Clare athletes scoop eight gold in Munsters

CLARE athletes were in good form at the Munster Juvenile U-14 to U-19 Track and Field Championships at the Ríocht Track Castleisland on Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday’s events were run off in very blustery weather conditions, in sharp contrast to Sunday when there was bright sunshine.
Clare athletes came away with eight gold medals, 10 silver and four bronze medals.
They produced outstanding performances with Alice Akres (Marian) taking gold in the girls’ U-16’s hammer with Eoin Hanrahan (Ennis Track) also taking gold in the boys’ U-16 discus. Niamh Markham (Ennis Track) recorded a very big win in the girls’ U-17 300m on day one and she returned on day two to take the 800 metres.
There was a surprise on day one in the boys’ U-18 when Cormac Lynch (Marian) captured the Munster 200m title and on Sunday, he captured the 100m title.
William Flynn (Shannon) captured the boys’ U-18 800m and Seamus McMahon (Shannon) took the boys’ U-16 3,000m walk.
The girls’ U-16 hammer competition was first of the field events on Saturday morning and over six rounds, Alice Akres produced a very big throw in round one of 50.57m to win this Munster gold medal. On day two in the javelin, she came away with a silver medal with a great throw of 32.32m and later on in the afternoon, she won another silver medal, this time in the discus, with a throw of 28m.
There was another surprise when Eoin Hanrahan (Ennis Track) set a personal best in the discus to take the boys’ U-16 gold medal in 45.08m.
Another gold medal winner, in the boys’ U-16,  was Seamus McMahon (Shannon) in the 3,000m walk with a time of 17.56:08.
In the boys’ U-14 1,500m, Mark Fennell St (Mary’s) was always in contention. Three athletes broke away and over the final 400m and Mark held on well to take a bronze medal in 5.19:27.
In the boys’ U-15 high jump, Paraic McNamara (Marian) did very well in windy conditions to take a silver medal with a leap of 1.5m.
In the girls’ U-15 high jump, Rachel Clancy (St John’s) made a great return to competitive competition after a long lay-off due to injury to take a bronze medal in 1.51m.
Clonlara’s Deirbhile Ryan, a member of Nenagh AC won three gold, one silver and one bronze. She had three new personal bests, 11.71 in the shot putt to win gold, 27.89 in the javelin to win gold and 1.59 in the high jump to win silver (1.61 winning the event). She was third in the long jump.
In the girls’ U-17 300m, Niamh Markham (Ennis Track) contested a great final in very windy conditions on day one and cruised home to take the gold medal in 42.54secs. A very close fourth was Emer Hillery (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare).
On day 2, Niamh again displayed power, speed, strength on the home straight to coast to another Munster title, this time in the 800m, with a time of 2.24:55.
In the girls’ U-17 1,500m, Laura Egan (Kilmihil) set the pace for almost four laps only to be outsprinted on the final 200m and she had to settle for the silver medal in 5.04: 81. In the high jump, Emer Hillery (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) captured a bronze medal in 1.35m.
Ian Slobody (Kilmihil) running in the boys’ U-17 1,500m looked to be in complete control in this race and after two laps, he went to the front but with 300m remaining, two athletes took over the lead and they had too much speed on the home straight and Ian had to settle for the bronze medal in 4.26:54.
On day two, Slobody was in the 800m and led all the way until the final 80m but he had to settle for the silver medal in 2.03:03.
In the boys’ U-17 3,000m walk, Fergal Conlon (Tulla) was always in contention and came away with a silver medal with a time of 17.19:14.
In the boys’ U-18 200m, Cormac Lynch finished second in his semi-final and one hour later in the final, he caused a major shock when taking this title in 22.45secs. On Sunday, Cormac was again in action this time in the 100m and he came through his semi-final with a fine victory. In the final, he was slow out of blocks but he finished with power and speed to capture his second gold in fine style with a time of 11.40.
In the boys’ U-18 400m, Mark Boland ran steady for the first 200m before, in the final 100m, powering his way to the finish to take the silver medal in 53.46. Later on that evening, Mark came through his semi-final in the 200m very comfortably and in the final, he worked hard to take a silver medal in 23.13.
In the 400m for boys’ U-18, William Flynn (Shannon) worked hard against a very strong wind for the first 200m and with the wind to his back, he crossed the finish line in 53.44 to take a silver medal.
On Sunday morning in the 400m hurdles, he took a silver medal in 60.58 and later on that afternoon, the Clare minor footballer and Shannon AC athlete powered his way around the track to take gold in the 800m with a time of 2.04:79.

Results
Girls
U-15
Shot putt
1. Derbhile Ryan (Nenagh) (11.71m); 4. Rachel Clancy (St John’s) (9.32m).
High jump
2. Derbhile Ryan (Nenagh) (1.59m); 3. Rachel Clancy (St John’s) (1.51m).
U-16
800m
5. Molly Lynch (Shannon) (2.30:15).
1,500m
4. Molly Lynch (Shannon) (5.10:02); 9. Siobhán Nestor  (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (6.03:34).
Long jump.
4. Orla Devitt (Ennis Track) (4.77m).
Hammer
1. Alice Akres (Marian) (50.57m).
Shot putt
4. Alice Akres (Marian) (9.59m).
Javelin
2. Alice Akres (Marian) (32.32m).
Discus
2. Alice Akres (Marian) (28.00m).
U-17
300m
1. Niamh Markham (Ennis Track) (42.54); 4. Emer Hillery (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (45.62).
800m
1. Niamh Markham (Ennis Track) (2.24 :55).
5. Emer Hillery (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (2.35:56).
1,500m
2. Laura Egan (Kilmihil) (5.04:81).
High jump
3. Emer Hillery (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (1.35m).

Boys
U-14
800m
5. Mark Fennell (St Mary’s) (2.22:47).
1,500m
3. Mark Fennell (St Mary’s) (5.19:27secs).
U-15
High jump
2. Paraic McNamara (Marian) (1.50m).
U-16
Discus
1. Eoin Hanrahan (Ennis Track) (45.08m).
3,000m walk
1. Seamus McMahon (Shannon) (17.56 :08).
U-17
800m
2. Ian Slobody (Kilmihil) (2.03:03).
1,500m
3. Ian Slobody (Kilmihil) (4.26:54).
3,000m walk
2. Fergal Conlon (Tulla) (17.19:14).
4 x 400m relay
3. Shannon (Karl Fitzmaurice, Ruan Rooker, Shane McGrath, Emmet Quinn).
U-18
100m
1. Cormac Lynch (Marian) (11.40).
200m
1. Cormac Lynch (Marian) (22.45).
High jump
4. Cormac Lynch (Marian) (1.65m).
400m
2. William Flynn (Shannon) (53.44).   
400m hurdles
2. William Flynn (Shannon) (60.58).   
800m
1. William Flynn (Shannon) (2.04:79).   
U-19
200m
2. Mark Boland (Marian) (23.13secs).
400m
2. Mark Boland (Marian) (53.46).