Over 220 make national finals

Clare Community Games has 223 children qualified for finals at the National Festival of Sport in Athlone from May 24 to 26. They will participate in both sporting and cultural events over the weekend.

Events include art, model making, handwriting, cycling, quiz, talent, duathlon, mixed distance relays, U-13 cross country, projects, gymnastics, swimming, chess, choir, badminton, draughts, handball, mini rugby, table tennis, judo and pitch and putt. For the first time ever, two teams in both the boys and girls’ pitch and putt go forward to the national finals this year.

Meanwhile, the Clare Community Games gymnastics and skittles competitions took place in the past two weeks. The standard in both competitions was high.

The gold medal winners in Gymnastics now go forward to represent Clare at the festival in Athlone.

Skittles
Kilkishen was the venue for the skittles finals, with Patricia Ryan as the co-ordinator. In U-12, the winners were Doora-Barefield while Quin-Clooney won the U-14 title.
Results
U-12: 1 Doora-Barefield: Ava Lenihan, Kate McDonnell, Niamh Meaney, Emma Towey, Sinead Quinlan, Alison Meaney, Katelyn Meaney; 2 Crusheen-Ballinruan: Johanna Fogarty, Maeve Stankard, Eva Fitzgibbon,Talulla Goodman, Áine Clancy, Diarmuid Mullins, Sinead O’Halloran; 3 Quin-Clooney: Ella Taylor, Niamh McConway, Sean Coughlan, Brian Coughlan, Sean McGrath, Ava Corbett, Shane Harrison.
U-14: 1 Quin-Clooney: Alex Mc Conway, Mark Coughlan, Conor Coughlan, Aishling McGrath, Orlaith Nash, Paul Hogan, Rachel McEvoy; 2 Crusheen-Ballinruan: Anna Goodman, Ian O’Brien, Tadhg Dean, Aoife Stankard, Niamh Turner, Ciara, Liddy, Sinéad Mullins.

Gymnastics
Results
Girls’ U-9: 1 Rachel Cummins (Ennis St John’s); 2 Kate Guerin (An Droichead); 3 Ellie Doyle (Quin/Clooney); Joint 4 Anna Doyle (Quin/Clooney) and Róisín Farrell (Corofin/Kilnaboy).
U-11: 1 Rebecca Van Der Dussen (Cratloe);2 Kate Shannahan (Parteen).
U-13: 1 Amy Guerin (An Droichead).
Boys’ U-9: 1 Rory O’Sullivan (Tulla); 2 Lorcan O’Connor (Quin/Clooney).
U-11: 1 Ben Harnett (Ennis); 2 Conor Farell (Corofin/Kilnaboy); 3  Nathen Lawler (Cratloe); 4  Aidan Larkin (Quin/Clooney).
U-13: 1 Hugo Kinahan (Cratloe).

Football finals
The U-10 mixed Gaelic football semi-finals and final will take place this Friday at 6pm in St Flannan’s College.

Futsal
The Futsal competitions, co-ordinated by Flan Brennan for both boys and girls, will take place this Saturday and Sunday in St Flannan’s College.

On Saturday, it will be the turn of the girls (U-13). Ennistymon-Lahinch-Liscannor will play Ennis St John’s at 10am, with the winners going on to face Sixmilebridge-Kilmurry in a semi-final at 1.20am. In the first semi-final at 1.40am, Ballyea-Clarecastle will face Inch-Connolly-Kilmaley. The play-off to decide third and fourth spots will be at 12 noon, with the final set for 12.45pm.

In the boys’ competition on Sunday, the first semi-final will be at 2pm, when Tulla will play St John’s A followed at 2.40pm by the meeting of Inch Connolly-Kilmaley and Ennis St John’s B. The play-off for third and fourth spot will be at 3.20pm, with the final set for 4pm. Shinguards and runners must be worn by all participants.

Area Athletic finals
On Sunday, April 28 both Sixmilebridge/Kilmurry and An Droichead will hold their area athletics finals. There will be events for boys and girls from U-6 to U-16.