National Senior Indoors
Several of Galway top track and field athletes will compete at the National Senior Indoor Championships that will be held in the new National Indoor Arena in Abbotstown in Dublin next weekend
Robert Meagher of GCH will compete over both 200m and 400m. Meagher has clocked a number of personal bests over the longer distance this season, and will hope to continue his good run of form at the Nationals. Sprinter Laura Ann Costello goes over 60m and 200m for GCH, while Nicole King also GCH, will run over both 200 and 400, and she will be full of confidence after a bronze medal at the Universities Indoors last weekend in Athlone IT.
GCH are well represented in the middle distance events, as Kathryn Casserly competes in the 3000mand Niamh Hennelly will run in what will likely be a very competitivewomen’s1500m. In the field, Solange Diogo will look to secure a medal in the Ladies triple jump for the city club. Top GCH thrower Brendan Staunton is battling injury but will hope to be fit in time for Sunday to compete alongside clubmate Michael Breathnach in the Mens Shot putt.
NUIG athletes Damien Landers -who took silver at the Universities Indoors last week, goes over 1500, and Irish international Aisling Joyce, will look to perform well over 3000m also. Walkers Veronica Burke (Ballinasloe) and Maeve Curley (Craughwell) will be targeting medals in the Ladies 3k walk. Oisin Lyons goes in the 800m for Craughwell AC, while thrower Sinead Keon of Loughrea AC competes in the Ladies Shot Putt.
National Masters Cross-Country Championships
Ian Egan of the Galway cross country team in action at the National Masters in Waterford
Many Galway’s top Masters cross country runners were in action at the National Masters’ cross country championships, held on a very hilly course, in wintry conditions in Waterford IT last Sunday, and a number of athletes returned West with silverware after some very competitive races .
The evergreen Christine Kennedy of GCH secured individual silver at O60 level in the ladies race, as did Martin McEvilly of GCH in the O65 Men’s category.
Pride of place however went to Galway’s Over 65 veteran Men’s team, who won National gold for their county Sunday last, in a solid display of cross country running. They were led home by the indomitable McEvilly of GCH, followed by Andy Talbot of Clare River Harriers, Martin Hynes of Tuam AC and Martin Keane of Athenry AC.
Galway’s O35 ladies team placed 9th county team, and were led home by Eilis Ni Dhuill with a strong run in 44th, with Tara Whyte 68th and Chris Kennedy and Mags Sheridan the next two scorers home. Galway O35 men’s squad had a difficult day at the office, compounded by an injury for Seamus Leddy which he sustained just before the finish, with Ian Egan’s solid return to competitive action being the only silver lining for the Men’s squad.
Gort 8km road race
Matt Bidwell of GCH continued his almost total dominance of the Galway road racing scene with yet another victory, this time at the South Galway AC organized Gort 8km road race held last Sunday. Bidwell coasted home in 26.56 for a clear victory over the improving Greg Lundon (28.34) and John Whiriskey (28.44) of the host club in second and third.
Dee Grady of Ennis Track AC ran a fast 30.02 to win the ladies section, but she was chased hard by Siobhan Egan of GCH in second who clocked 30.19. Third was Clare Rowe of GCH
Connacht Schools Cross-Country Championships
Aine O’Farrell of Presentation College Athenry and Gary Martyn of Galway Community College were the winners of the senior titles at the Connacht Schools Cross-Country Championships held in Calry, Sligo last week. Cillian Jordan of St Enda’s also took victory, in the Junior Boys race. Aoife King of PC Headford was second in the Senior girls, while Eanna Folan of Colaiste na Coiribe was also runner up in the Senior boy’s race. Thomas McStay and Aaron Brennan of Claregalway, in the Inter Boys, and Liam Leen of Presentation Athenry in the Minor Boys, also secured individual podium spots in the finals.
Presentation Athenry again dominated the team categories, with six teams qualifying for the Irish Schools finals on March 11th, as they finished first and third in the Senior girls’ race, second in the Inter girls and Junior boys, and third in the Junior girls and Minor boys.
Full results are below
Connacht Schools Cross-Country, Calry Sligo
Girls-
Minor:
1 Roisin O’Brien SH Westport;
2 Shauna Brennan Colaiste Baile Chlair,
3 Lauren McGuire Reynolds Carrick-on-Shannon CS.
Teams –
1 Ursuline Sligo 24 (4,9,11),
2 SH Westport 33pts (1,13,19),
3 St Clare’s Manorhamilton 52 (10,18,24)
Junior:
1 Bea Drummond Athlone CC;
2 Ellie O’Rourke Ballinamore CC;
3 Rachel Mullaney SM&P Swinford.
Teams –
1 St Joseph’s Castlebar 18 (4,6,8),
2 J&M Gortnor Abbey 48 (9,10,29),
3 Presentation College Athenry 60 (5,25,30)
Inter:
1 Saoirse O’Brien SH Westport;
2 Maeve Gallagher St Joseph’s Castlebar;
3 Anna Yeats St Joseph’s Foxford.
Teams –
1 SH Westport 30 (1,14,15),
2 Presentation College Athenry 38 (6,10,22),
3 Colaiste Baile Chlair 47 (9,11,27).
Senior:
1 Aine O’Farrell Pres Athenry;
2 Aoife King Pres Headford;
3 Aoife O’Brien SH Westport.
Teams –
1 Presentation College Athenry A 14 (1, 4, 9),
2 SH Westport 22 (3, 7, 12),
3 Presentation College Athenry B 61 (17, 19, 25)
Boys-
Minor:
1 Tadgh Staunton St Joseph’s Foxford;
2 Conn McNamara St Gerald’s Castlebar;
3 Liam Leen Presentation Athenry.
Teams –
1 St Gerald’s Castlebar 75 (2, 15, 28, 30);
2. Rice College Westport 95 (4,10,34,47);
3 Presentation Athenry 119 (3,33,37,46).
Junior:
1 Cillian Jordan Colaiste Einde;
2 Michael Moran Summerhill College Sligo;
3 Oisin Ryall Rice College Westport.
Teams –
1 Rice College Westport 21 (3,4,5,9);
2 Presentation College Athenry 95 (17,19,28,31);
3 Colaiste Einde 111 (1,8,40,62)
Inter:
1 Keelan Kilrehill Colaiste Iascaigh;
2 Thomas McStay Colaiste Baile Chlair;
3 Aaron Brennan Colaiste Baile Chlair.
Teams –
1 St Gerald’s Castlebar 91( 4,7,31,49);
2 Summerhill College Sligo 93 (5,19,28,41);
3. Rice College Westport 114 (14, 15, 21, 64)
Senior:
1 Gary Martyn Galway CC;
2 Eanna O'Cualáin Colaiste na Coiribe;
3 James Frizzel St Colman’s Claremorris.
Teams –
1 St Mary’s Galway 79 (15,18,22,24);
2 St Joseph’s Foxford 81 (5,13,31,32);
3 Summerhill College Sligo 83 (6,17,26,34)
