THE Munster Senior and Masters Track and Field Championships were held at Cork IT at the weekend in hot and humid conditions.

 

A fine turnout of Clare athletes came away with a haul of 18 gold, 14 silver and six bronze medals.

In the masters section, John Leahy, who competed in the North Clare colours in his juvenile days almost 16 years ago and now represents Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, captured a treble when taking the shot putt, discus and 56lbs for distance. He also won a silver medal in the javelin.

In the masters O-40 Fergal McGrath (Ennis Track) won his first ever silver medal at a Munster championship in the 1500m while, in O-45, Tommy Greene (St John’s) won gold in the 56lbs for distance and three silver medals in the high jump, shot putt and long jump. John Murphy (Ennis Track) also won a double silver medal in O-45 800m and 1500m.

At O-50 level, Pat Morrissey (Ennis Track) won gold in the 800m and silver in the 1500m.
Martin Fitzpatrick (St Mary’s) recorded wins in the shot putt, hammer, discus and 35lbs for distance.

In O-55, Clare athletics PRO James Sexton scored a treble in the 800m, 1500m and 3000m where he outsprinted Pat Murphy (Eagle).
Tom Jones (Ennis Track) won gold in the O-60 35lbs for distance with Gerry O’Connell (Marian) winning the O-70 35lbs for distance and Michael Hayes (St Mary’s) taking gold in the shot putt and silver in both the discus and hammer in the O-80 section.

Michael Shannon (St John’s) was very impressive taking a bronze medal in the senior men’s 5000m. After five laps he had dropped back to fifth spot but with three laps remaining came with a late burst to take the bronze medal in 15.32.
Keith King (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) competed in seven field events and came away with two gold medals in the pole vault and triple jump, a silver medal in the 110m hurdles and double bronze in the long jump and javelin.
In the senior ladies 400m,  Grace Eade (Ennis Track) won a silver medal with a time of 62.22 and in the 800m she set a personal best time of 2.22 :07 when taking a silver medal.

In the 1500m Becky Coughlan (Ennis Track) captured a bronze medal.
In the ladies discus Rachel and Alice Akers (Marian) finished fourth and fifth. Later in the afternoon in the hammer competition, the sisters were again in fine form. Sixteen-year-old Alice produced massive throws over six rounds but Rachel had a big throw on the final round to take the silver medal with a throw of 49.52m with Alice capturing the bronze medal with a throw of 49.19m.

Michelle Timmoney Reeves, in the O-35 400m won the gold medal and she also captured a bronze medal in the 200m.

Results
Masters Ladies
O-35: 200m 3 Michelle Timmoney Reeves, Ennis Track (32.28); 400m 1 Michelle Timmoney Reeves (73.52).
Masters Men
O-35: 1500m 4 Willie Devitt, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare (4.52:07); 3000m 4    Willie Devitt (9.56); Shot Putt 1 John Leahy, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare (11.93m); Discus 1 John Leahy (32.92m); 56lbs for distance 1 John Leahy (5.80m); Javelin 2 John Leahy (29.90m).
O-40: 1500m 2 Fergal McGrath, Ennis Track (5.05:28); 800m 7 Fergal McGrath (2.30.02).
O-45: 800m 2 John Murphy, Ennis Track (2.26.25); 1500m 2 John Murphy (5.04.70); High Jump 2 Tommy Greene, St John’s (1.50m); Shot Putt 2 Tommy Greene (10.48m); Long Jump 2 Tommy Greene (5.09m); 56lbs for distance 1 Tommy Greene (5.53m).
O-50: 800m 1 Pat Morrissey, Ennis Track (2. 27.13); 1500m 2 Pat Morrissey (5.13.85); Shot Putt 1 Martin Fitzpatrick, St Mary’s (9.58m); Hammer 1    Martin Fitzpatrick (17.66m); Discus 1 Martin Fitzpatrick (17 .36m); 35lbs for distance 1 Martin Fitzpatrick (6.97m)
O-55: 800m 1 James Sexton, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare (2.43.50); 1500m 1    James Sexton (5.32.06); 3000m 1 James Sexton (11.24.25).
O-60: 35lbs for distance 1 Tom Jones, Ennis Track (7.70m).
O-70: 35lbs for distance 1    Gerry O’Connell, Marian (7.47m)
O-80: Shot Putt 1 Michael Hayes, St Mary’s (5.92m); Discus 2 Michael Hayes (14.68m); Hammer 2 Michael Hayes (11.10m)
Senior Ladies
400m 2 Grace Eade, Ennis Track (62.22); 800m 2 Grace Eade (2.22.07), 4 Becky Coughlan, Ennis Track (2.39.13); 1500m 3 Becky Coughlan (5.24.91); Discus 4 Rachel Akers, Marian (33.58m), 5 Alice Akers, Marian (31.38m); Hammer 2 Rachel Akers (49.52m) 3 Alice Akers (49.19m).
Senior Men
110m hurdles 2 Keith King, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare; 5000m 3 Michael Shannon, St John’s (15.32.95), 6 Brian Murphy, Ennis Track (16.07.76); High Jump 4 Keith King (1.75m); Long Jump 3 Keith King (5.26m); Triple Jump 1 Keith King (9.60m); Pole Vault 1 Keith King (2.30m); Javelin 3 Keith King (31.16m); Shot Putt 5 Keith King (9.92m); Discus 7 Keith King (21.92m).

 

Gold for Mulcaire and Akers

THE All-Ireland Schools Track and Field Championships were held in Tullamore, where Alice Akers (Scariff CC) and Kevin Mulcaire (St Flannan’s) won gold in the intermediate hammer and 3,000m respectively.
Akres won gold in the intermediate girls hammer with a throw of 48.32m, just 2cm off older sister Rachel’s 2011 record. Alice also captured a silver medal in the discus with a throw of 34.13m.

In the junior girls 1500m, Aishling Kelly (St Joseph’s School Spanish Point) worked very hard over the final lap to take a silver medal in 4.51.20.
In the junior girls 1200m walk, Anagharad Loughnane (Gael Scoil Luimnigh) finished fifth but she produced some big throws in the shot putt to take a bronze medal with a throw of 10.37m.
Róisín Harrison (Villiers Limerick) won a bronze medal in the intermediate girls 200m with a time of 24.63.

In the senior girls, Muireann O’Shea won a bronze medal in the 3000m with a very good time of 10.46.77. In the 800m and 1500m, Niamh Markham (St Flannan’s) finished in both races.
There was a big number of intermediate boys from Clare schools with the big winner Kevin Mulcaire, who had to come from behind in the 3000m final to snatch the gold medal with a time of 8.51.10.

Results
Junior Girls
800m 8 Caoimhie Harvey, Kilkee (2.25.98); 1500m 2 Aisling Kelly, St Joseph’s Spanish Point (4.51.20); 1200m walk 5 Angharad Loughnane, Gael Choláiste Luimni (6.13.50); Shot Putt 3 Angharad Loughnane (10.37m).
Intermediate Girls
200m 3 Róisín Harrison, Villiers Limerick (24.63); Mile 6 Elaine Shannon, Scoil Mhuire Ennistymon (5.47.65); 1500m steeplechase 6 Laura Power, Coláiste Muire Ennis (6.02.70); Triple Jump 8 Rachel Clancy, Kilkee (9.58m); Discus 2 Alice Akers, Scariff C.C (34.13m); Hammer 1 Alice Akers (47.57m).
Senior Girls
800m: 4 Niamh Markham, St Flannan’s (2.19.56); 1500m 4 Niamh Markham (4.56.72), 7 Muireann O’Shea Coláiste Muire Ennis (5.05.00); 3000m 3 Muireann O’Shea (10.46.77).
Junior Boys
1500m 9 Eoin Looney, St Joseph’s Spanish Point (4.28.74); Long Jump 5 Cathal O’Brien, Rice College (5.33m)
Intermediate Boys
200m 7 Ronan Barry, St Flannan’s (23. 33); 400m 6 Ronan Barry (53.43); 1500m 5 Kevin Mulcaire, St Flannan’s (4.19.44); Mile 5 Sean Collins, St Fannan’s (4.52.18); 3000m 1 Kevin Mulcaire (8.51.10); Triple Jump 8 Kaderi Karimu, Gael Choláiste an Chláir (11.50m), Shot Putt 6 Eoin Hanrahan St Flannan’s (13.45m); Discus 4 Eoin Hanrahan (38.17m).
Senior Boys
5000m 7 Karl Fitzmaurice, St Pat’s Shannon (16.23.08); Hammer 4 Seamus McMahon, St Caimin’s (42.07m).