La Irenita earned a hard fought 13-12 win against Las Rosas La Natividad (who received five goals on handicap), and won the República Argentina Cup, the highlight of the Autumn season in Argentina, after the championship match that took place on Saturday March 29, at Palermo (ground 2). It’s worth to notice that this is the third time La Irenita are victorious in the only tournament in the world where teams between 0 and 40 goals are eligible to play – they previously claimed the coveted contest in 2002 and 2022
A large number of spectators watched the final from packed grandsstands. La Irenita, led by Matías MacDonough Jr. and Custodio Eleno, remained in the lead during five chukkas, while Las Rosas La Natividad fought hard to overcome the five goal advantage given to their contenders. And they made it in the last chukka, thanks to a remarkable performance delivered by Lukin Monteverde, when they managed to tie at 12-all. But when it seemed the contest would be decided in extra chukka, with only 25 seconds left in regulation time, a fantastic run by Custodio Eleno, ended between the goalposts and secured the win and the title for La Irenita.
On a personal side, both Matías MacDonough Jr. and Martín Podestá earned their second title in the República Argentina Cup; for Custodio Eleno and Fermín MacDonough, it was their first. Meanwhile, Las Rosas La Natividad is a runner up for the second consecutive year, after losing to Trenque Lauquen La Fe, in 2024, when the República Argentina Cup semifinals and final had to be played in the spring season, after being cancelled in Autumn due to poor weather.
REPÚBLICA ARGENTINA CUP – FINAL – SATURDAY MARCH 29
LA IRENITA 13-12 LAS ROSAS LA NATIVIDAD
La Irenita: Fermín Mac Donough 1 (1 goAl), Custodio Eleno 1 (1), Martín Podestá 7 (2), Matías Mac Donough Jr. 7 (4, two penalties). Total: 16.
Las Rosas La Natividad: Matías González Otharán 1 (1 goal), Santiago Cernadas 7 (3), Lukin Monteverde 9 (6, four penalties), Bartolomé Castagnola 4 (2). Total: 21.
Score La Irenita: (5-0) 7-2, 8-3, 8-5, 9-7, 11-10, 13-12.
Umpires: Federico Martelli & Rafael Silva.
Third man: Martín Inchauspe.
MVP: Matías Mac Donough Jr.
Jaime Amorín BPP Award: Irenita Sudanesa, ridden by Matías MacDonough Jr.
Best Polo Argentino Bred, presented by the Polo Pony Breeders Assn.: El Overo Z7 Catadora, ridden by Lukin Monteverde.