All Ireland Gold for Declan Power
The first session of the All Ireland Cross Country Championships were held on a windswept Tramore racecourse last Sunday. Conditions were tough on an open course with very little shelter from the wind. Declan Power was West Waterford’s top performer on the day finishing 19th in the boys under 18 race and scoring as a member of the Munster team that won the inter provincial title. In doing so Declan won his first all Ireland medal and for good measure it was a gold one. This performance underlines the huge improvement Declan has made in the last year. Earlier this season he won his first Munster cross country medal when finishing 6th so his finishing place as fourth Munster man home on Sunday last shows another step up from that race. From the early stages of the race Declan was in the top twenty and was in a scoring position on the Munster team but with three more Munster on his heels he had give his all throughout the long race. His gold medal was a fitting reward for his hard work over the last number of years.
Bronze Medal for Kate Veale
Our other medal winner on the day was Kate Veale who scored as a member of the Munster team that finished third in the inter provincial race. Like Declan Kate was the fourth Munster girl home and finished in 19th. This was a good run from Kate whose participation in the race was in doubt right up to the start but true to form Kate battled her way through the race to add another all Ireland medal to her growing collection.
Good Runs by Cliona Ryan and Robbie Mulligan
With fields of up to 150 runners in the younger age groups it was important to get out well at the start. The narrow course and sharp turns made it very difficult to make up ground during the race. Cliona Ryan got out well from the beginning and ran strongly throughout the race to finish 28th. Cliona was the second Waterford athlete home. Waterford came closest to the medals in this event when they finished 4th in the inter county event. Sinead Flynn 42nd and Kate Mc Grath 79th were also scoring members of the Waterford team. Robbie Mulligan was another who improved on his Munster performance. In the Munster race Robbie finished 12th but last Sunday he upped that performance when he was the 8th Munster man home in 36th place. Edel Roche also improved her standing in Munster when she finished 38th in the under 18 race. Edel was the sixth Munster girl home but unfortunately Munster were just outside the medals as the team finished 4th. Other West Waterford finishing places on the day were:
Under 12 girls: Niamh Leamy 133rd
Under 12 boys: Sean Curran 47th Tholm Reddy 56th Eoin O’Brien 121st Oisin O’Mahoney 136th Richard Casey 138th Shane O’Riordan 140th.
Under 14 girls: Lucy O’Brien 102nd Gemma Wyley 110th
Under 16 girls: Una Mc Grath 89th Nicola Coffey 114th
Under 16 boys: David Earley 72nd Lughaidh O’Mahoney 78th
Under 18 girls: Edel Roche 38th Rebecca Maher 50th Claire Collins 52nd
Under 18 boys: Joe Conway 54th
Well done to all who competed West Waterford was proud to have so many athletes competing on the day. Next stop Cavan!
AGM
The juvenile A.G.M. was held on Monday 17th November. The meeting was well supported by athletes and parents. In her opening address Chairperson Antoinette O’Brien welcomed the many parents who attended. She also thanked our sponsors and the local media for their support during the year. Secretary Mary Ashe gave a very comprehensive review of the years activities which was our most successful to date. The following committee was elected.
Chairperson: Antoinette O’Brien
Vice Chairperson: Tony Shalloe
Secretary: Mary Ashe
Treasurer: Helen Nugent
P.R.O. Mary Ashe
Child Welfare Officer: Antoinette O’Brien
Primary Schools Officer: Nora Healy assisted by Sandra Healy
Committee: Bro. P. Lennon, John Mc Grath, Tony Ryan, Pat Earley, Harry O Brien, Sylvia Shanley and Rosemarie O’Riordan.
Grace Scanlan stepped down as Treasurer after seven years in the position and the juvenile committee would like to thank her for her hard work over the years and for the sound financial position in which she leaves us.
Munster B Championships on Sunday Next
The next event on the calendar is the Munster B championships, which will be held in Killeagh Co.Cork on Sunday next with the first race off at 12noon. A bus will leave Centra Abbeyside at 10 o’clock. Anyone travelling by car should arrive before 11am to ensure time to see the course and warm up. The following athletes have been entered for the race.
Girls under 9 (Born 1999)
Aine Flynn
Boys under 9 (Born 1999)
Aidan O’Brien
Cian O’Riordan
Jerome Power
Jack Mc Grath
Cian Fagan
Girls Under 11(1997 and 1998)
Chloe Fennell
Caoimhe Dwyer
Georgina Pacifico
Rachel Wyley
Erica Crotty
Laura Cusack
Rachel Mc Guichan
Boys Under 11(1997 and 1998)
Eoin O’Brien
Cal Franklin
David Montgomery
Mark Twomey
Niall Blackwell
Oisin O’Mahoney
Oran Leamy
Aidan Mc Kenna
Girls Under 13 (Born 1995 and 1996)
Dominique O’Mahoney
Clodagh Keane
Caitriona Slevin
Gemma Wyley
Sarah Wyley
Holly Mc Grath
Boys Under 13 (Born 1995 and 1996)
Shane O’Riordan
Tholm Reddy
Eoin Dwyer
Richard Casey
Darach O’Casathaigh
Girls Under 15 (Born 1993 and 1994)
Una Mc Grath
Chloe Lake
Aine Power
Boys Under 15 (Born 1993 and 1994)
Cian Dwyer
David Earley
Einne O’Casathaigh
Cian Ryan
Easons Cross Country League
Easons Cross country League will reach its climax this week. On Wednesday we will have the final run to determine the team and individual places and on Friday we will the last run over the course and the presentation of prizes. Fridays run should be an interesting one as each athlete will go off at the best time the ran over the course of the competition. If everyone runs to form we should see the whole field finish together so the destination of the prizes of the top two finishers on that day should be interesting. We look forward to a full turnout of athletes both days.
