CLARE athletes came away with three gold, one silver and four bronze medals at the Munster Juvenile U-9, U-10 and U-11 girls’ 2×2 team events and boys and girls’ U-14 and U-15 track and field championships in very cold and blustery weather conditions in Castleisland.
Paraic McNamara, Marian, won gold in the boys’ U-14 high jump, Seamus McMahon, Shannon, took gold in the U-15 2,000m walk and Niamh O’Brien, Ennis Track, won gold in the girls’ U-14 2,000m walk.
In the girls’ U-11 2×2 team 600m, Marian, Ennis Track and Kilmurry-Ibrickane/North Clare were among the 12 teams competing. Caoimhe Carmody, Marian, ran a fine race with a time of 2.06:20 and Emily Barry Marian ran a faster leg in heat two with a time of 2.04:10, for a combined total of 4.10:30, to win the bronze medals.
In the girls’ U-14 2,000m walk, Niamh O’Brien, Ennis Track, and Niamh Jones, Marian, were among a big contingent from Munster and over five laps, Niamh O’Brien produced a fine individual performance to take the gold medal in 12.26:26. Niamh Jones was always working hard to get up for the bronze medal in 14.09:91.
In the girls’ U-17 3,000m walk, Claudia Loughnane, Marian, battled hard in the wind and rain to take the bronze medal in 16.52:30.
In the girls’ U-15, Molly Lynch, Shannon, and Siobhán Nestor, Kilmurry-Ibrickane/North Clare, went to the starting line in the 800m. Molly Lynch, the 1,500m silver medal winner last week, had to hold off a very stiff challenge on the home straight to take a bronze medal in 2.31:42.
In the boys’ U-14 high jump, Paraic McNamara, Marian, over six rounds, cleared 1.47m to take the gold medal and he also qualified for the final of the 200m and finished sixth.
In the boys’ U-15, Seamus McMahon, Shannon AC, competed in the 2,000m walk and led from start to finish to take the Munster title in 12.02:76. In the hammer, he took a bronze medal with a throw of 29.40m.
Clare and Munster champion Fergal Conlon, Tulla, was in the boys’ U-16 3,000m where he won a silver medal with a time of 17.25:30.

Results
Girls
U-11 2×2 team 600m: 3. Marian (Caoimhe Carmody 2.06:20 and Emily Barry 2.04:10) = 4.10:30.
U-14 2,000m walk: 1. Niamh O’Brien, Ennis Track (12.26:26); 3. Niamh Jones, Marian (14.09:91).
U-15 800m: 3. Molly Lynch, Shannon (2.31:42).
U-17 3,000m walk: 3. Claudia Loughnane, Marian (16.52:30).
Boys
U-14 high jump: 1. Paraic McNamara, Marian (1.47m).
U-15 3,000m walk: 1. Seamus McMahon, Shannon (12.02:76).
Hammer: 3. Seamus McMahon, Shannon (29.40m).
U-16 3,000m: 2. Fergal Conlon, Tulla (17.25:30).

 

O’Donoghue sets national record

MEELICK’S Amy O’Donoghue set a new national record in the intermediate girls’ 800m at the All-Ireland Secondary Schools track and field championships in Tullamore.
O’Donoghue, representing Villiers School, Limerick, won the 800m race with a very impressive performance of 2.10:80. She followed that with another big win in the 1,500m with a time of 4.36:34, with Aishling Darcy, St Flannan’s, taking the bronze medal.
In the intermediate girls’ shot putt, Katie McInerney, Tulla, had to pull out a very big throw on her final round to capture a bronze medal in 10.47m.
In the junior girls’ hammer competition, two Scariff girls contested this to the final throw with Alice Akers producing a throw of 43.83m to take the national title ahead of Stacy Wright with 40.36m.
Harriett Flynn, St Patrick School, Shannon, outsprinted the big field on the home straight to capture the 800m in 2.14:35.
The boys were very much to the fore with Darragh Lynch, St Flannan’s College, running in the 800m, having to make a very big effort on the final 100m to snatch the bronze medal with a time of 1.56:59.
In the senior boys, Liam Markham, St Flannan’s, finished with speed and strength in the 800m to take a bronze medal and he followed that with a very gutsy performance in the 1,500m when taking the silver medal in 4.02:94.
Munster schools silver medal winner, Tim Crowe, Sixmilebridge, representing Limerick Tutorial College, made a big impact in the 400m national finals where he produced a time of 48:58 to win the gold medal.
In the 2,000m steeplechase, Darragh Chesser, CBS Sexton Street, Limerick, was a bronze medal winner.

Results
Junior girls
Hammer: 1. Alice Akers, Scariff (43.83m); 2. Stacy Wright, Scariff (40.36m).
Discus: 3. Alice Akers, Scariff  (28.85m).
High jump: 8. Rachel Clancy, Kilkee (1.45m).
Intermediate girls
800m: 1. Amy O’Donoghue, Villiers (2.10:80); 4. Niamh Markham, St Flannan’s (2.16:17).
1,500m: 1. Amy O’Donoghue, Villiers (4.36:34); 3. Aishling Darcy, St Flannan’s (4.52:08).
2,000m walk: 5. Claudia Ní Lachnaian, Gael Cholaiste An Chláir (11.33:62).
Shot putt: 3. Katie McInerney, Tulla (10.47m).
Senior girls
800m: 1. Harriett Flynn, St Patrick’s, Shannon (2.14:35).
1,500m: 5. Harriett Flynn, St Patrick’s, Shannon (4.54:89).
Junior boys
1,200m walk: 7. Seamus McMahon, St Caimin’s (6.05:00); 8. Fergal Conlon, St Joseph’s, Tulla (6.49:70).
Intermediate boys
200m: 7. Mark Boland, St Flannan’s (23:60).
800m: 3. Darragh Lynch, St Flannan’s (1.56:59).
Senior boys
800m: 3. Liam Markham, St Flannan’s (1.55:21); 7. Cathal O’Connor, St Caimin’s (1.57:65).
1,500m: 2. Liam Markham, St Flannan’s (4.02:94).
5,000m: 7. Adrian Kearney, St Flannan’s (16.14:59).
400m: 1. Tim Crowe, Limerick Tutorial College (48:58).
2,000m steeplechase: 3. Darragh Chesser, CBS Sexton Street (6.21:97).

Athletics association holds open track and field series

ALL of the Clare athletics clubs took part in the Clare Athletics Association Open Track and Field Series (day three), which took place at the Lees Road Sports Complex and attracted a fine turnout of athletes from Borrisokane, Athenry, Galway City Harriers, East Cork and Craughwell.
The first race was the open 5,000m with Aishling Power and Marie Carey, Ennis Track, taking the competitors through the first 400m in 90 seconds, with Ita Hanrahan, Ennis Track and Noreen Mackey, Kilmurry-Ibrickane/North Clare, working hard to stay with the early pace.
Aishling Power dominated the race and over the final few laps, she looked very comfortable and came away with a fine victory in 20.14 from her clubmate Marie Carey, with Ita Hanrahan a very good third.
Angela Hogan made the journey from Borrisokane to take the senior ladies’ 400m in 63:43 with Aishling Power, Ennis Track, in the master ladies’ O-40 winning the 400m in 71:64.
In the men’s 5,000m, 16 competitors went to the start and Brian McGinley, Ennis Track, took this race out at a very lively pace with Michael Shannon, Kilnaboy, covering every move.
They had a 30m lead at the mile mark with the next group, including Adrian Kearney, Brian Murphy, both Ennis Track; Donnacha O’Mahoney, East Cork and Seamus Gilhooley, Athenry.
McGinley led from start to finish to cross the finish line in 15.58:11, with Adrian Kearney making a very big effort over the 1,000m to finish second, with Donnacha O’Mahoney just getting in ahead of Brian Murphy.
In the men’s 400m, Eamon Chesser, Ennis Track, ran a 54:76 lap to take the junior title with Pat Hogan, Ennis Track, winning the O-40s 400m in 60:64 and Richard McArthur, St Cronan’s, taking the O-45s in 57:60.
The 56lbs for distance attracted all the big names, including Dublin-born Joe Nagle competing for Leevale, along with the Munster champion Richard Pilkington, Kilmurry-Ibrickane/North Clare; Michael O’Brien, Tulla; Martin Fitzpatrick, St Mary’s; Tommy Greene, St John’s and Richard McArthur, St Cronan’s.
The outcome of the event came down to the final throw over six rounds and Michael O’Brien produced a throw of 7.33m to beat the Munster champion, Richard Pilkington, who threw 7.32m, with Tommy Greene third with 6.46m.

Results
Senior ladies’ 5,000m: 1. Marie Carey, Ennis Track (20.29); 2. Noreen Mackey, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare (21.58).
400m: 2. Aoife Nash, Ennis Track (82:56); 3. Marie Carey, Ennis Track (83:09).
Master ladies’ O-35 5,000m: 1. Siobhán Gallagher, Ennis Track (21.35).
O-40 5,000m: 1. Aishling Power, Ennis Track (20.14); 2. Ita Hanrahan, Ennis Track (21.32).
O-40 400m: 1. Aishling Power, Ennis Track (71:64); 2. Ita Hanrahan, Ennis Track (81:33).
Senior men 5,000m: 1. Brian McGinley, Ennis Track (15.58:11); 2. Adrian Kearney, Ennis Track (Junior) (16.29:72); 4. Brian Murphy, Ennis Track (senior) (16.41:24).
400m: 2. Martin Brooks, Marian (56:36); 3. Brendan Glynn, Galway City Harriers (57:80).
56lbs for distance: 1. Richard Pilkington, Kilmurry-Ibrickane/North Clare (7.32m).
Discus: 1. Richard Pilkington, Kilmurry-Ibrickane/North Clare (26.30m).
Junior men 400m: 1. Eamon Chesser, Ennis Track (54:76).
O-40 400m: 1. Pat Hogan, Ennis Track (60:64); 2. Tommy Greene, St John’s (63:16).
O-40 56lbs for distance: 1. Michael O’Brien, Tulla (7.33m); 2. Tommy Greene, St John’s (6.46m); 3. Joe Nagle,
Leevale (5.55m).
O-40 discus: 1. Tommy Greene, St John’s (25.09m); 3. Michael O’Brien, Tulla (20.20m).
O-45 400m: 1. Richard McArthur, St Cronan’s (57:60); 2. David Courtney, Ennis Track (66:85).
O-45 56lbs for distance: 1. Richard McArthur, St Cronan’s (5.73m).
O-45 discus: 1. David Courtney, Ennis Track (25.52m); 2. Vincent McCarthy, Kilnaboy (21.95m); 3. Richard
McArthur, St Cronan’s (20.20m).
O-50 56lbs for distance: 1. Martin Fitzpatrick, St Mary’s (5.86m).
O-50 discus: 1. Martin Fitzpatrick, St Mary’s (21.00m).
O-55 400m: 1. Dermot Moran, St Mary’s (77:00).

 

McDomhnaill and Colleran to the fore in Tulla

Tulla Soccer Club’s second annual 10km road race and 5km fun walk, with all proceeds going towards their field development, attracted a huge turnout of athletes and walkers on Saturday evening.
Aonghas McDomhnaill, West Limerick, set the pace running 3.30 for the first kilometre, with Michael Shannon, Kilnaboy; Keith Whyte, St John’s; Mike Cunningham, Bilboa; Domhnaill Rodgers, St Cronan’s and Joe Chawke, West Limerick all in contention going to the 2km mark.
Ambrose Heagney, Kilnaboy, was making great progress along with Tom Mackey, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare and Niall O’Riordan, West Limerick, as they went through the 3km mark in 10.10.
The leader Aonghas McDomhnaill, along with Michael Shannon, went through the 5km mark in 17.10 and both of these men were shoulder to shoulder at the 8km in 27.38.
After a sprint finish on the home straight, Aonghas McDomhnaill won with a time of 33.31 after a mighty battle with Shannon (33.36), with Keith Whyte having a fine run in third spot, followed home by Mike Cunningham, who captured the O-45 in 35.14.
John Galvin, St John’s, took the O-40 title in 38.50 with Tom Mackey, Kilmurry-Ibrickane/North Clare, taking the O-50s in 38.00, with Mike McDomhnaill, West Limerick, taking the O-55s in 38.36.
There was fine turnout of ladies and the early pace setter was Veronica Colleran, Ennis Track, with Marian Burke, St Mary’s; Marie Carey, Ennis Track and Gráinne Costello, Limerick, all working hard to go with the early leader.
Veronica Colleran went through the 5km mark in 20.02 and at that stage she was well clear of the rest of the field.
She produced a mighty second five-kilometre time to win with a time of 38.40, with Marian Burke in second place in 40.10 and Marie Carey in third spot in 40.56, with fourth going to Gráinne Costello, Limerick.
Deirdre Finn, Ballina, won the O-40s in 43.18 with Christina Organ, Kilmurry-Ibrickane/North Clare, winning the O-50s in 48.22 and the O-55s going to Carmel McDomhnaill, West Limerick in 46.13.

Results
Men: 2. Michael Shannon, Kilnaboy (33.36); 3. Keith White, St John’s (35.04); 5. Ambrose Heagney, Kilnaboy (36.52).
Masters men O-40: 1. John Galvin, St John’s (38.50).
O-50s: 1. Tom Mackey, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare (38.00).
Ladies: 1. Veronica Colleran, Ennis Track (38.40); 2. Marian Burke, St Mary’s (40.10); 3. Marie Carey, Ennis Track (40.56).
Masters ladies O-40s: 1. Deirdre Finn, Ballina (43.18).
O-45s: 1. Christine Organ, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare (48.22).

 

Annual road race and walk to be held in Bilboa

 

THE Ger Mullane Memorial and the tenth annual Bilboa Athletic Club 10km road race and 10km fun walk will take place on Friday evening at Bilboa, Cappamore, Limerick, starting at 7.30pm with the walk, with the road race starting at 8pm.
There will be a large number of Clare athletes taking part in the third anniversary of the Ger Mullane memorial with St Mary’s, Ennis Track Club,  Kilmurry-Ibrickane/North Clare, St John’s, Tulla, and Marian AC all represented.
Clare athletes have been very successful at this venue, where Seamus Power is a previous winner.
In the ladies’ contest, Irish international Rosemary Ryan is the title holder and on home ground will again start as favourite from Veronica Colleran, Ennis Track Club; Loretta Duggan, St Mary’s; Teresa Tuohy and Anna McPhail, both Bilboa AC; Tracy Roche, Dooneen and Carmel McDomhnaill, West Limerick.

Fixtures
June
18: Third annual Gerard Mullane Memorial and the tenth annual Bilboa AC 10km road race at Cappamore, County Limerick, at 7.30pm with the walk and the road race at 8pm.
19 and 20: Munster Juvenile Track and Field Championships U-12s and U-13s plus U-16s to U-19s and U-15s pole vault at Cork IT at 11am.
27: Clare Community Games finals in Lees Road Sports Complex.
27: National 2×2 team U-9, U-10 and U-11s at Templemore, County Tipperary, at 10.30am.
27: Athletics Ireland Junior Track and Field Championships at Tullamore.

July
3: Cork City Sports.
3 and 4: Athletics Ireland Juvenile Track and Field U-12s to U-19s Championships in Tullamore at 10am.
10 and 11: Athletics Ireland Senior Track and Field Championships in Santry.
18: Mazda Track and Field League round 2.
24 and 25: Athletics Ireland Juvenile Track and Field U-12s to U-19s Championships in Tullamore at 10am.