Cool Runnings in Clarinbridge
Cool Runnings in Clarinbridge
Cold and biting conditions greeted the competitors at the Irish Life Health Juvenile B, Intermediate and Masters Championships in Clarinbridge, Galway today (February 11) but it didn’t deter from an exciting day of competition.
The innocence of youth started the day with Faye O'Riordan (Carraig-Na-Bhfear A.C.) the first winner of the day in the U11 girls’ race with West Muskerry AC winning the team title.
Faye McEvoy (Ballyroan, Abbeyleix & Dist. A.C.) won the 13 age group with Amy Greene (Rosses A.C.) the U15 gold medallist. Ennis Track won both team titles while Dearbhail Cuddy (Tullamore Harriers A.C.) was the individual winner of the U17 race.
Alex Coughlan (Doheny A.C.) was first home in the U11 boys with Tuam A.C. the top club. Colm Gillespie (West Muskerry A.C.) was top of the pops in the U13 race and the winning team was St Abban’s AC.
Eoin Richards (St. Coca's A.C.) took out the U15 race with Swinford AC providing a winning tonic for the team title.
William Fitzgerald (Craughwell A.C.) was the final juvenile individual winner of the day in the U17s where Cilles AC were the best team.
The relays saw Ratoath A.C. (Cara O'Sullivan, Niamh Murphy, Caoimhe Fitzsimons, Kate Raftery) and Dooneen A.C. (Sarah Butler, Sarah Dillon, Maria Campbell, Victoria Amiadamen, Sarah Hosey) win out the respective U12 and U14 girls’ races.
And in the boys’ relays, Bandon A.C. (Desmond Kenneally, Charlie Twomey, Dara Walsh, Adam Barry, Jack Cullinane) won the U12s and United Striders A.C. (Darragh Flannelly Aidan Shannon Myles Hewlett Cosmo Hewlett Eoin Shannon) won the U14s.
There were big fields in the intermediate and masters’ races where Mary Mulhare (Portlaoise A.C.) had a return to form to win the intermediate women’s 5km title and leading her club Portlaoise A.C. to the team title.
It was a similar story in the intermediate men’s 8km race with Michael Harty winning the individual title and guiding his club East Cork to the winning prize in the club competition.
In the women’s masters and men O65 race, Sara Doohan (Corran) was first across the line and the F35 winner to boot. Other age category winners were Karen Costello (Dunleer A.C.) F40, Colette Tuohy (Mayo A.C.) F45, Annette Kealy (Raheny Shamrock A.C.) F50, Niamh O'Sullivan (An Ríocht A.C) F55, Carmel Parnell (Leevale A.C.) F60, Eileen Kenny (Mullingar Harriers A.C.) F65, and Mary Martin (Dunboyne A.C.) F70.
There were 180 finishers in total with Martin McEvilly (Galway City Harriers A.C.) the M65 winner, Richard Piotrowski (Eagle A.C.) in the M70 and Christy Creagh (Mullingar Harriers A.C.) in the M75.
248 runners finished the men’s masters O35-64 race with Mallow’s Paul Moloney first across the muddy finish line.
Dermot McElchar (Finn Valley A.C.) won the M40 with Des Kennedy (Raheny Shamrock A.C.) first in the M45, Pauric McKinney (Inishowen A.C.) in the M50, Jim Stafford (Slaney Olympic A.C.) M55 and Thomas Payne (Tinryland A.C.) in the M60.
Full results of the day can be found HERE