Thanks to Sharon O Grady for the photos

The Circus has a arrived in Galway.

I got to the Eglinton early this evening to set up to cover the satellite that’s on tonight but then the circus showed up. Mad Marty Wilson and Jesse May have arrived with a massive pile of prizes spread over 2 poker tables for a raffle during the tourney break. All we are missing is a big top and an elephant, (feel free to post any wise cracks in the comments section). The attendance tonight is unfortunately a little low but there does promise to be a fairly good cash game given the stature of some of the players in attendance, Padraig Parkinson, Rory Liffey are here along with Marty and Jesse. Hopefully we can get a couple of interviews with them later.

And we're off, the pre-tourney favorite is Rory Liffey,
oh hang on, Mad Marty has just bought in, so obviously there is no alteration to the betting.

Ciaran O' Leary, a winner of a WOSP bracelet, here tonight trying to get a cheap ticket, and I tell ya if he can survive the seat he has been given he deserves 2 tickets. To his right is James "The nicest lunatic in the world" Walsh and to his left he has John "Ya want to bet I won't go all-in with this pile of shit" Ward

Ok, we have got to the first break in tonight’s satellite and have lost 16 of the 57 starters. As predicted, Ciaran O Leary found himself out of his depth surrounded by 2 of Galway’s finest. He was forced to rebuy early and then luckily got moved to a different table and is hanging in there now.

Our pre-tourney favorite, Rory Liffey, is short stacked but now that the rebuys are finished we are expecting him to start moving through the field. The chip leader is Pat Morris with 54000, enough to make the final table if he can straighten up and fly right for the next couple of hours.

Mad Marty was one of the early casualties but at least that frees him up to run his raffle desk, from which all the proceeds is going to a worthwhile charity.

The prize pool tonight is €9400, so there is a fair chance 5 tickets will be given out tonight. Hopefully I can get my hands on one. Taking a break now for so chicken ala Fintan, so if I survive that I will give up an update in a while.

Forgive me for not keeping you updated on the tourney but I was playing and actually got a few chips together. you will all be delighted to hear that I have indeed won a ticket for the IPC, yeehaw.

See you all on Friday