Don't pour fuel directly into a cylinder and expect to get a pop 100% of the time - combustion in the cylinder happens when the ratio is correct fuel to air, dumping in a random amount of liquid fuel is very unlikely to generate the correct ratio especially since it can't atomize the fuel like the carb does. Better way is to spray starting fluid or carb cleaner into the carb intake. The fumes will pass into the cylinder and mix better. Yes, many old timers like to squirt fuel in - my ol man used to all the time but I've learned it's not the best way in practice.
If you get no pop on either or carb cleaner it's likely, but not definitely spark related. You can pull the plug out the hold the base to the engine while pulling over to look for it to spark if you don't have a spark tester (but you really should have one if you work on engines at all). Not sure how Poulan is - I know many brands have electronic ignition that is almost never a failure point as long as the engine is pulled fast enough.
Make sure the exhaust spark arrestor is not clogged (if in doubt remove the screen and clean it with cleaner or burn it off with a torch.)
9 times out of 10 it's fuel related not spark. Lines would be my next inspection point. Carb rebuild kits may be relatively cheap but they are a PITA to do correctly. You need special tools to do it right, which involves removing the welch plug(s) and screen, installing new ones, and setting the spring arm/metering arm. You can change diaphragms and seals, but if there's gunk in a passage under a welch plug in a "sealed" jet you're wasting your time unless you remove and clean it.
I'd start with making sure you have spark, then check fuel delivery before hitting the carb. That's what I do every day at work.
