Clare athletes win four individual titles in Clonmel

CLARE athletes produced magnificent individual performances at the Munster Uneven Ages U-9 to U-19 and Intermediate Cross-Country Championships, which were held in Powerstown Race Course, Clonmel.
Sultan Akinwale, Ennis Track, won the boys’ U-9 race, with Ennis Track taking the inter-club title, while Ben Whelehan, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, took a bronze medal in the boys’ U-11 event.
In the U-13 girls’ race, Alex O’Neill (St Cronan’s) and Aisling Kelly (St John’s) finished second and third respectively, with St John’s taking the silver medals and Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare taking the bronze medals. Clare finished third overall.
The boys’ U-13 bronze medal went to Eoin Looney (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) with Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare taking the gold ahead of Ennis Track. Clare also won the gold medals.
Niamh Markham (Ennis Track) won a bronze medal, with Clare taking the gold medals and Ennis Track taking the silver medals.
Imogen Cotter (Ennis Track) was a very impressive winner of the girls’ U-19 event, with Ennis Track taking the inter-club award and Clare taking the silver medals.
In the boys’ U-19 race, Jake O’Regan (St John’s) romped to victory with St John’s and Clare finishing second.
In the intermediate men’s 8,000m event, two Clare athletes sparkled with Kenny Rodgers (St John’s) winning on a sprint finish from Michael Shannon (Kilnaboy). Clare won the bronze medals.
Over 100 competitors took part in the girls’ U-9 750m and the race produced a great performance from Niamh Cassidy (Marian) to finish in ninth position with Clare taking the silver medals on 111 points and Marian taking the inter-club silver medals.
The intermediate ladies’ race, run over a distance of 4,000m, was a great contest with Cushla Bríd Hehir (Ennis Track), the Clare cross-country champion, finishing sixth. Ennis Track athletes performed well to win the silver medals, while Clare captured the bronze medals.
In the intermediate men’s 8,000m race, Clare had a fine turnout of athletes and with one lap complete, two Clare athletes, Kenneth Rodgers (St John’s) and Michael Shannon (Kilnaboy), along with Michael Downling (Ferrybank) had broken away.
Before the start of the second lap, Fergal Smithwick (Marian) and Willie Devitt (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) were in the top 20.
With two of the three laps complete, Kenneth Rodgers and Michael Shannon had dropped the Waterford athlete and over the final 2,000m the lead changed on four occasions before Rodgers sprinted clear over the final 200m to take the gold from Michael Shannon.

Results
Girls
U-9 750m: 9. Niamh Cassidy (Marian); 17. Meadbh O’Malley (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare); 18. Shauna O’Gorman (Kilmihil); 19. Siobhán Nestor (St Mary’s); 23. Ruth Neylon (Marian); 25. Ellie Pike (Ennis Track).
Inter-club: 2. Marian = 103 points.
Inter-county: 4. Clare = 123 points.
U-13 2,500m: 2. Alex O’Neill (St Cronan’s); 3. Aisling Kelly (St John’s); 14. Sinéad Hogan (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare); 16. Rachel Marrinan (St John’s); 17. Caoimhe Hogan (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare); 20. Elaine Shannon (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare).
Inter-club: 2. St John’s = 80 points; 3. Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare = 83 points.
Inter-county: 3. Clare = 72 points.
U-15 3,500m: 19. Shannon O’Grady (Shannon); 20. Cliodhna Blake (St John’s); 27. Áine Rouine (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare); 29. Mia Hanrahan (Ennis Track); 32. Gráinne Cremin (Ennis Track); 36. Rachel Clancy (St John’s).
Inter-county: 4. Clare = 163 points.
U-17s 4,500m: 3. Niamh Markham (Ennis Track); 5. Niamh Clancy (St John’s); 10. Laura Egan (Kilmihil); 11. Laura Power (Ennis Track); 17. Ciara Mulcaire (Ennis Track); 19. Siobhán Nestor (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare).
Inter-club: 2. Ennis Track = 60 points.
Inter-county: 1. Clare = 65 points.
U-19 5,000m: 1. Imogen Cotter (Ennis Track); 4. Harriett Flynn (Shannon); 8. Paula Loughnane (St Cronan’s); 10. Rachel Mulcaire (Ennis Track); 16. Meabh Hogan (Ennis Track).
Inter-club: 1. Ennis Track = 27 points.
Inter-county: 2. Clare = 23 points.
Intermediate ladies’ 4,000m: 6. Cushla Bríd Hehir (Ennis Track); 8. Siobhán Lennon (Ennis Track); 17. Aoife Nash (Ennis Track); 18. Becky Coughlan (Ennis Track).
Inter-club: 2. Ennis Track = 49 points.
Inter-county: 3. Clare = 49 points.

Boys
U-9 750m: 1. Sultan Akinwale (Ennis Track); 9. Niall Hogan (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare); 16. Diarmuid Fahy (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare); 19. Mark Hanrahan (Ennis Track); 27. Jack O’Connor (Ennis Track); 33. Eoin Killeen (St John’s).
Inter-club: 1. Ennis Track = 82 points.
Inter-county: 3. Clare = 105 points.
U-11 1,500m: 3. Ben Whelehan (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare); 5. James McGuire (Ennis Track); 15. Shane Meehan (Marian); 20. Conor Blake (St John’s); 25. Ronan Donnellan (Kilmihil); 55. Tom McDonald (Ennis Track).
Inter-county: 2. Clare = 111 points.
U-13 2,500m: 3. Eoin Looney (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare); 4. Patrick O’Rourke (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare); 8. Aidan McCarthy (St Cronan’s); 11. Jamie Roche (Ennis Track); 14. Caoilfhionn O’Dea (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare); 22. Thomas Clancy (St John’s).
Inter-club: 1. Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare = 44 points; 2. Ennis Track = 96 points.
Inter-county: 1. Clare = 61 points.
U-15 3,500m: 14. Kevin Mulcaire (Ennis Track); 18. Micheal Clancy (St John’s); 24. Sean Collins (Ennis Track); 39. Colm Devine (Ennis Track); 43. Jack Devitt (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare); 46. Padraigh Malone (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare).
Inter-county: 4. Clare = 184 points.
U-17 5,000m: 4. Ian Slobody (Kilmihil); 22. Karl Fitzmaurice (Shannon); 24. Cian O’Brien (Marian); 26. Jack Carrigg (Shannon); 27. Liam Gray (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare); 30. Patrick Chesser (Ennis Track).
Inter-county: 3. Clare = 133 points.
U-19 7,000m: 1. Jake O’Regan (St John’s); 7. Declan Keniry (St John’s); 9. Kevin Chesser (Ennis Track); 21. Eoin Brew (St John’s); 25. Issac Rae (Ennis Track); 29. Gavin Melican (St John’s).
Inter-club: 2. St John’s (1, 7, 21, 29) = 58 points.
Inter-county: 2. Clare = 92 points.
Intermediate men 8,000m: 1. Kenny Rodgers (St John’s); 2. Michael Shannon (Kilnaboy); 19. Willie Devitt (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare); 21. Fergal Smithwick (Marian); 23. Trevor White (St Cronan’s); 26. Martin Glynn (Ennis Track).
Inter-county: 3. Clare = 92 points.