Boylepoker pro wins Irish Poker Championship

DUBLIN, Ireland -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Boylepoker.com sponsored pro Rory Rees Brennan won the Irish Poker Championship at the weekend in Galway, Ireland collecting €160,000 for topping the field of 255 players in the first major poker event of 2009.

He headed a swathe of cashers for Boylepoker at the event which also saw Peter Murphy finish seventh for €12,500, Rory Liffey finish ninth for €8,000, Rory Brown finish 10th for €7,000, and Scott Gray finish 25th for €2,500.

Rees Brennan is a rising star in the poker world having previously won a pot-limit Omaha side event at the European Deep Stack Championship and come 51st in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure last year. In December 2008 he won the €1,000 tournament at Dublin's Fitzwilliam Card Club having previously finished second and fourth.

His victory comes hot on the heels of fellow Boylepoker.com pro Marty Smyth's Poker Million victory in December. Other recent successes for players from the site include Breandan Reaney -- "quickelec" -- taking down $80,000 for winning six single table tournaments in a row, and World Series of Poker finalist John O'Shea -- "doesalrite" -- lifting $44,950 for a victory and a fifth place finish in European Championship of Online Poker on Boylepoker.com.

Rees Brennan, who signed with Boylepoker.com last week, said, "I couldn't have asked for a better start to the year and having the support of Boylepoker and being part of a stable that includes Marty Smyth and Padraig Parkinson has given me a great boost. Let's hope I can continue to cash big and maybe even have as good a year as Marty did last 2008."

Paul Spillane, head of poker at Boylepoker.com, said, "We're thrilled for Rory and our decision to sign him has been vindicated quicker than we ever thought possible. He's a great talent and a welcome addition to our team."