National Masters and Intermediate Cross Country
The National Juvenile Cross Country Relays and Intermediate Cross Country championships will be held in the Palace Grounds in Tuam next Sunday. The Juvenile relays will see clubs from across the country run 4 500 metre legs around the undulating Tuam course, while the Intermediate races see the ladies go over 5km and the Men a testing 8km circuit. The Tuam venue is now renowned as one of the best natural cross country courses in the country and an exciting days racing is in prospect
Galway will field both Men’s and Women’s squads, as will many local clubs, and team manager Ian Egan is confident of winning some silverware on home turf, The likes of Siobhan Egan and Barbara Dunne of GCH aretipped to place highly in the ladies race, and they will be ably backed up by Jean O Connor, also GCH and Conliffe’s Tara Whyte, while in the men’srace Galway have a potential medallist in Andrew O Donnghaile of GCH, while clubmates Sean Hanley and Brian O Connor and a strong Castlegar AC contingent led by Rob Lennon will form the backbone of a solid men’s team.
Galway Indoor Track and Field Championships
The 2017 Galway Indoor Championships were held in the superb surroundings of Athlone IT Arena last Sunday. A huge entry of almost 700 athletes from all Galway clubs competed at both juvenile and adult level, and a huge crowd of parents and supporters were in attendance for a great day’s action. There were numerous multiple medal winners at Juvenile level and all clubs came home well satisfied with their performances.
At senior level, Brian O Connor of GCH won a tactical Men’s 3000m in 10 minutes’ dead from Jim Phelan of GCH and Stephen Casserly of Castlegar AC in second and third respectively. The resurgent Kathryn Casserly of GCH had a fabulous run to clock an excellent 10.15 for a clear victory in the ladies’ race, with Aoife King also GCH in second. Seamus Leddy of GCH took the Senior Men’s walk.
At 800m,Peadar Harvey of Craughwell ran 2.04 to claim the Men’s title and Maebh Brannigan of GCH won the ladies gold. In the sprints, Darren Costello and Rita Lahue both of GCH took the honours, Brendan Lynch of Loughrea won the sprint hurdles. Nicole King of GCH won gold in the ladies 200m while Robert Meagher of GCH took the Men’s 200m. GCH took both Senior men’s and ladies relays
At juvenile level, GCH had impressive wins on the track including a phenomenal triple gold medal haul for both Emma Moore and Ava McKeon. McKeon won the U13 Girls hurdles and 60m sprint, as well at the 600m distance race, while Emma Moore won the U14 hurdles and 60m sprint, and ran a superb 2.25 in the 800m. Seren O Toole, who won 200m gold and U16/17 hurdles took double gold. Also, GCH took wins via Shane Meagher who won the U11 Boys 600, Aaron Brennan who won the U16/17 Boys 800m, Eimear Rowe - in the U15 Girls 800m and Juno Hayes who took the U10 Girls 60m
Craughwell AC winners on the track included Ben Moran in the U10 60m, Tara Keane in the U11 Girls 600m, Evan Moran in the U12 Boys 600m and hurdles, U14 walk winners Farrah Hynes and Eamonn Fleetwood, Oisin Shannon, who won the U16/17 Boys 200m, Jack Farrell claimed the U15 Boys hurdles title, as well as Conor Hoade in the U14 Boys hurdles, Chloe Farragher -U15 Girls 60m, Paschal Walsh in the U15 60m sprint and Gavin Lee in the U15 Boys 800m
Loughrea AC winners included Hazel Fahy in the U10 Girls 400m, Darragh Fahy who won the U11 Boys 60m and in the Girls U15 hurdles Aoibhin Farrell won out.
Athenry AC were also title winners, via Callum Healy in the U14 Boys 60m, Darragh McNelis in the U14, Boys800m,Sarah Gilhooley in the U16/17 girls 800m, Brandon Lee in the U16/17 hurdles, and 60m, and Aoibhe Deeley in the 60m U16/17 Girls
Ballinasloe and District gold medalists included Cillian O Tuairisg in the U10 boys 60m, Aoibheann Fitzpatrick in the Girls U12 600m, and Caoimhe Kilkenny in the U12 60m, while Oisin Maher took gold in the U10 Boys 400m for Connemara AC. South Galway AC had David Mannion take a double victory in the U13 Boys hurdles, and 600m
Tuam AC fielded a huge contingent of athletes and won gold in the U11 Girls 60 m with Danielle Moynihan, in the U12 Boys 60m via Daragh Mannion, while Ross Cosgrove took the U13 Boys 60m
In the field events, Brendan Staunton of GCH and Loughrea’s Mary Barrett claimed the Senior Shot putt titles. At Juvenile level, Darragh Kearney of Craughwell (U12), Liam Shaw of Athenry at U13, Rian Kearney of Craughwell at U14, Cian Davis King of Craughwell at U15 and Eoghan Jennings GCH U16/17 were victors in the boys, while Niamh Duffy of Craughwell at U12,Caitlin Griffin of Loughrea (U13) Ella Rafferty (Tuam AC) U14,Maebh Ford Corrib at U15,and at U16/17 Chloe Casey of Loughrea, were victorious in the girl’s events
Brendan Lynch of Loughrea and Lorraine Delaney of Craughwell claimed the Senior Long Jump titles. At Juvenile level, Dara Zimmer of Craughwell (U10) , Darragh Fahy of Loughrea AC at U11, Oisin Phelan of Tuam (U12) , Evan Hallinan of Craughwell ( U13), Jack Hession ( Tuam AC) at U14, Conor Trehy (Craughwell) at U15 and Conor Leahy of Loughrea at U16/17 ( all Craughwell) were victors in the boys, while Craughwell took a huge haul of medals in the girls long jumps via Emma O Donovan (U10), Ella Farrelly , at U11, Isabel Boland at U12 , Katie Scully at U13, Rebekah Flynn at U14 , and at U16/17 Leanagh Gilligan while at U15 level Aoibhin Farrell won for Loughrea AC
Jerry Keary of Craughwell took the Senior Men’s High jump leaping 1.90m, while Ciana Reidy also of Craughwell won the ladies event. At Juvenile level Adam Jordan (Craughwell) at U12, Evan Hallinan of Craughwell(U13),Lukas Schukat of Craughwell at U14, and Jack Mannion of Tuam AC at U15 were victors in the boys, while Ellen Bermingham of SGAC at U12,Jade Moorehead U13, and Rebekah Flynn U14 (both Craughwell), Saoirse Healy (Athenry) at U15, and U16/17Leanagh Gilligan, (Craughwell)were victorious in the girls’ events
There were also series of very exciting relays on the programme, which saw multiple wins for Craughwell, andGCH,as well as wins for South Galway, Ballinasloe and Loughrea
Pictured above: U15 boys Long jump winner Conor Trehy (Craughwell) middle with Paschal Walsh 2nd and Luadaigh Moran third
Tuam AC 8k
Lithuanian international marathon runner Voldas Dopolskas stormed to an impressive victory in the 15th edition of the Tuam AC 8k road race held Sunday last. Dopolskas, who ran the Rio Olympic marathon, now competes for Balbriggan and District AC in Dublin, and clocked a fast 24.44 for a clear win over Peter Arthur of Liffey Valley AC, with GCH athlete Matt Bidwell third in 26.09
First lady home was Zola Flynn of Sligo AC in 31.58, with Yvonne Fehily of Athenry AC second and Mary Kealy also Athenry AC in third. Well over 300 athletes competed in a successful event hosted by the local club led by Race Director Padraic Burke and team.
National Track and Field Indoor League
GCH and Craughwell AC both fielded teams in the first round of the National Indoor league which took place in Athlone IT last weekend
GCH Men’s team lies in second place after the first round, with 39 points. Competing on the day were Jack Dempsey in the 60m, who clocked 7.18, Simon Callaghan in the Long Jump and hurdles who secured ten points across the two events , Robert Meagher who ran over 800m for the first time with a very good debut of 2.02 , while Brendan Staunton placed second in the Shot and Cliff Jennings scored very well in the pole vault with 8 points.
Craughwell ladies had an excellent start to the League with a fourth place finish. Led by captain Sarah Finnegan the squad racked up 36 points, with Sinead Treacy getting points in the 60m and Long Jump, Sinead Gaffney over 800m, Laura Cunningham in the Shot and Ciana Reidy in the Pole Vault all scoring well.
GCH Ladies have their first ever team at this level of competition and had a strong outing, via Nicole King who ran a PB in the 60m in 7.82 placing 3rd overall, Majella Loftus who scored in both 800m and Shot Putt, and Solange Carla had a good return to competition in Long Jump securing a valuable 5 points for the team who placed 8th overall .
International Athletics
GCH and NUIG Athletics Coach Matt Lockett has been appointed Team Manager for the Irish squad for the Celtic International Cross Country meet in Cardiff, Wales thisweekend. The event features teams from Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales at U17, 20 and 23 level. Lockett has gained a reputation as one of the leading athletics coaches in the country over the last couple of years , coaching both Keith Fallon of GCH and Aisling Joyce of NUI Galway to Irish vests at European Cross Country championships . He also coaches the likes of GCH athletes EannaFolan and Kathryn Casserly who have attained international status at Schools and Masters levels in the last two years.
Galway athletes Damien O Boyle and Keith Fallon both continue to impress in their US collegiate athletics careers. O Boyle now with McNeese College tops the Southland Conference Indoor Mile rankings with 4.13, while Fallon of Lamar college ranks second with 4.16
Loughrea native Laura Shaughnessy ran on the Irish team at the Antrim International cross country event in Stormont at the weekend, placing 13th overall in a top-class field.
