Six Munster titles for Clare

The Munster uneven ages U-9 to U-19 plus the intermediate cross country championships were held in the Showgrounds, Charleville, on Sunday.
Conditions were excellent after a lot of rain and Clare athletes produced magnificent individual performances.
Daiela Svensson, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare won the girls U-9. There was double gold in the U-11 section for Alex O Neill and Aidan McCarthy both St Cronan’s. There was another Munster title for Jean Clancy, St John’s, in the girls U-17 while Imogen Cotter, Ennis Track, won the girls U-19 title with Claire Madigan, St John’s taking the intermediate ladies 4,000m title.
Clare captured 10 team awards, gold in the girls U-9 and bronze in the boys U-9; silver in both the girls and boys U-11, bronze in the girls U-13 and silver in the boys U-13; bronze in both the boys and girls U-15, gold in the girls U-17 and silver in the ladies intermediate.
In addition, Ennis Track son the bronze medals in the inter-club section in the intermediate race.
Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare won the girls U-9, boys U-13, and bronze in the boys U-9 and boys U-11. Ennis Track won gold in the U-15 boys, silver in the U-13 boys and U-17 girls, with St John’s taking silver medal in the girls U-13.
The first race of the afternoon was the girls U-9, 750m with over 100 competitors. Daiela Svensson, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, produced a big sprint to take the title with Clare champion, Keisha Attwell, St Mary’s, fourth. Rachel Hartigan, Marian, came 12th; Amy Sexton, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, 13th; Aoibheann Donnelly, Marian, 16th and Siobhan Keane, St John’s, 20th, for Clare to take the gold medals on 66 points with Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare taking the inter-club title with 61 points.
The boys U-9 was also over 750m with Ben Whelehan, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, working hard to finish third and capture a bronze medal with Conor Blake, St John’s, 9th; Shane Harrison, St Cronan’s, 16th; Shane Meehan, Marian, 23rd; Ricki McMahon, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, 26th and Keith Crowley, St John’s, 30th helping Clare take the bronze medals on 107 points.
Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare took the bronze medals in the inter-club awards with 133 points with St John’s in fourth spot on 138 points.
The girls U-11 1,500m attracted more than 130 competitors and again Clare athletes gave a mighty performance. Alex O’Neill, St Cronan’s, came with a late finish to snatch the title with Emma McMahon having to settle for the silver medal.
Clare athletes packed well with Fidelma Marrinan, St John’s, in 8th place, Emer Keane, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, 15th; Caoimhie Carmody, Marian, 16th and Catriona Callinan, Kilmihil, 20th, helping Clare take the silver medals on 62 points.
In the boys U-11 1,500m three Clare athletes were very much in contention, Aidan McCarthy, St Cronan’s, Caoilfhionn O’Dea, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare and Thomas Clancy, St John’s.
On the down hill stretch Munster U-12 champion Aidan McCarthy powered his way to another big win and another Munster crown with Caoilfhionn O’Dea working hard to take the bronze medal. Thomas Clancy had a fine race to finish seventh with Cian Shannon, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, 17th, Sean Dolan, Ennis Track, 23rd and Zack Whelehan, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, 24th.
Clare won the silver medals on 75 points with Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare taking the bronze medals in the inter-club awards with a total of 79 points.
The girls U-13 2,500m saw Caoimhie Harvey, St John’s, the Munster U-12 silver medal winner, running out of age but she managed to finish in seventh place with Cliodhna Blake 21st, Shauna Melican, St John’s, 22nd; Elaine Shannon, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, 25th; Sinead Hogan, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, 27th and Sharon Egan, Kilmihil, 29th to take the bronze medals on 131 points with St John’s taking the silver medals with 80 points.
The boys U-13 was fought all the way to the finish line with Jamie Roche, Ennis Track; Patrick O’Rourke, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, and Paul Martin, Ennis Track, all running in the top 12 after 1,000m.
In the second half of this race Jamie Roche worked his way up to cross the finish line in second position with Patrick O’Rourke coming from 14th place to finish sixth overall. Paul Martin came in seventh with Eoin Looney, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, 16th; Sean Rouine, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, 24th and Sean Wallace, St Mary’s, 30th, for Clare to take the silver medals on 85 points.
For the second year-in-a-row the inter-club title went to Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare on 90 points with Ennis Track second on 96 points.
In the girls U-15 3,500m, all Clare athletes settled in well with Molly Lynch, Shannon and Laura Power, Ennis Track working well together. Lynch had her best race this season to finish 6th with Laura Power a very good eighth followed home by Rachel Clancy, St John’s, 23rd; Áine Looney, Kilmihil, 25th; Siobhán Nestor, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, 28th and Nollaig Blake, St John’s, 33rd for Clare to win the bronze medals on 123 points.
In the boys U-15 Stephan Rooney, Ennis Track finished in fourth position and Ennis Track packed well with Sean Collins, ninth; Conaill O’Hainifin 20th; Michael Moloney, 21st; Conor O’Brien 25th and Patrick Chesser, 32nd, to win the inter club title on 54 points with Clare finishing third on 111 points.
In the girls U-17 4,500m, the Clancy twins, Jean and Niamh from St John’s led the race out at a fast pace. At the halfway point they had the field in almost single file and Jean went on to win another Munster title with Niamh finishing in fourth place followed by Aishling Darcy, Ennis Track, fifth; Laura Egan, Kilmihil, ninth; Niamh Markham, Ennis Track, 12th and Rachel Mulcaire, Ennis Track, 20th. Clare won the Munster title on 51 points with Ennis Track in the inter-club section on 59 points.
In the boys U-17 4,500m Ian Slobody, Kilmihil, settled in well over the early stages and when reaching the half way point he made a decisive move towards the leaders and finished very strong to take fifth position with Caoimhin Donnellan, Kilmihil 26th.
In the girls U-19 5,000m two Clare athletes were always in contention, Harriet Flynn, Shannon and Imogen Cotter, Ennis Track. Going out for the final lap they were shoulder to shoulder with Imogen Cotter going on to record a great victory with Flynn finishing in fourth place.
The intermediate ladies was run over a distance of 4,000m with Claire Madigan, St John’s, the Clare cross country silver medal winner having a mighty race. Over the final 400m, she pulled away to win the title. Sharon Rynne, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, worked hard to finish 11th with Aishling Power 14th and Siobhan Lennon 16th for Clare to win the silver medals on 42 points. Ennis Track took the bronze medals in the inter-club with 83 points.
In the intermediate men’s 8,000m Michael Shannon, Kilnaboy, finished fifth with Fergal Smithwick, Marian, 11th and Paul Gallagher, Ennis and St Finbarr’s of Cork, 25th.