Golden haul for Clare athletes

The Munster Senior and Masters Track and Field Championships were held at Templemore in very hot and humid conditions. There was a fine turnout of Clare athletes and they came away with 12 gold, 12 silver and six bronze medals.
Darragh Lynch (Ennis Track) was very impressive when taking gold in the 1,500m in 4.08.05. In the 800m he went through the 400 mark in 56 seconds and came home in second place with a time of 1.57.23.
In the 5,000m, Brian McGinley (Ennis Track) won the gold medal in 15.28, with Brian Murphy looking good to take the second spot but on the home straight he was out-sprinted and had to settle for the bronze medal.
In the senior men’s hammer, there was a big surprise, when Colm Griffin took the gold medal with a throw of 36.66m and he also captured a bronze medal in the 56lbs for distance.
The big race was the 400m, where Tim Crowe (Sixmilebridge and Dooneen AC) was running for a fast time to put himself into contention for a place in the 4 x 400m Ireland team for Finland and he took the gold in 48.49.
In the senior ladies’ 800m, Grace Eade (Ennis Track) won a silver medal while in the ladies’ discus Rachel Akers (Marian) won the silver medal.
In the hammer competition, Alice Akers (Marian), still only 15years old, was a guest athlete and she led the way in the early stages. However, an ankle injury suffered in the fourth round didn’t help and it was her sister, Rachel, who threw 47.89, that won the gold.
The masters’ ladies produced outstanding performances in the O-45 3,000m. Michelle O’Mahoney (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) produced a fine piece of front running and retained her title in 11.48. In the O-50s, Rita Kierce (St Mary’s) was very impressive in the 3,000m when taking the gold medal in 11.16 and later on that afternoon Rita captured her second gold medal, this time in the 1,500m, with a time of 5.22.77.
In the masters’ O-35 800m, there were two Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare athletes in the final and Julio Ceser F Castro, who finished second in the Bilboa AC 10k on Friday evening, again finished second in 2.10.85, with Willie Devitt fourth in 2.18.68. Both athletes competed in the 3,000m and once again Julio Ceser F Castro fought off the stiff challenge from Willie Devitt to take the gold medal in 9.29 and Devitt, the long-time leader, had to settle for the silver medal in 9.38. In the 1,500m, Julio Ceser F Castro came away with his third medal of the day, this time a silver medal, in 4.33.16, with Willie Devitt third in 4.34.81.
In the Master men’s O-40, Pat Hogan (Ennis  Track) won a silver medal in the 800m, with Trevor White (St Cronan’s) taking a silver medal in the 1,500m. 
In the O-45s, Tommy Greene (St John’s) competed in four events and he won gold in the shot putt with a throw of 10.80m. He also captured three silver medals in the high jump, long jump, and 56lbs for distance.
James Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) in the masters O-55 800m, came away with a silver medal and in the 3,000m and 1,500m. Martin Fitzpatrick (St Mary’s) captured three gold medals in the hammer, with a throw of 22.50m, shot putt with a throw of 9.56m, discus (22.22m). He won a bronze medal in the 35lbs for distance and in the masters men O-60s 35lbs for distance. Tom Jones (Ennis Track) came away with a bronze medal.

Results
Masters ladies
O-45s
3,000m
1 Michelle O’Mahoney (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (11.48).
O-50s
1,500m
1 Rita Kierce (St Mary’s) (5.22.77).
Masters men
O-35s
800m
2 Julio Cesar F Castro (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (2.10.85); 4 Willie Devitt (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (2.18.68).
1,500m
2 Julio Cesar F Castro (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (4.33.16); 3 Willie Devitt (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (4.34.81).
3,000m
1 Julio Cesar F Castro (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (9.29); 2 Willie Devitt (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (9.38).
O-40
800m
2 Pat Hogan (Ennis Track) (2.19.59).
1500m
2 Trevor White (St Cronan’s) (5.08.05).
O-45
High jump
3 Tommy Greene (St John’s) (1.45m).
Shot putt
1 Tommy Greene (St John’s) (10.80m).
Long jump
2 Tommy Greene (St John’s) (4.96m).
56lbs for distance
2 Tommy Greene (St John’s) (5.75m).
O-55
800m
3 James Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (2.37).
1,500m
2 James Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (5.11. 89).
3,000m
2 James Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (11.28).
Shot putt
1 Martin Fitzpatrick (St Mary’s) (9.56m).
Hammer
1 Martin Fitzpatrick (St Mary’s) (22.50m).
Discus
1 Martin Fitzpatrick (St Mary’s) (22.22m).
35 lbs for distance
3 Martin Fitzpatrick (St Mary’s) (7.47m).
O-60
35lbs for distance
2 Tom Jones (Ennis Track) (8.08m).
Senior ladies
800m
2 Grace Eade (Ennis Track).
Discus
1 Rachel Akers (Marian) (34.14m).
Hammer
Alice Akers (Marian) (49.35m (guest).
1 Rachel Akers (Marian) (47.89m).
Senior men
400m
1 Tim Crowe (Sixmilebridge and Dooneen (48.49).
800m
2 Darragh Lynch (Ennis Track) (1.57.23).
1,500m
1 Darragh Lynch (Ennis Track) (4.08.05).
5,000m
1 Brian McGinley (Ennis Track) (15.28).
3 Brian Murphy (Ennis Track) (16.02).
Javelin
2 David Courtney (Ennis Track) (42.26m).
Hammer
1 Colm Griffin (Marian) (36.66m).
56lbs for distance
3 Colm Griffin (Marian) (5.49m).