Treble for Cushla in masters championships

CUSHLA Murphy Hehir won all three races in the masters O-55 at the Athletics Association of Ireland Masters Track and Field Championships in Tullamore last weekend.
Her first gold medal came in the 200m with a fine run in 35:37. She followed that an hour later in the 800m, winning with a time of 2.53:73 and another Clare athlete, Carmel McDomhnaill, from Tulla and West Limerick AC, finished third.
Cushla’s final race was the 400m and, once again, she won gold in 78:28.
Marian Burke, St Mary’s, competing in the O-40s 1,500m over three and half laps, was always in control and came away with the gold medal with a time of 5.44:11.
In the masters ladies’ O-45 1,500m, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare athlete Michelle O’Mahoney recorded a great win in 5.24:65 and later on that afternoon, in the O-45 masters 3,000m, she came away with a bronze medal in 11.28:61.
In the masters men’s section, David Courtney captured a bronze medal in the O-45 javelin with a throw of 41.19m. Michael O’Brien, Tulla, competing in the O-45s 56lbs for distance for the fourth year in-a-row in these championships, produced outstanding throws over three rounds but had to settle for the silver medal with a throw of 6.45m.
Martin Fitzpatrick, St Mary’s, in the O-50s competed in a very competitive 35lbs for distance and captured the gold medal with a throw of 7.09m. In the shot putt, he came away with a bronze medal with a throw of 9.74m. In the masters O-65, Gerry O’Connell, Marian AC, competing in the 35lbs for distance, won the gold medal for the fourth year in-a-row with a throw of 7.22m, with Mick Hayes in the O-80s retaining his crown in the shot putt with a throw of 7.37m. He followed that with another big win in the discus with a throw of 16.47m.

Results
Masters ladies
O-40 1,500m: 1. Marian Burke (St Mary’s) (5.44:11).
O-45s
1,500m: 1. Michelle O’Mahoney (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (5.24:65).
3,000m: 3. Michelle O’Mahoney (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (11.28:61).
O-55s
200m: 1. Cushla Murphy Hehir (Marian) (35:37).
400m: 1. Cushla Murphy Hehir (Marian) (78:28).
800m: 1. Cushla Murphy Hehir (Marian) (2.53:73); 3. Carmel McDomhnaill (West Limerick) (3.04:17).
1,500m: 2. Carmel McDomhnaill (West Limerick) (6.04:20).

Masters men
O-45
Javelin: 3. David Courtney (Ennis Track) (41.19m).
56lbs for distance: 2. Michael O’Brien (Tulla) (6.45m).
O-50s
Shot putt: 3. Martin Fitzpatrick (St Mary’s) (9.74m).
35lbs for distance: 1. Martin Fitzpatrick (St Mary’s) (7.09m).
O-65 35lbs for distance: 1. Gerry O’Connell (Marian) (7.56m).
O-80
Shot putt: 1. Mick Hayes (St Mary’s) (7.37m).
Discus: 1. Mick Hayes (St Mary’s) (16.47m).