Ten Nenagh gold medals for Clare athletes

CLARE athletes enjoyed a stylish start at the Munster Juvenile U-14s to U-19s indoor track and field championships, which were held at the Nenagh Indoor Arena on Saturday and Sunday, bringing home four golds.
Harriett Flynn (Shannon) was a very impressive winner in the girls’ U-18 800 metres, Catriona Hennessy (Marian) captured the girls’ U-19 800 metres with Liam Markham (Ennis Track) leading from start to finish to take the boys’ U-19 1,500 metres and Seamus McMahon (Shannon) taking gold in the boys’ U-15 1,000 metres walk.
On day two, there were six gold medal winners. Louise Woods (Marian) in the U-19 400metres; Dara Chesser (Ennis Track) in the boys’ U-19, 800m; Darragh Lynch (Ennis Track) in the boys’ U-18 800m; Ian Slobody (Kilmihil) U-16 Munster champion at 800m; Fergal Conlon (Tulla) in the boys’ U-16 1,500m walk and Harriett Flynn (Shannon), winning her second gold medal of the weekend, in the 1,500 metres.
Meelick athlete Amy O’Donoghue, a member of Emerald AC, won gold in the 800m and 1,500 metres in the girls’ U-17.
In the girls’ U-16, four athletes made it through to the finals – Laura Egan (Kilmihil), Eimear Hillery (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare), Ciara Mulcaire (Ennis Track) and Aoifa O’Gorman (Kilmihil). In the final, Laura Egan was always in contention along with Eimear Hillery but she was outsprinted over the final 20 metres and had to settle for the silver medal with Eimear Hillery a very good fourth.
Hillery was on the track once again, this time in the 1,500 metres walk and produced a fine performance to take the silver medal.
On day two, Laura Egan (Kilmihil) was on the track once again, this time in the 1,500 metres and produced another big individual performance to take the silver medal.
The race of the day was the girls’ U-17 800 metres and, again, four Clare athletes made it through to the final, Ailish Brew (St John’s), Róisín Looney (Kilmihil), Meabh Hogan (Ennis Track) along with Meelick athlete, Amy O’Donoghue (Emerald AC).
Amy dominated the race from the start and she led all the way to take the gold medal from Róisín Looney (Kilmihil), who worked hard and produced a big finish to take the silver medal.
Amy O’Donoghue (Emerald) and Aishling Darcy (Ennis Track) contested the 1,500metres U-17 title where Amy again produced a fine turn of leg speed to take the title.
In the girls’ U-/17 1,500 metres walk, Claudia Loughnane (Marian) battled hard to take a bronze medal in 7mins.26.70secs with Orla Casey (Shannon) fourth.
In the girls U-18s, Harriett Flynn (Shannon) led all the way to win by a very big margin and a time of 2mins.22.81secs

n Results
Girls
High jump: 2. Rachel Clancy (St John’s); (1.45metres).
1,000 metres walk: 2. Aimee Hayes (Ennis Track) (6mins.16.80 metres); 3. Niamh O’Brien (Ennis Track) (6mins.18.42secs).
U-16 800m: 2. Laura Egan (Kilmihil) (2mins.27.16secs).
1,500m: 2.Laura Egan (Kilmihil) (5mins.11.81secs).   
1,500m walk: 2. Eimear Hillery (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (8mins.45.32secs).
U-17 800m: 1. Amy O’Donoghue (Emerald) (2mins.18.99secssecs); 2. Róisín Looney (Kilmihil) (2mins.30.04secs).
1,500 metres: 1. Amy O’Donoghue (Emerald); 2. Aishling Darcy (Ennis Track).
1,500m walk: 3. Claudia Loughnane (Marian) (7mins.26.70secs).
U-18 800m: 1. Harriet Flynn (Shannon) (2mins.22.81secs).
1,500m: 1. Harriet Flynn (Shannon) (5mins.25.57secs).
Long jump: 2. Suzanne Kelly (Kilnaboy) (4.76 metres).
U-19 400m: 1. Louise Woods (Marian) (59.74secs).
800m: 1. Catriona Hennessy (Marian) (2mins.37.48secs).

Boys
High jump: 2. Paraic McNamara (Marian) (1.39 metres).
Long jump: 3. Paraic McNamara (Marian) (4.76 metres).
1,000m walk: 1. Seamus McMahon (Shannon) (6mins.36.66secs).
Shot putt: 2. Eoin Hanrahan (Ennis Track) (10.88 metres).
U-16 800m: 1. Ian Slobody (Kilmihil) (2mins.08.19secs).
1,500metres walk: 1. Fergal Conlon (Tulla) (8mins.08.20secs).
U-17 800m: 2. Eamon Chesser (Ennis Track) (2mins.06.75secs).
1,500metres: 2. Eamon Chesser (Ennis Track) (4mins.30.66secs).
U-18S 800m: 1. Darragh Lynch (Ennis Track) (2mins.05.98secs).
1,500 metres: 2. Kevin Chesser (Ennis Track).
200m: 2. Mark Boland (Marian) (24.36secs).
U-19 800m: 1. Dara Chesser (Ennis Track) (2mins.08.40secs).
1,500m: 1. Liam Markham (Ennis Track) (4mins.10.24secs).