The Munster Juvenile Uneven Ages Cross Country Championships from U-9 to U-19 plus the intermediate men’s and ladies will take place in Waterford IT this Sunday, starting at 11.30am. All Clare clubs will be well represented and the girls’ U-9s will be the first race, over a distance of 750m.

Three Clare athletes will be looking for a top 10 performance here, Ciara Meehan and Grace Carmody (Marian) along with Saoirse Crowe (St Mary’s) with Fionn Cotter (Fergus) leading a strong challenge in the boys’ U-9 along with Niall Murphy (St Cronan’s) and Colin Ryan ((Ennis Track)).

In the girls’ U-11 1,500m, Kate Montwell (Ennis Track), the Clare champion, will lead the Clare challenge along with Sinéad Lillis (Kilmihil) and Siobhan Keane (St John’s) while in the boys’ U-11 Ben Whelehan (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare), Sabian Kulczynski (Marian) and Shane Harrison (St Cronan’s) will all be looking for a big performance

In the girls’ U-13, Alex O’Neill (St Cronan’s), the Clare AAI Champion, looks good to take this title and she will be well supported by Caoimhie Hogan, Emer and Áine Keane (both Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) with Caoilfhionn O’Dea (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare), Aidan McCarthy (St Cronan’s) and James McGuire (Ennis Track) among the leading contenders in the boys’ U-13.

The girls’ U-15 Clare AAI Champion Aisling Kelly (St John’s) will be looking to take the gold medal, with Caoimhie Harvey and Shauna Melican also hoping to do well. In the U-15 boys, Munster U-14 champion Eoin Looney (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) will be chasing another Munster title and he will be well supported by Jamie Roche and Stephan Maher (both Ennis Track).

The girls’ U-17 4,500m will see Laura Power (Ennis Track), Shannon O Grady Shannon, and Muireann O’Shea (Marian) challenging for honours while in the boys’ U-17, Kevin Mulcaire (Ennis Track) will be in contention for a Munster top-three finish along with Patrick Chesser and Sean Collins (both Ennis Track).
Emer Hillery (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) is a big contender in the girls’ U-19’s while in the boys’ U-19 Ian Slobody (Kilmihil) will be looking for another big performance along with Karl Fitzmaurice (Shannon) and Domhnaill Rodgers (St John’s).

Fixtures – November
11 Munster intermediate plus juvenile uneven ages cross country championships U-9 to U-19s at Waterford IT College Grounds, starting at 11.30am.
14 North Clare versus West Clare National Schools Cross Country Championships will take place on the lands of the McGuire Family, Carhunagry, Mullagh, starting at 11am.
16 Clare Secondary Schools Cross Country Championships for minor, junior, intermediate and senior will take place at Lees Road Sports Complex, starting at 10.30am.
18 Patrick O’Dea Juvenile Cross Country races U-7, U-8, U-9, U-10, U-12, U-14, U-16, plus men’s and ladies’ 5k road races at Lissycasey, starting at 11.30am.
25 Athletics Ireland inter-county cross country and even ages U-12 to U-18 plus senior and junior cross country in Tattersall’s, Ratoath, County Meath, starting at 11.30am.

 

Guilfoyle shines in Dublin Marathon

The 33rd Dublin City Marathon had a very big representation of Clare Crusaders athletes and incorporated in this race was the National and Clare Athletics Association Marathon Championship.

The first Clare man home was Sean Hehir from Kilkishen, running with Rathfarnham WSAF Dublin, in 2.17.35.

He was 11th overall and was the second Irish athlete, with Paul Pollach (Annadale Striders) ninth overall in 2.16.30 with Joe Mooney (BMOH) the next Clare athlete, knocking six minutes off his 2011 time, where he crossed the finishing line in 2.49.30.

Well-known GAA referee Ambrose Heagney (Kilnaboy), who took charge of the Clare senior hurling final on the previous day, completed the marathon in 3.09.49.

In the masters ladies’ O-45 Tracy Guilfoyle (Kilnaboy) set a very good time of 3.01.28 and she was the first Irish and international athlete O-45, running her 20th marathon.

Maura Falsey, who hails from Cooraclare and runs with Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, only starting running as a fun runner when she was 30 and on bank holiday Monday last she ran her 30th marathon, her second this year. In June, she completed the Cork marathon.

Results
11 Sean Hehir (Kilkishen and Rathfarnham WSAF, 2.17.35); 134 Joe Mooney (BMOH, 2.49.30); 303 Kenneth Hickey (Ennis Track, 2.58.02); 347 Richard O’Donnell (BMOH, 2.58.48); 471 Tracy Guilfoyle (Kilnaboy, 1st O-45, 3.01.28); Liam Shannon (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, 3.05.14); James Kenny (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare O-55, 3.07.33); Ambrose Heagney (Kilnaboy, 3.09.49); Aongus Mullins (Kilnaboy, 3.10.23); Tom Micks (Ennis Track, 3.14.02); John O’Malley (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare)(3.19.15); Kenneth Arthur Newmarket-on-Fergus (3.20.00); Rob Moorhead (Ennis Track, 3.22.18); Alan Logue (Lahinch, 3.24.06); Enda Whelan (Kilnaboy and Sligo AC, 3.25.05); Loretta Duggan (St Mary’s, 3.28.05); Aishling Power (Ennis Track, 3.28.07); Niall Matthews (Ennis and RTÉ, 3.31.26); Joe O’Muircheartaigh (Clare Crusaders, 3.31.19); Lorna O’Neill (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, (3.35.46); Ita Hanrahan (Ennis Track, 3.38.03); Colm Daly (Ennis Track, 3.38.08); Fergal McGrath (Ennis Track, 3.53.27); Michelle Timoney Reeves (Ennis Track, 3.55.07); Margaret Ryan (Ennis Track, 3.56.53); Gillian Ryan (Ennis Track, 3.57.15); Flan Sheedy (Clare Crusaders, 3.36.39); Maura Falsey (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, 4.03.16).

National schools championships

The eighth annual national schools cross country championships, North Clare v West Clare, will take place next Wednesday on the lands of Thomas and Maureen McGuire, Carhunagry, Mullagh, starting at 11am.

There will be six races on the programme, girls’ and boys’ U-8 500m, U-10 800m and O-10 1,000m.

Miltown Malbay are the overall parish title holders and they will be keen to retain the title. There will be prizes for the first 12 athletes in all races plus the first four teams.

There will also be an inter-region section, with prizes for the first six finishing athletes from each region.

In the girls’ U-8 500m, Grace Carmody (Kilmaley) Sarah Looney (Miltown Malbay), Saoirse Crowe (Kilrush) and Aishling Brown (Killimer) will battle for honours in the first race of the day.

In the boys U-8 500m Sean Rynne (Inagh), Cian Neylon (Kilmaley), Conor Meaney (Lissycasey) and Josh Morrissey (Cooraclare) will be looking for top honours.

In the girls’ U-10 800m the West Clare champion Keisha Attawell (Cranny/Coolmeen), Sinéad Lillis (Cooraclare), Amy Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane), Hannah Shannon (Inagh), Meadbh O’Malley (Miltown Malbay) will all be looking to take the top prize while in the boys’ U-10 800m Ben Whelehan (Miltown Malbay) will start as favourite from Conor Blake (Doonbeg)and Oran Copley (Kilrush).

In the girls’ O-10 1,000m, Caoimhie Hogan (Ennistymon), Emer and Áine Keane (Miltown Malbay), Keeva Corry (Cooraclare) and Mairéad Grogan (Killimer) will be challenging for the title while in the boys’ 1,000m Aidan McCarthy (Inagh) and Caoilfhionn O’Dea (Kilmurry Ibrickane) with James McGuire (Kilmaley) and Zack Whelehan (Kilmurry Ibrickane) battling for the minor placings.