13 gold for Clare athletes at Munster championships

THE Munster juvenile U-12, U-13 plus U-16 to U-19 track and field championships were held in beautiful weather conditions at Cork IT track over two days at the weekend. Clare athletes came away with a total of 13 gold, six silver and five bronze medals.
Harriett Flynn (Shannon) won gold in the girls’ U-18 800m and 1,500m, with Katie McInerney (Tulla) taking gold in the girls’ U-17 shot putt. Niamh Markham (Ennis Track) also took double gold in the girls’ U-16 800m and 1,500m and Aishling Darcy (Ennis Track) won the girls’ U-17 800m and 1,500m.
In the U-17 boys’ 400m and 800m, Eamon Chesser (Ennis Track) was the winner while his clubmate Adrian Kearney, running in the boys’ U-18 3,000m Steeplechase captured the gold medal. He also took gold in 3,000m and a silver medal in the 1,500m.
Darragh Lynch caused a major surprise to win the boys’ U-18 800m and Jamie Roche (Ennis Track) took gold in the boys’ U-12 600m.
In the girls’ U-12 600m, Sharon Egan (Kilmihil) settled in well for the first 200m but she was pipped on the line and had to settle for the silver medal with a great time of 1.50:06.
In the girls’ U-13 high jump St John’s athlete Cliodhna Blake produced a personal best of 1.35m to capture the silver medal having earlier captured a silver medal in the 60m hurdles.
In the girls’ U-13 600m, Cliodhna along with Áine Rouine (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) had to come through two tough heats on Saturday to be in Sunday’s final. Going down the back straight, Áine Rouine moved into third spot and with 150m to go, she was in contention for a Munster medal and held on to third spot and a bronze medal with a time of 1.51:01.
In the girls’ U-16 1,500m, Niamh Markham (Ennis Track) cruised home to take the gold medal in 5.00.18. She again displayed power, speed and strength, to coast to another Munster title in the 800m with a time of 2.20:35.
Aishling Darcy (Ennis Track Club) contested the 1,500m U-17. She was always in control at the front producing a very fast winning time of 4.57:80. She also won the 800m with a time of 2.23:59.
In the girls’ U-17 shot putt, Katie McInerney (Tulla) was pipped for the Munster title last year but this year, she produced six outstanding rounds of throwing to capture the gold medal with a throw of 11.65m.
Harriett Flynn (Shannon) took control in the U-18 1,500m after two laps and cruised home to take the Munster title in 4.58:53. In the 800m, she was always in control to take another Munster title in 2.17:556.
In the girls’ U-18 Suzanne Kelly Kilnaboy, competing in the high jump, produced some final leaps to win the silver medal in 1.40m, while she won bronze in the long jump with a leap of 5.02.
In the boys’ U-12 600m, Paul Martin (Ennis Track) cruised home to the final from heat one and Jamie Roche (Ennis Track) finished second in heat two. In the final, a fine piece of front running by Jamie Roche saw him go out hard for the first 300m and he maintained that all the way to the finish line to take Munster gold in 1min.46.84 with Paul Martin finishing fourth in 1.49:580.
Declan Martin (Ennis Track) worked hard in the boys’ U-16 3,000m to take a bronze medal in 10.30:80.
Eamon Chesser (Ennis Track) had to settle in well for the first 200m in the boys’ U-17 400m and he powered his way to the finish to take the gold medal in 54.03.
Eamon Chesser went to the start of the 800m along side William Flynn (Shannon) but it was Chesser that came away with the spoils when taking another Munster title in 2.03:48 with Flynn finishing sixth.
In the boys’ U-17 high jump, William Flynn was very close to taking the title but knocked the bar at 1.70m and had to settle for the silver medal with a leap of 1.66m.
The boys’ U-17 3,000m saw Peter Maher (Ennis Track) running seven and half laps and he came away with silver medal with a time of 10.13:89.
Mark Boland (Marian) came through a very tough semi-final in the boys’ U-18 200m to finish third and in the final, he came through over the final five metres to snatch the bronze medal in 23.51. He was fifth in the 100m.
In the boys’ U-18 400m, Darragh Lynch (Ennis Track) worked hard to take a bronze medal in 52.81 and he was also in the thick of the action on Sunday, this time in the 800m, when he caused a shock when taking the title over the last few strides with a time of 2.08:74.
In the boys’ U-18 1,500m, Adrian Kearney (Ennis Track) had to settle for the silver medal with a time of 4.13:66. Later on that afternoon, in the 3,000m steeplechase, he was outstanding over hurdles when taking the gold medal in 9.15:41.
Adian Kearney (Ennis Track) along with clubmate Kevin Chesser both contested the 3,000m final on Sunday. Kearney had to work very hard over the final 300m to take this title in 9.13:25 with Chesser a very good fourth in 9.36:97.

Results
Girls
U-12 600m: 2. Sharon Egan (Kilmihil) (1min.50.06). 60m: 5. Orla Waters (Ennis Track) (9.80).
U-13 high jump: 2. Cliodhna Blake (St John’s (1.35m).
60m hurdles: 2. Cliodhna Blake (St John’s (1.35m).
600m: 3. Áine Rouine (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (1.51:01);
9. Cliodhna Blake (St John’s) (1.55:68).
U-16
1,500m: 1. Niamh Markham (Ennis Track) (5.00:18).
800m: 1. Niamh Markham (Ennis Track) (2.20:35); 5. Eimear Hillery (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (2.38.37).
U-17, 1500m: 1. Aishling Darcy (Ennis Track) (4.57:80).
800m: 1. Aishling Darcy (Ennis Track) (2.23:59).
Shot putt: 1.Katie McInerney (Tulla) (11.65m).   
U-18, 1,500m: 1. Harriett Flynn (Shannon) (4.58:53).
800m: 1. Harriett Flynn (Shannon) (2.17:56).
High jump: 2. Suzanne Kelly (Kilnaboy) (1.40m).
Long jump: 3. Suzanne Kelly (Kilnaboy) (5.02m).
Boys
U-12, 600m: 1. Jamie Roche (Ennis Track) (1min.46.84); 4. Paul Martin (Ennis Track) (1.49:80).
U-16, 3,000m: 3. Declan Martin (Ennis Track) (10.30:80).
U-17, 400m: 1. Eamon Chesser (Ennis Track) (54.03).   
800m: 1. Eamon Chesser (Ennis Track) (2.03:28); 6. William Flynn (Shannon) (2.12.80).
3,000m: 2. Peter Maher (Ennis Track) (10.13:89).
High jump: 2. William Flynn (Shannon) (1.66m).
U-18, 100m: 5. Mark Boland (Marian) (12.19).
200m: 3. Mark Boland (Marian) (23.51).
400m: 3. Darragh Lynch (Ennis Track) (52.81).
800m: 1. Darragh Lynch (Ennis Track) (2.08:74).
1,500m: 2. Aidan Kearney (Ennis Track) (4.13:66).
3,000 steeplechase: 1. Aidan Kearney (Ennis Track) (9.15:41).
3000m: 1. Aidan Kearney (Ennis Track) (9.13:25); 4. Kevin Chesser (Ennis Track) (9.36:97).

Fixtures
June
26. National 2 x 2 team U-9, U-10, U-11 at Templemore County Tipperary at 10.30am.
27. Clare Community Games finals in Lees Road Sports Complex.
27. Athletics Ireland Junior Track and Field Championships at Tullamore.

July
3. Cork City Sports at CIT at 1pm.
3 and 4. Athletics Ireland Juvenile Track and Field U-12 to U-19 Championships in Tullamore at 10am.