History-making Shannon win in Kilnaboy

The 28th annual Michael (Sonny) Murphy Memorial 10-mile road race and 10k fun walk, held in misty weather conditions, again attracted a fine turnout of competitors, with 100 walkers and almost 200 athletes from all parts of the country competing.
History was made as Michael Shannon (Kilnaboy), who led from start to finish, became the first local athlete to win the title.
He completed the course in 52.36 to win from Julio Cesar F Castro (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (54.05) and Cathal O Connell (St Finbarr’s) (55.17), with Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare taking the team title on 42 points with St Finbarr’s second on 72 points. Local club Kilnaboy were third on 119 points followed by West Waterford on 125 points.
The senior ladies’ title went to Angela McCann (Clonmel) in 60.16 who was followed by Barbara Sanchez (Raheny Shamrocks) 60.50 and the 2010-2011 champion Tracy Roche (Dooneen AC) (63.23).
The first Clare athlete was in fourth place, Sharon Rynne (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (64.22) with Ennis Track retaining the team title on 24 points.
Joe Coffey (Limerick) won the masters O-40 in 62.33 from Trevor White (St Cronan’s) and local athlete Fintan Lahiffe, with the O-45 title going to Martin Corcoran (Craughwell) in 58.35 from Mike Cunningham Bilboa and Ambrose Heagney (Kilnaboy).
The masters O-50 was retained by James Kenny (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) in (62.28) from Gerry Cantwell (West Waterford) and James Veale (West Waterford).
The O-55s title went to Richard Lenihan (West Waterford) with Enda Whelan (Kilnaboy), running with Sligo AC, taking the O-60s.
The first local athlete was Michael Shannon, with Tracy Guilfoyle the first local girl.

Results
Senior ladies: 1 Angela McCann (Clonmel) (60.16); 2 Barbara Sanchez (Raheny Shamrocks) (60.50); 3 Tracy Roche (Dooneen) (63.23); 4 Sharon Rynne (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (64.22); 5 Madeline Loughnane (Thurles Crokes) (69.22); 6 Aishling Hooper (Raheny Shamrocks) (71.01); 7 Siobhán Gallagher (Ennis Track) (72.38); 8 Triona Wall (West Waterford) (73.23); 9 Noreen Mackey (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (75.05); 10 Margaret Jones (Midleton) (75.07).
Teams: 1 Ennis Track = 24(points); 2 Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare = 47 points; 3 Midleton = 58 points.
Masters ladies
O-35s: 1 Marie Carey (Ennis Track) (64.33); 2 Corina Walsh (West Waterford) (67.51); 3 Sharon Woods (Mallow) (68.47).
O-40: 1 Siobhán Lennon (Ennis Track) (68.08); 2 Aishling Power (Ennis Track) (70.55); 3 Martina Ryan (Thurles Crokes) (71.49).
O-45: 1 Tracy Guilfoyle (Kilnaboy) (65.07); 2 Helen Gilroy (Midleton) (76.58); 3 Sharon Goldsmith (Limerick Country Club) (80.23).
O-50: 1 Nuala Reilly (Drogheda) (71.53); 2 Maura Falsey (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (80.49); 3 Mary Quinlivan (Limerick) (85.06).
Senior men
1 Michael Shannon (Kilnaboy) (52.36); 2 Julio Cesear F Castro (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (54.05); 3 Cathal O’Connell (St Finbarr’s) (55.17); 4 George Waugh (Bandon) (55.29); 5 Willie Devitt (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (55.49); 6 Kevin Wilmot (Bandon) (56.18); 7 Danny Smyth Ballynonty (56.47); 8 Brian Murphy (Ennis Track) (56.57); 9 Niall M Alinden (Westerlands Scotland) (57.22); 10 Rory O’Sullivan (St Finbarr’s) (58.04)
Teams: 1 Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare = 42 points; 2 St Finbarr’s (3. 10. 13. 46) = 72 points; 3 Kilnaboy = 119 points; 4 West Waterford (24. 30. 35. 36) = 125 points).
Masters O-40: 1 Joe Coffey (Limerick) (62.33); 2 Trevor White (St Cronan’s) (63.12); 3 Fintan Lahiffe (Kilnaboy) (64.11).
O-45: 1 Martin Corcoran (Craughwell) (58.35); 2 Mike Cunningham (Bilboa) (58.43); 3 Ambrose Heagney (Kilnaboy) (59.29).
O-50: 1 James Kenny (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (62.28); 2 Gerry Cantwell (West Waterford) (64.08); 3 James Veale (West Waterford) (64.45).
O-55: 1 Richard Lenihan (West Limerick) (72.42); 2 Ned O’Brien (Clonmel) (76.30); 3 PJ Holmes (Dundrum) (77.01)
O-60: 1 Enda Whelan (Sligo) (72.59); 2 Con O’Brien (Banteer) (73.02); 3 John Holland (Mallow) (74.18).
Local men: 1 Michael Shannon (Kilnaboy) (52.36); 2 Ambrose Heagney (Kilnaboy) (59.29); 3 Fintan Lahiffe (Kilnaboy) (64.11).

 

Victories for Sexton and Hogan

The Ennistymon hurling club and the Sergio O’Connor Trust Fund held a 5K fun run and walk on Bank Holiday Monday. Despite the wet and blustery weather conditions, a fine crowd of competitors went to the start.
Two athletes made an early break, James Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) and Joe Crosse (Ennistymon). who competed in the Kilnaboy 10-mile on Sunday, and they had opened up a slight lead on Brian Cummins (Ennis) and Patrick O’Rourke (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) as they made their way towards the 2k mark.
Facing into a headwind and rain, James Sexton was starting to pull away as he made his way up the main street in Lahinch and he held on to that slight lead all the way to finish, recording a time of 20.03, with Joe Crosse second in 20.07 followed home in third by Brian Cummins.
The ladies’ race was very well-contested with Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare athletes dominating. Sinéad and Caoimhie Hogan, Siobhán Nestor and Mags Malone all moved well over the first 2k, with Susan Taylor (St Cronan’s) also in contention. On the main Lahinch-Ennistymon road, Sinead Hogan began to open up a good lead on the rest of her club athletes and she  recorded a great victory in 21.44 from her sister Caoimhie (22.07) and Mags Malone (23.38).

Results
Senior ladies: 1 Sinéad Hogan (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (21.44); 2 Caoimhie Hogan (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (22. 07); 3 Mags Malone (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (23.38); 4 Siobhán Nestor (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (23.58); 5 Susan Taylor (St Cronan’s)(24.26); 6 Ciara Fitzhenry (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (31.23).
Senior men: 1 James Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare)(20.03); 2 Joe Crosse (Ennistymon) (20.07); 3 Brian Cummins (Ennis) (20.33); 4 Patrick O’Rourke (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (20.38); 5 Padraigh Malone (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (21.18); 6 Brendan Garrihy (Enistymon) (21.38)

Matt O’Connor Memorial open sports
The ninth annual Matt O’Connor Memorial and Marian AC open sports day will take place this Sunday, April 15 at Lees Road starting with registrations at 1.30pm with the first race at 2 pm.
The organising committee have drawn up a very attractive programme of over-40 events.
The programme is:
U-7 girls and boys’ 60m and 100m; U-8 girls and boys’  60m and 200m, 4 x 100m relay; U-9 girls and boys’ 80m and 300m; U-10 girls and boys’ 100m and 400m. 4 x 100m relay; U-11 girls and boys’ 100m and 400m; U-12 girls and boys’ 100m, 600m. 4 x 100m relay; U-14 girls and boys’ 100m, 800m; U-16 girls and boys’ 100m; 4x 100m relay; junior ladies and men 1,500m.

Fixtures
April
14 The Johnny McMahon Healthy Heart 10k fun run and 3.5k walk in aid of Kilmaley Voluntary Housing, Clare Crusaders and Uganda Rays of Hope Hospice, Jinya, starting at Kilmaley school at 12noon.
15 Marian AC and the Matt O’Connor Memorial Open Sports at the Lees Road, starting at 2pm.
15 Athletics Ireland 10k Road Championship at the Phoenix Park. 
22 Miltown Malbay Ladies Fun Run and Walk at Miltown Malbay GAA Field, starting at 1pm.
22 Athletics Ireland road relays in Raheny.
24 Ennistymon-Liscannor Parish National Schools Sports Day in Lahinch Community Sports Field, starting at 11am.
26 Kilmurry-Ibrickane Parish National Schools Sports Day in Mullagh Community Sports Field, starting at 11am.
26 Clare AAI 5k Summer Road League (No. 1) at Lees Road, starting at 7pm. 
27 Ennistymon-Liscannor Community Games in Lahinch Community Sports Field starting at 5pm.

Fitzpatrick and Rynne take Cratloe 10k titles

The Bunratty/Cratloe soccer club 10k and 5k runs were held in Cratloe on Easter Saturday, with over 200 competitors going to the start in sunny weather conditions.
There was an early break by Mike Cunningham (Bilboa), Thomas Grimes (Limerick), Tom Fitzpatrick (Tallaght) and Liam McGuane (Ennis Track) and they went through the 1k mark in 3.09 and had opened up a slight lead on James Murphy (Tulla), Vincent O’Brien (Limerick) with Sharon Rynne (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) running in the top six and well ahead of the rest of the field.
After the 3k mark, Tom Fitzpatrick stamped his authority on the race and going through the halfway point in 15.35 he was starting to pull well clear. The Dubliner completed the tough course in 31.46 and was three minutes ahead of Thomas Grimes and third-placed Mike Cunningham (Bilboa).
In the ladies’ race, Sharon Rynne (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) went out hard for the 1k, which she completed in 3.10. She had the rest of the field in single file, with Breda Lynch (Dooneen) and Lorna O’Neill (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) working well together for the first 5k. Sharon Rynne recorded another big win in a fast time of 38.07 almost 30 seconds faster than she ran in the Pakie Ryan Memorial.  Second was Breda Ryan in 41.49 followed in third by Lorna O’Neill (45.28).

Results
Senior ladies: 1 Sharon Rynne (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (38.07); 2 Breda Lynch (Dooneen) (41.44); 3 Lorna O’Neill (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (45.22).
Senior men: 1 Tom Fitzpatrick (Tallaght Dublin) (31.46); 2 Thomas Grimes (Limerick (34.57); 3 Mike Cunningham (Bilboa) (35.32); 4 James Murphy (Tulla (36.06); 5 Vincent O’Brien (Limerick) (37.27); 6 Liam McGuane (Ennis Track) (37.39).

Healthy Heart 10k charity run at Kilmaley

The Johnny McMahon Healthy Heart 10k charity run, walk and road race will take place this Saturday, starting at 12 noon, at Kilmaley school. There will be an option of taking a 3.5k walk and fun run.
All proceeds will go towards the Ray of Hope Hospice Jinja, in Uganda, Clare Crusaders and Kilmaley Voluntary Housing Assocation.
Ray of Hope Hospice, Jinja, was set up six years ago and is the only fully fledged pallative care service provider in the Busoga region (population 4.5 million) of Uganda and its neighburing districts. Hospice Jinja provides care to patients and their families faced with life-limiting/life threatening illness such as advanced cancer and HIV/Aids. The overall goal of the hospice is to provide the best possible quality of life to the patients while faced with a terminal illness.
Retired local volunteers Frank and Dr Patrica Hassett have visited the hospice twice yearly since its inception and have worked closely on the ground with the 12 local Ugandan hospice staff. They have been involved with the refinement and extension of the service. Five hospice team members have been trained in pallative area and their 12-month training has been funded by Clare donors. Volunteers and visitors are always welcome. Over the last five years, local health professions have worked as volunteers, namely Dr Terry Hennessy (Kilmaley), a promient local athelete and cardiologist; Dr Claire McMahon (Kilmaley), Clare camogie player and sister of Clare hurler Diarmaid; Dr John O’Dea (Ballyalla), father of Munster rugby player, Luke; nurse Helen Clune (Quin and Ennis General Hospital) and Dr Rory O’Keeffe (Ennis).
Many members of soccer, GAA, rugby and athletic clubs are expected to take part, along with members of meet and train groups from Ennis, Shannon and North Clare.
Further information is available from Terry Hennessy (087 9091436), Gerry Keane (087 2714716) or Martin Clancy (087 6355933).