WWAC Athletes Shine at Munster Cross Country Championships in Tipperary
Two mile Borris was again the venue for day 2 of the Munster Cross Country Championships and despite the heavy rain of recent days the course was in excellent condition. Forty athletes from West Waterford AC competed on the day and it was a very successful day for the club with our athletes winning individual club and county medals. With field of over one hundred in the younger races, the biggest was the under 11 girls with 192 finishers, medals were hard fought for and difficult to win.
Individual Medals for Íde, Rachel, Noah and Naoise
WWAC’s highest placed finisher was Noah Commins in the boys under 17 race where after a very fast last 200m he finished in 3rd place just 23secs behind the winner and just 3secs off second place. Naoise Mac Mhurchadha also came with a late spurt to take 4th place and equal his performance of last year. Rachel Keogh won her first Munster Individual medal in the girls under 13 race when she finished in 12th place a huge improvement on her 83rd place last year. Íde Ní Lonáin competing in her first Munster cross country championships in her own age group put in a great run over the 750m to finish 11th and win her first individual cross country medal.
Team Bronze for Girls under 9
The girls under 9 were first in action @ 11am. Many of these girls had run in the under 10 race a few weeks ago at the same venue and it showed in their performances yesterday where they were well able for the big start with over 120 athletes competing. Íde Ní Lonain led the team home in 11th place. A super run from her sister Mollaí saw her cross the line in 20th followed by a much improved Saoirse Keoghan 39th. Maddie Grant in her first Munster race finished 66th as the 4th scorer on the time and another first timer Olivia Hurney was next in 69th. Kate Barry had a much better run this week to finish 78th. The combined score of the team saw the girls take the bronze medals in the team competition and the top 4 West Waterford athletes scored on the county team that finished just outside the medals in 4th place.
Club Silver and County Bronze for Boys under 9
Next to toe the line were the boys under 9 where again you had a big field of 120 athletes competing. Lachlann Murray led the team home in 26th place. Hot on his heels in 27th was Ryan Gaffney. Liam Enright was next across the line in 32nd place and Cormac Breathnach was the 4th scorer in 60th place. Daniel Houlihan completed the team in 92nd place. In the inter club competition the boys took the silver medals behind a very strong Ennis Track Club and ahead of Leevale of Cork. The county team finished in 3rd place and Lachlann, Ryan and Liam were all scoring members of the team.
Huge field in Girls and Boys Races under 11 race
The biggest field of the day were in the under 11 races with 197 finishers in the girls race and 153 in the boys race. In the girls under 11 Etain Ní Mhurchadha has been making steady progress and made it in to the top 20 for the first time finishing 16th in the race. Sibeal Curran was next home in 47th , leading in all our under 10’s who had moved up an age to get more experience running tough cross country races. Next was Ayla Hogan 82nd, Aisling Ní Treasaigh 87, Ciara Kenny 93rd,Rachel Curran 95th, Sadie Burke 122nd, Aoibhinn Hogan 125th and Maggie Byrne 157th.
In the boys under 11 it was the under 10’s who led the way with Tiarnach Costin first home in 43rd followed by Seadhna O’Tuathaigh 73rd, Deaglan Breathnach 123rd and Billy O’Riordan 129th.
Etain, Sibeal, Tiarnach and Seadhna all scored on the county teams that finished just outside the medal positions.
County Medals for Rachel Keogh and Lia Kiely
To add to her individual medal Rachel Keogh also claimed another bronze medal scoring on the Waterford team that finished 3rd. Lia Kiely came with a late surge to finish 46th and claim the final scoring place on the team right on the finish line. Eile de Paor was just outside the top 100 finishing 013rd and Sinead Houihan in her first Munster race finished 139th. In the boys under 13 race Tiarnan Hogan put in a strong performance to finish 21st with Daniel Curran 45th, Colm O’Muiri 65th Shay Connell 65th and Liam Hogna 99th. Tiarnan, Daniel and Col were members of the Waterford team that finished in 5th place.
Natalie Barry and Sheelagh Curran Qualify for the All Ireland
In the girls under 15 race West Waterford had four athletes competing where Waterford took the bronze medals and qualified a team for the All Ireland. Natalie Barry 52nd and a much improved Sheelagh Curran 66th will qualify for the All Ireland, Ava Ryan 69th just missed out on a place in the All Irelands and Ava Kiely 83rd was the 4th scorer for the club team.
In the girls under 19 race Sarah O’Riordan finished 18th and Jessica Grigor 20th and both will qualify for the All Ireland in Dublin in early December as will Fia de Paor who missed the race through illness.
Tony’s League Sponsored by Elverys InterSport Continues on Wednesday
With the evenings getting darker it is important that everyone arrives before 4.30 so we can get the league underway before darkness sets in. We are delighted to have over 100 athletes competing in the league and Wednesday will be day 2 of the team championships. We have had some great running with 46 athletes improving their times on Week 1 of the team competition.
All Ireland in Derry for under 12 to 18’s
Eight club athletes their parents and club mentors will make the long trip to Derry for Day 1 of the All Ireland Championships. Etain Ni Mhurchadha will compete in her first All Ireland with the Waterford under 12 team. Rachel Keogh and Maddie Connors will compete with the Waterford under 14 team. Natalie Barry and Súin Cunningham will compete with the Waterford under 16 team. Fia de Paor will compete on the Munster under 18 team and Fia, Sarah O’Riordan and Jessica Grigor will compete with the Waterford under 18 and under 20 teams.
Munster B’s in Cork on Sunday 16th
This event in Riverstick in Cork is open to athletes who did not win medals in the Munster A championships. This will rule out our under 9 boys and girls and our under 11 girls but would be a good race for our boys under 11, 13, 15 and girls under 15. I wil be doing the entries this week.
