by Richard Hawkins
Our adult squads get top billing this week after a momentous Novice County Championships. Carraig Na BhFear AC had never won a men’s team medal previously but a coming together of our Senior and Masters squad that has been building steadily and recent graduates from a successful Juvenile squad meant we were quietly hopeful we could end the drought. And so it proved with the men’s’ team claiming silver behind the impressive Cork Track Squad and ahead of last years winners Togher AC, indicating how the standard has risen sharply in recent years with ninety-nine competitors in total. Timmy Hawkins (5th) was in the mix from the gun with Aidan Maher 12th, Eoin Quirke (13th) and David Maher (20th) filled the scoring spots and were ably supported by Tadhg Crowley (26th), Jamie Buckley (36), Joseph Daly (47), William Walsh (73) and Sean Gorman (74). Congratulations to the lads!
Equally impressive were the women’s squad who took the bronze medal, just three points behind Togher AC in the silver medal position. There were eleven teams in total competing! Again, we had a great mix of experience, a debutante in Rowing specialist Niamh Coffey and seasoned campaigners from our Juvenile and Junior ranks. After a fast start, Grace Crowley settled into the pack before moving through the field well to finish in 5th place, Niamh Coffey was strong throughout with a fantastic 9th place finish in her first race for the club, Rebecca Kelleher (17) and Katie Walsh (21) paced brilliantly to complete the scoring. Siobhan Walsh (36), Aine Sheridan (44), Cliona Lynch (49), Isobel O’Meara (62) and Cora Lynch (69) all played their part. It was a significant effort by the cross-country squads and their coaches to see so many Carraig Na BhFear singlets dotted around the course which was extremely challenging.
Also, taking place was the County uneven-age Championships. We didn’t have long to wait for our first County medal, this year with Oisin Allen taking a mere 2mins 53s to cover the course and win an individual medal in the Boys U9 race. Great running by Liam Bablena also finishing in 43rd place overall, just 30s behind Oisin, well done to the lads! We had strength in depth in a competitive U11 girls’ race, the dreaded 4th place again this week but we are knocking on the door every week and the hard work will pay off. Well done to Edie Mae Browne (8), Aoife Mackey (36), Megan Prendergast (37), Ellie Mellican (41), Edel Murphy (44), Emma Lynch (46), Ivy Forde (57), Florence Twomey (58), Olivia Pierse (62), Sophie Keenan (74), Caoimhe Allen (85), Nia Gorman (88) and Eabha Lynch (99). The Boys U11 team of Aidan Walsh (28). Liam Walsh (57), Sean Collins (61), Barry King (69), Darragh Keating (76) and Cian O’Neill (78) gave a great account of themselves in a large field of athletes. Girls U13, great running by Cliona Collins (16) and Kate Lynch (27). Our Boys U13 team of Cathal Walsh (16), Sean Ryan (37), Dara Quinlan (43), Ted Pierse (53) and John Forde (55) had a solid 6th place finish. Well done to our U15 girls’ team who had a 5th place finish, the team were Emma Johnson (15), Hannah Coffey (23), Alicia Phillips (31) and Rebecca McCarthy (44). Laura Moore clocked up another solid run finishing 10th overall in the girls U19 race. Our second individual medal came in the boys’ U19 race, Peter Hawkins with a sprint finish to pass two athletes in the home straight to finish 5th overall!
Major credit to everyone who ran, one of the tougher courses in recent years but at least the weather Gods keep smiling on us!
Other News: This weekend, four of our Novice men’s team participated in the InterVarsity Cross-country Championship in Tymon, Park Tallaght, all connected to the Podium winners. Aidan Maher was unable to finish the race through injury but was part of the gold-winning UL squad.
David Maher (UG) was 70th for the UG Squad who won bronze. Timmy Hawkins (45) and Eoin Quirke (50) were outside the scoring six for the silver, medal -winning UCC team but played a key role as part of a strong squad taking places from the 4th place team. Well done to the lads and congratulations to UCC who won the overall competition with the women’s team also winning silver. Also today, six club members placed well in the Quest Killarney Adventure Race, well done to Colm Crowley, Liam Aherne, Mathew Browne, Rebecca Kelleher, Liza Davis and Alan Davis. And rounding off the weekend Tadhg Crowley placed 10th and was 3rd M40 in the BHAA defence forces 5k in Tramore Valley Park, Conor Kelly (22) 18:42 and Diarmuid Kiely also running well finishing in 29th place in 19.05.
Look Ahead: The next few weeks will see focus on the Munster Championships, good luck to all involved.