Clare athletes triumph in Athlone

SEVENTY-six competitors from 15 areas across the county represented Clare at the National Community Games Finals in Athlone last weekend.

There were some great performances from the Clare representatives and a sizeable haul of medals were brought back to the Banner County.
A total of 3,000 children participated and they were supported by over 600 volunteers and organisers, as well as family members and friends.
Over 200,000 young people from all over Ireland take part in the games’ qualifiers.
“There are strong contingents from every county involved and plenty of friendly rivalry and excellent performances across the events, with everybody excelling in their finals. Most importantly, we hope that all of our participants will have had an enjoyable, positive and hopefully memorable experience. Through participation, we hope that all the children will learn more about themselves, their friends, about staying active, being healthy and the values of fair play and respect in sport,” said Miceal Curly, president, HSE Community Games.
Speaking over the weekend, Fiachra O’Mathuna, CEO, of Community Games said, “These two weekends are the accumulation of a lot of hard work from children, parents and volunteers who have been preparing for the last year to reach this point. As delighted as we are with the success of our national finals, it is the lifelong participation and love of a healthy lifestyle we work to instil in those involved with the HSE Community Games that is most important to us and of greatest value to them.”
The Ennis St John’s hardcourt tennis team captured gold medals for the second year in succession. The members of the victorious U-16 team are Eoin Power, Michael McMahon, Liam Mullins, Ciarán O’Brien, Alice Twomey, Alison Brogan, Olena Ochinnikova and Laura McGann.
In the semi-final, they played Ballaghadereen from Roscommon and won 3-0 and came up against Gorey in the final. The boys’ doubles team of Eoin Power and Michael Mullins lost 6-2 and 6-3 before the girls’ doubles pairing of Alison Brogan and Alice Twoomey won 6-1 and 6-3.
It was then down to the mixed pairing of Olena Ochinnikova and Michael McMahon (captain) and they clinched the title with a three-set victory, 4-6, 6-1 and 6-4. Michael has been nominated to receive a Community Games All-star award later this year.
The winning team are all members of Ennis Lawn Tennis and Badminton Club and are coached by Danny and Jason Comerford.
There was gold also for Lauren McConway from Quin-Clooney who won the U-14 girls’ cycling competition.
Ben Harnett from Ennis St John’s won bronze in the U-8 gymnastics competition.
Bronze was also won by Rachel Tone from Inch-Kilmaley-Connolly in the U-12 gymnastics.
Ciara Cahill from Ennis St John’s won bronze in the judo under 45kgs.
Jennifer O’Neill from Quin-Clooney won bronze in the U-12 cycling competition.
In the U-14 gymnastics, Jane Taylor from Quin-Clooney was fourth.
Sixmilebridge-Kilmurry variety group won the Rita Farrelly Perpetual Cup for the Irish content of their show. The members of the group are Kelly Finnegan, Rachel Scanlan, Áine Freeman, Sheilagh Larkin, James Connor, Aisling Hassett, Caroline Hogan, Claire Corbett, Aoife Corbett, Niamh O’Dea, Gerard O’Dea, Fiona Murphy, Colette Donnellan and Marie Ryan.
Clare Community Games will be well represented at weekend three of the national finals in Athlone this weekend when competitors will be taking part in athletics track and field, marathon, relays, rounders, tag rugby and futsal. One hundred and thirty seven children from 22 different areas around the county will have the honour of representing their area and county in the national finals this week.
Sixmilebridge/Kilmurry boys’ rounders U-15, Clarecastle/Ballyea girls’ rounders U-13, Ennis St John’s boys’ futsal and Clarecastle/Ballyea tag rugby U-11 are all hoping to bring home gold medals to the county.
Clare will have nine relay teams participating and six are from Ennis St John’s with the remaining three from Quin/Clooney.
Ennis St John’s have nine families with at least two taking part:
Sean and Manus O’Doherty: U-12 and U-14 relay; Amidat and Kaderi Karimu: U-8 60m and U-13 relay; Chibikem and Nzube Okoye: U-10 100m – relay and U-12 100m and relay. Lase and Temidayo Adesiyan: U-10 200m and U-14 100m and U-13 relay; Nicholas and William Twumasi: U-15 relay and U-14 relay and futsal. Niamh and Cathal O’Brien: U-13 relay and U-12 relay. Orla and Brian Devitt: U-15 relay and U-13 relay. Twins Antonia and Tony Odubote both U-12 relays; Elizabeth, Debbie and Solomon Adesiyan in U-10, U-12 and U-14 relays.
The athletics events will dominate at this weekend’s finals and competing for Clare will be Amidat Karimyu, Temidayo Adeyinka, Sultan Akinwale, Chibikem Okoye, Lase Adeyinka, Nzube Okoye, Jamie Roche and Daryl McNamara (all Ennis St John’s); Niamh Conlon (Cooraclare-Cree), Emily Barry (Clarecastle-Ballyea), Alex O’Neill, Ellie Rochford (Quin-Clooney), Chantel Bourke (Kilrush), Sharon Egan (Kilmihil), Angharad Loughnane (Kilkishen-O’Callaghan’s Mills), Laura Power (Doora-Barefield), Bethany Headlam (Tulla), Lynn O’Mara (Clonlara), Jean Clancy (Doonbeg), Grace Moloney (Tulla), Anne Marie Hayes (Newmarket), Deirbhile Ryan (Clonlara), Gráinne Cremin (Doora-Barefield), Rachel Clancy (Carrigaholt-Cross), Kate McInerney (Tulla), Laura Egan (Kilmihil), Shauna Harvey (Carrigaholt – Cross), Niamh Markham (Kilmurry McMahon-Labasheeda), Ailish Brew (Kilkee); Shane Harrison (Quin-Clooney), Emma O’Donoghue (Clarecastle-Ballyea), Gearóid McMahon (Newmarket), Michael O’Shea (An Droichead), Michael Clancy (Doonbeg), Pearse Lillis (Cooraclare-Cree), Cormac Lynch (Tulla), Ian Slobody (Kildysart), David Mescall (Kilnamona), Patrick O’Rourke (Ennistymon-Liscannor-Lahinch); Eoin Hanrahan (Doora-Barefield), Paraic McNamara (Inch-Connolly-Kilmaley), Ryan Taylor (Quin-Clooney), Matthew Gallagher (Cratloe), Seán Keane (Quin-Clooney), Caoimhin Donnellan (Cooraclare-Cree) and Gavin Melican (Kilkee). In addition, Clare will have a number of relay teams in action from Ennis St John’s and Quin-Clooney.
The members of the Ennis St John’s futsal team are Barry Woods, Gerard Kennedy, William Twumasi, Ronan Kerin, James Coakley, Patrick McDaid and Cathal Lynch while the Sixmilebridge-Kilmurry rounders team comprises Kevin Kelly, Jonathon Fawl, Alex Morey, Gavin Whyte, Eoghan Maxwell, Shane McInerney, Robert Halpin, Robbie Corry, Dean Costelloe, Stephen Mulready, Niall Hogan and Eoin Flynn. Making up the Clarecastle-Ballyea rounders team are Niamh Healy, Sarah Moloney, Doireann Murphy, Nanci Page, Lauren Tuohy, Michaela McNamara, Lauren Kelly, Rebecca Breen-McDonnell, Erin Walshe, Lauren Healy and Rianne Donnellan. The members of the Clarecastle-Ballyea tag rugby squad are Seán Donal, Luke McDermott, Killian McDermott, Lorcan Clancy, Ronan Donnelly, Niall Galvin, Ellen Barry, Rachel Hartigan, Aoighin Donnelly, Barry Neylon, Eamonn Breen and Eoin Mangan.