Clare excel at Munster Juvenile Championships

THE Munster Even ages U-10 to U-18 plus novice and U-23 Cross Country Championships were held on Sunday last in Carrigadroihid, Macroom, County Cork in beautiful weather conditions over a very testing course.
Clare athletes captured many individual Munster awards with Ennis Track, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare and St John’s all capturing titles.
The big team winners were Ennis Track with gold in the girls’ U-18, silver in the boys’ U-18 and bronze in the boys’ U-12 and boys’ U-16 St John’s captured gold in the girls’ U-12 and U-16 and a bronze medal in the boys’ U-18, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare won gold in the boys’ U-12, a silver medal in the girls’ U-12 and a bronze medal in the girls’ U-10.
In the inter-county awards, Clare won gold medals in the girls and boys’ U-12, gold in the girls’ U-16 and U-18, a silver medal in the boys’ U-18 and a bronze medal in the boys U-16.
In the girls’ U-16, Jean Clancy (St John’s) settled in well over the first lap and made a very decisive break before the start of the final lap to control the race all the way to take the gold medal in fine style.
Her twin sister, Niamh, produced a mighty final 800m to get home for the silver medal with Laura Egan (Kilmihil) working her way up the field to finish seventh, Laura Power (Ennis Track) eighth. Niamh Markham (Ennis Track) was ninth and Siobhán Nestor (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) 16th to help Clare take the inter-county title with St John’s taking the silver medals on 52 points helped by Siobhán Marrinan and Nollaig Blake (27th) for a total of 52 points.
In the novice and U-23 ladies’ race over 3,000m, Claire Madigan (St John’s) produced a  big performance to lead from start to take the title with Sharon Rynne (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) the best of the Clare athletes in the novice finishing 16th overall Clare finished in fourth position and Ennis Track took the bronze medals with Aishling Power (16th), Becky Coughlan (23rd),  Siobhán Gallagher (25th) and Ita Hanrahan (37th).
The novice and U-23 men’s race over 6,000m saw two Clare athletes at the front for a long period with Kenneth Rodgers (St John’s) and Michael Shannon (Kilnaboy) having a great contest with Andrew Connick (Ferrybank, Waterford).
Over three laps, they moved fast on the hard ground and in the final lap it was down to two. Andrew Connick outsprinting Kenneth Rodgers over the final few metres to take the Munster title. There was a fine race from Michael Shannon to finish in fourth spot.
The first race of the afternoon was the girls’ U-10 and Meg Brennan (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) produced one of her best performances this season to finish 14th. She was closely followed by another Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare athlete Amy Sexton (17th) with Rachel Hartigan (Marian) (29th),) Emily Cahill (St Cronan’s) (32nd) Siodhfra O’Dea (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (33rd) and Aoibheann Donnelly (Marian) (35th). Clare finished fourth and Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare took the bronze medals with their fourth scoring athlete being Shona Fitzhenry (39th).
In the boys’ U-10, there was a great performance by Ben Whelehan (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) who was always in contention for the gold medal and he battled hard on the uphill stretch to finish fourth. He is still eligible for U-9 and will compete in the U-9s in two weeks’ time in Chareville.
In the girls’ U-12, Caoimhe Harvey (St John’s) led the 2,000m race from the start and she was still out in front with 600m remaining only to be outsprinted over the final few metres. She had to settle for the silver medal with Emma McMahon (St Mary’s) taking the bronze medal followed by Sharon Egan (Kilmihil) sixth, Elaine Shannon (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) ninth, Fidelma Marrinan (St John’s) 11th and Nicole Doherty (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) 15th. Clare won the gold medals with St John’s capturing the inter-club title with Aishling Kelly (19th) and Tara Bradley (28th) on a total of 60 points. Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare took the silver medals with the Keane twins Emer (25th) and Áine (32nd) for a total of 81 points.
In the boys’ U-12, run over two laps, there were six Clare athletes in the top 12 after the first lap and Aidan McCarthy (St Cronan’s) the Clare cross country champion along with Patrick O’Rourke (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) challenged strongly for the Munster title.
McCarthy was outsprinted on the way to the finish and he had to settle for the silver medal with Patrick O’Rourke winning the bronze medal.
With Jamie Roche (Ennis Track) sixth, Eoin Looney (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) eighth, Caoilfhionn O’Dea (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) 10th  and Seán Rouine (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) 16th, Clare won the inter-county award.
Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare captured the club title for the third year in-a-row on 37 points and Ennis Track won the bronze medals with  Paul Martin (17th),  Cathal O’Brien (34th) and Seán Dolan (43rd) for a team total of 100 points.
In the girls’ U-14 3,000m, Shauna Melican (St John’s) was the star Clare performer with Seán Collins (Ennis Track) finishing 13th in the boys’ U-14.
In the boys’ U-16, Ian Slobody (Kilmihil) led in the early stages and was in contention with a lap remaining. He came home in fourth place with Stephan Rooney (Ennis Track) eighth, Declan Martin (Ennis Track) 17th, Conaill O Hainifin (Ennis Track) 22nd, Conor O’Brien (Ennis Track) 23rd and Caoimhin Donnellan (Kilmihil) 28th for Clare to win the bronze medals. Ennis Track took the inter-club bronze medals with 70 points.
In the girls’ U-18 race, Katie Veale (West Waterford) went out very hard at the start with three Clare athletes on her shoulder Aishling Darcy, Imogen Cotter (both Ennis Track) and Harriett Flynn (Shannon). With almost one lap complete, Katie Veale dropped out through injury and Aishling Darcy made a decisive move held all the way to the finish line with Imogen Cotter getting up for the silver medal and Harriett Flynn a very good fifth was Alyson Courtney Ennis Track 13th, Meabh Hogan (Ennis Track) 17th and Rachel Mulcaire (Ennis Track) 23rd helping Clare win the inter-county title with Ennis Track winning the inter-club title.
In the boys’ U-18, there was another big performance from Clare athletes. St John’s Jake O’Regan produced another big race to finish sixth with Darragh Lynch (Ennis Track) and Adrian Kearney (Ennis Track) finishing seventh and eighth. Gavin Melican (St John’s) 16th, Kevin Chesser (Ennis Track) 17th and Declan Keniry (St John’s) 18th meant Clare took the silver medals.
In the inter-club awards, Togher won the title ahead of Ennis Track with St John’s in third spot.

Clare runners to feature strongly in Dublin City Marathon

THE 31st Dublin City Marathon takes place this Bank Holiday Monday at 9am.
This year’s race starts on Kildare Street and finishes at Merrion Square.
Clare will have a big representation taking part from Olympic Harriers, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, Kilnaboy, St Mary’s, Ennis Track Club, and Marian AC plus many fun runners, and walkers. The event will, for the seventh year in-a-row, incorporate a Clare Marathon Championship plus the Athletics Ireland Marathon Championship.
James Kenny (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare), James McIntyre and James Liddane (both Tulla) have all have made big preparations for this marathon with Kenny having a fine run in the Clare Intermediate Cross Country Championships just two weeks ago. He also competed in the Cork – Cobh 15-mile road race where he captured the masters’ O-50 title with a very fast time of 1.31. He should be among the leading contenders for the national title in the masters’ O-50s.
James McIntyre, a former Finn Valley athlete, has now joined Olympic Harriers Sixmilebridge.

Fixtures
October
25: AAI National Marathon in conjunction with the Dublin City Marathon starting at 9am.
31: Clare Athletics Association Senior Cross Country Championships plus Juvenile B U-9, U-11, U-13, U-15 on the lands of the John and Bríd Collins, Kilnaboy, starting at 12noon.

November
5: Clare Athletics Association AGM at the Auburn Lodge at 8.30pm.
7: Munster Intermediate plus Juvenile Uneven ages Cross Country Championships U-9 to U-19s at Charleville, County Cork at 12noon.
13: Masters Home Countries Cross Country Championships in Santry.
13: Athletics Ireland Sports Star Awards in Crown Plaza Santry, Dublin.
14: Patrick O’Dea Juvenile Cross Country Races U-7, U-8, U-10, U-12, U-14, U-16, plus men’s and ladies’ road races at Lissycasey at 12 noon.