Girls set to shine at Munster and Leinster Championships

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Athletes look to stay on course for Tullamore

There are set to be some star-studded performances at the Irish Life Health Munster and Leinster Track and Field Championships tomorrow (May 19).

Some of the star names include Ciara Neville (Castletroy College), Rhasidat Adeleke (Presentation Terenure) and Sarah Healy (Holy Child Killiney).

The Irish Life Health Munster Championships take place in Castleisland, home of Con Houlihan, and they’ll be looking to produce some storied performances.

The event is a replica of the All Ireland championships that takes place on June 2nd with a one day affair.

The senior 3,000m walks sees Orla O'Connor (Waterpark College) and Gearoid McMahon (St Caimin's) as leading lights in respective races.

The senior girls’ 400m Hurdles should see Miriam Daly (Scoil Mhuire Carrick) leading the way while Ciara Neville (Emerald) will be aiming to seal a senior 100m and 200m double. Conor Morey (PBC Cork) will be looking to do the same in the boys’ sprints. Ailbhe Doherty (St Flannan’s) will be aiming for a double in the intermediate girls’ 200m and 300m.

There is a potential 400m/800m duel in the senior girls’ with Alex O'Neill (Rice College Ennis) and Jo Keane (St Flannan's College) listed in both events – the 800m being their specialist event.  

The 1500m has a lot of athletes who featured heavily in the Irish Life Health All Ireland Schools Cross Country Championships from junior right up to senior.

Aimee Hayde (St Mary’s Newport) is fancied in the intermediate while there should be a great race between Charlie O'Donovan (Col Chriost Rí) and Darragh McElhinney (Col Pobail Bantry).

There will be plenty of good throws and jumps action to boot. In the hammer, Sean Mockler (CBS Thurles) should go well in the senior ranks while Ciara Sheehy (St Mary’s Charleville) will be looking for a top three spot in the intermediate girls and also go well in the shot put.

Similarly Jack Ryan (CBS Thurles) will have aspirations of a good performance in the intermediate boys’ shot.

Vickie Cusack (Davis College) goes in the senior girls’ shot and long jump. The multi-eventer should go well as should Joseph McEvoy (St Anne's CC Killaloe) who is aiming for a throw and jump double of his own in the senior javelin and high jump.

The inter boys’ triple jump has Wymin Sivakumar (Col an Spioraid Naomh) who will also look to do well in the hurdles.

The Coffey sisters, Emma and Orla, of St Angela’s Cork will be aiming high in respective senior and intermediate girls’ pole vault competitions.  

Top class girls on show in Leinster

Rhasidat Adeleke (Pres Terenure), Sarah Healy (Holy Child Killiney) and Kate O’Connor (St Vincent’s Dundalk) are just three of a talented crop of girls in the Leinster region on day 2 of the Irish Life Health Championships in Morton Stadium.  

The intermediate girls’ 100m sees Patience Jumbo Gula (St Vincent’s Dundalk) and Rhasidate Adeleke (Presentation Terenure) pit their wits against each other with both coming back to do battle over the 200m.

There should be equally as good an intermediate boys’ 100m which includes Israel Olatende (St Mary's Dundalk) and Michael Farrelly (St Fintan's).

In the long hurdles, Alan Miley (St Kevin’s CC Dunlavin) will be one to watch in the intermediate boys’ 400m hurdles with Chloe Ní Éideáin (GC Cheatharlach) in the senior girls’ 400m hurdles.

Ciara Deely (Loreto Kilkenny) heads a good line-up in the senior girls’ 400m. Jack Raftery (Castleknock College) will look to go well in the senior boy’s 400m and 800m with strong fields in both.

All Ireland Schools Cross Country champion Efrem Gidey (Le Cheile) is listed in the senior boys’ 1500m and 5,000m – the longer distance looking like his favoured event.

Kate O'Connor’s (St Vincent's Dundalk) stock is on the rise after competing in the heptathlon at the Commonwealth Games and will be a hard force to stop in the senior girls’ shot and javelin.

Equally, there will be no stopping Sarah Healy (Holy Child Killiney) in the senior girls’ 1500m.

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