Superb Gold Medal Performance from under 9 Girls
The second day of the Munster Cross Country Championships under 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19 were held in Two Mile Borris County Tipperary on Sunday. Despite the heavy rain during the week the course was in excellent condition. The weather was not as kind this week as light drizzle fell in the early part of the day and it got very cold for the last few races. Considering the weather in Dungarvan we got off lightly. There were again big fields in all the races and competition was stiff for individual, club and county medals.
The day started with the under 9 girl’s race and they couldn’t have got it off to a better start. Ellie Mai Doherty was competing in her first race but was not fazed by the occasion and put in a huge performance to finish 13th and lead the team to first place in the inter club competition. Isobel Daly and Leah Kiely were very close together and finished 27th and 29th. Éle de Paor was the fourth scoring member on the team in 44th. Another newcomer Sinead Houlihan was 55th and Aisling Hickey completed the team in 86th. Great running from all the team. As a result of this great performance none of the six girls can compete at the B Championships next weekend.
Another Individual Medal for Jarleth Hurney
In the boys under 9 race Jarleth Hurney put in another super performance to finish 4th in the under 9 boys and claim his second individual Munster medal. Jarleth was also a scoring member of the Waterford team that finished 3rd. there was a lot of problems with the results of the boys under 9 results but after a few reviews they are almost right. Jack Barry got well in the middle of the field to finish 49th. Oran Murray was next home in 79th just ahead of Shane Power in 82nd. Sebastian Byrne was next across the line in 93rd just ahead of Rex Radley in 95th.
Ava Kiely Scores on Waterford Team
Next up was the girls under 11 and there was a huge field in this race. There was a moment of panic at the start as Ava nearly missed the start of the race but she got there just in time and it was as well she did as she was the first athlete home for West Waterford in 30th place and she also scored on the Waterford team that finished third. Nicole Cullinane was next home in 54th place and just missed out on a medal as the sixth scoring girl for Waterford finished in 50th place. Natalie Barry and Clodagh Lattimore made it into the top 100 with Natalie getting home first in 90th followed by Clodagh in 91st. Ciara O’Donovan was next home in 116th ahead of Aimee Barry in 120th and Siobhan Hickey in 123rd.
In the boys race West Waterford had two in the top 50 with Fergus Donnolly first home in 37th followed by Charlie Curran in 42nd . Conor McCarthy was next in for the team in 69th two places ahead of Callum Curran. Dylan Murray and Patrick Mullaney made it in to the top one hundred finishing 89th and 95th while Peter Ahearn wasn’t far behind in 105th and Lochlann Hurney 113th Nathan Butler 132th completed the team. All the under 11 boys and girls except Ava Kiely can compete in the Munster B Championships next Sunday.
Individual Medal for Isabelle Gaffney
Isabelle Gaffney showed much improved form this week. Running a year out of age she put in a very strong finish moving up from 13th to claim 10th place and another individual medal. The Waterford team finished 3rd in the inter county race and Isabelle and Kyla Flavin who finished 50th were both scoring members of the Waterford team and qualify for the All Ireland. There was a great tussle in the middle of the field as three West Waterford athletes were neck and neck with Sarah Hallissey finishing strongest to take 84th ahead of Ciara Flavin 85th and Isabelle Mattuzzi 86th. Siún Cunningham was next home in 96th place with Luisne de Paor next in 100th followed by Leah Wall 105th who was competing in her first Munster Championship.
Individual Medal for Eoin Prendergast
Eoin Prendergast was another of our athletes who benefited from running out of his age last week and ran a strong race throughout the 2500m to come home in 8th place and qualify on the Munster team for the All Ireland. Owen Morrissey and Rian Cliffe were both in the top fifty with Owen home first in 41st followed by Rian in 49th. Rory Donnolly finished 65th with Cathal McKenna 86th finishing just ahead of Rian Curran in 88th.
Individual, Club and County Medals for under 15 Girls
Our under 14 girls moved up to compete with the under 15’s this weekend and showed they could hold their own at this level of competition. Sarah Gaffney led the team home in 4th place with Fia de Paor 11th also winning an individual medal. Aoife O’Donovan finished strongly to take 20th place and Sarah, Fia and Aoife all scored on the Waterford team that finished 2nd in the inter county contest. There was a great battle for the fourth scoring place on the team with Sarah O’Riordan finishing strongest in 48th place just ahead of Lauren Cliffe in 49th. Claudia O’Halloran battled through to finish 57th and Eabha Hickey had a much better run this Sunday and finished 66th.
Bronze in the inter club for under 16 Boys
The boys under 16 had just the bare four necessary to make up the team but they all ran well and their combined score won them the bronze medals. David Gaffney was always in the leading group and he finished well to cross the line third and win an individual medal.
Naoise MacMurchoda had plenty left at the finish and he came with a late sprint up the finishing straight but he left himself too much to do and just missed out on an individual medal finishing 13th. Liam Broderick and Conor Keane moved up an age to make up the team and Liam finished 30th with Conor ten places behind in 40th. All will now compete in the All Ireland in Gowran Co Kilkenny.
There was no joy on the medal front for the under 17 girls with Caoimhe Prendergast the best of them home in 30th place four places ahead of Grainne Moore. Cathy Ní Sheanlaoich had a good run to finish 46th and a much improved Angelina Chizhikova finished 52nd with Fiona O’Riordan one place behind in 53rd just ahead of Crea Frisby in 54th and Doireann Hickey in 56th.
Our final competitor of the day was Mark Blackwell who competed in the under 19 boys race and put in a solid performance to finish 17th.
Munster B Championships Sunday Nov 7th Castlelyons
The final run of the year for those not qualified for the All Ireland will be next Sunday in Castlelyons which is not too far from Fermoy and Conna.
Anyone who won a medal at the A championships on Sunday 24th or 31st will not be able to compete.
We will enter teams under 9 boys under 11boys and girls under 13 girls and boys and under 17 girls. Watch out for the email as the entries have to be in on Thursday.
Tony’s League Sponsored by Intersport Elverys
The team races in the winter league begin in earnest on Wed. Lola will have all the teams up on the board at training so you can check what team you are on. Every place counts for the team so it is important that everyone turns up each Wednesday whatever the weather. See you all there on Wednesday.
