiowski, Juliano De Costa, Dave Kingston, Mark Skybinskyi, Digory Dixon, Christopher Gerard, Killian Farrell and Robert Gabriel also secured their seats in the final.

Then came Day 1B, with another 43 entries joining the hunt.

And it was (Surprise surprise) Robbie Bryant who finished the flight with the biggest stack of all  an enormous 314,000 chips. Karol Mucha followed with 304,000, while Alex Coughlan, Siobhan Blaney, Conor Keane, Samuel Atherton, Jude Ainsworth and William Doherty also progressed.

With 118 total entries, the final was set.

Friday night: Who can believe it? Robbie Bryant does it again!

And then came the first big one. Who would it be?

Who can believe it? Robbie Bryant has done it again!

Bryant navigated the 118-entry field and a stacked final to take down the €10k in a Day, collecting a brilliant €3,900 and 700 league points. Robbie has pulled even further clear of the leaderboard sitting on 7260 points which is more than last years winner Paul Carr tallied for his entire league campaign. The Tullamore native is simply in the form of his life.

Christopher Gerard finished runner-up for €2,410, while Kevin Lynch took third for €1,650.

Jude Ainsworth finished fourth for €1,300, with Matthew Blayney (€1,100), Alex Coughlan (€900), Lars Peterson (€750), Mark Skybinskyi (€600), Norbert Golebiowski (€500) and Dave Kingston (€400) completing the top ten.

With another major title and another 700 points in the bag, the obvious question is:

Do we just hand Robbie the league trophy now?

Galway poker royalty shines in PLO

Friday also produced an incredible PLO final table, with the PLO 7-Max 4/5 Cards event attracting 33 entries and creating a €5,386 prize pool. If you were looking for Galway Poker royalty, then the Omaha FT was the table to watch, and boy did it deliver!

The unusual format saw players alternate between four-card and five-card Omaha depending on the level, but it was Vincent O’Toole, better known as LongLad, who ultimately conquered the field.

O’Toole collected €2,000 and 300 league points, besting Derek Murray after a heads up deal, who took €1,555 for second.

The legend Frank Dunleavy finished third for €1,020, with Duane McDonnell taking fourth for €810.

And it really was an incredible final table, packed with Galway poker legends and familiar faces from the Irish poker scene. Donal MacAonghusa, Kenneth Greaney, Paul Carr, Ian Hamrock, Patrick McGinley and Michael Fitzgerald were among those battling deep into the event.

With Shane Keary already taking down the PLO 8-Max on Thursday, the Omaha specialists have certainly made their presence felt at this festival.

It really was a PLO final table to remember.

And we’re only getting started…

Two days in and the Galway Poker Summer Festival has already delivered multiple champions, huge scores and some outstanding final tables.

James O’Donnell got things rolling on Thursday.

Shane Keary conquered the PLO.

Vincent O’Toole claimed the 7-Max title.

And Robbie Bryant once again put his name on the biggest trophy on offer so far.

If this is only the beginning, there is plenty more to come.

See you on the floor for the Main Event Poker fans.

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