Successful period for Tir Chonaill AC athletes

written by Chris McNulty June 18, 2016

The last three weeks has been a very busy and successful period for Tir Chonaill AC athletes.

Success at Lifford, Ulster Childrens Games, at Finn Valley, Ulster U12/13 juveniles, at Mary Peters Track, Belfast, Ulster U14 -18, at Tullamore, Irish schools, at Glagow, Universities International has been the order of the day.

In addition large groups of club distance athletes competed successfully, winning numerous category prizes in the Donegal Grand Prix road series, Liffrord – Strabane Half Marathon and Enniskillen 10k

In Glasgow

Kate McGowan, Kelly McGrory, both DCU and Barry Quigg, NUIG, gained selection on the Irish Universities team for the annual International in Glasgow. McGowan was a victor in the 400m Hurdles, McGrory 3rd in the 400m and a member of the winning Irish 4 x 400m team while Quigg finished 3rd /1.85m in the High Jump. All three will compete in Ulster, Irish Seniors and Junior/U23 c/ships during the next few weeks

Irish Schools success

The Irish schools finals held on the first Saturday of June in Tullamore had numerous successes from club athletes representing various local post primary schools. A.V.S. Leaving Cert. student Caolan O’Callaghan impressed in clearing 1.90m for a silver medal winning performance in the the Senior Boys High Jump. School mate Anna Reibling, junior, and Colaiste na Carraige’s Caoimhe Byrne, Senior, both got top five finishes in their respective Pole Vault competitions.

Owen Sharkey, Glenties Comp., in his first year of competition finished 5th in the Junior 75m Hurdles.

All athletes qualified for the All Ireland’s via Ulster regional and provincial finals.

Ulster Juveniles

Two weeks ago Lifford was the venue for the Ulster 9,10 and 11’s children’s games. In this introduction to ‘fun athletics’ children compete in teams of two/pairs. Hundreds of young athletes from all over the province participated. Tir Chonaill results were as follows.

Girls U9 – 60m, Aoife McDermott and Laura Murchan, 6th team; 300m Aibhe Doherty and Aoife McDermott,2nd team; Long Jump, Aibha Doherty and Katie Marie McNeilis -5th team; Relay 4 x 100m -3rd team

Boys U9 60m – Conor Farrell, and Conor Taggart, 5th team; 300m, Conor Farrell and Neil Boyle , 1st team; Turbo Javelin Conor Taggart and Neil Boyle – 4th team

Girls U10 60m – Ellie Campbell and Lara Lynch 3rd team; Ciara McKelevey and Aisling Heraty, 5th Team; Ciara Mc Guinness and Sarah Molly, 9th team; Ava Anderson and Toni Marie McGuiness, 10th team; 500m Ellie Campbell 3rd overall; Long Jump, Lara Lynch and Aibhi Doherty, 4th team; Ava Anderson and Lily Tanham, 7th team; Turbo Javelin, Lily Tanhan and Sarah Molloy, 3rd team;

Boys U10 60m Sawyer Campbell and Ethan Dewhirst, 1st team; Jamie Kennedy and Leon McGinty, 6th team; 500m Conor McCahill and Sawyer Campbell, 5th team; Long Jump Ethan Dewhirst and Conor McCahill, 3rd team;

Girls U11 60m Ella McGirr and Roisin Lynch , 6th team; Cora Dohrty and Niamh Caldwell, 10th team; 600m Niamh Caldwell and Jessica Gallagher, 7th team; Katie Gavigan and Ella McGirr, 10th team; Long Jump -Cora Doherty and Katie Gavigan, 7th team; Relay 4 x 100m -8th team

Boys U11 60m -Sean Meehan and Joseph Hearty, 6th team; Shay OHalloran and Gavin Tanham, 12th team; 600m Eoin Mulligan and Sean Meehan, 8th team; Long Jump, Luke Ward and Eoin Mulligan, 8th team; Turbo Javelin, Luke Ward and Joseph Heraty, 3rd team; Peter Shallow and Shay O’Halloran, 7th team; 4 x 100m relay 4th team.

Ulster U12 and 13

Finn Valley was the well appointed venue for Day 2 of the Ulster juveniles. Again club youngsters provided a stream of excellent performances. Results

Under 12 Girls 60m, Alexis Campbell, 1st Heat/9.27secs and 4th in final/9.13secs, Long Jump, 3.80m; Emer Neill, 10.11sec/Heat; Catriona Mohan, 9.84secs/Heat;Amie Keon, 10.37secs/Heat; Tori Murchan, 9.50secs/Heat and 6th in High Jump; 600m Anna Mc Guckin, 2mins 19secs; Turbo Javelin, Orla Greene, 11.20m, Caoimhe Greene,10.83m, Catriona Mohan, 9.53m; Shot Putt, Orla Greene 7th, Caoimhe Greene,12th and Catriona Mohan, 13th; Relay 4 x 100m, 2nd/60.66secs

Under 12 Boys 60m Fintan Dewhirst,9.41secs/Heat, Michael Cunningham,10.11secs/Heat,Fiachra ODonnell, 9.90secs/Heat, Seamus Og Caldwell,9.50secs/Heat, Daire McDermott, 10.27secs/Heat, Martin Hearty, 9.97secs/Heat, 600m Michael Cunningham,2mins 13.6secs,Daire McDevitt, 2mins 18.6secs; Long Jump Seamus Og Caldwell, 3.70m, Fintan Dewhirst, 3.40m; Turbo Javelin, Eoghan Gallagher 14.91m and Alex Anderson,9.47m; Shot Putt, Fiachra ODonnell, 7.96m 2nd , Eoghan Gallagher, 7.44m, 4th and Alex Anderson, 6.66m 5th; Relay 4 x 100m, 60.81/5th

Under 13 Girls 80m – Lucy Mc Glynn, 11.50secs[H], and 2nd in final11.43secs, Niamh Mohan,11.49secs[H], 3rd in final11.55secs, Aoibhinn McGarraigle,11.98secs[H] and 8th in final/12.44secs,Emer OBrien 12.29secs[H]; 60m Hurdles Niamh Mohan,10.35secs[H] and 1st in final/10.26ses; Lucy McGlynn, 11.01secs[H] and 3rd in final/10.90secs; Maebh Neill, 11.95secs[H] and 6th in final/11.95 secs; 600m Emer OBrien, 1min 53.4secs/ 3rd overall, Maebh Neill,1.58.9 and Saorla Hearty 2.19; Long Jump, Rachel Gallagher, 3.99m/2nd, Niamh Mohan, 3.49m; High Jump Lucy McGlynn, 1.26m 4th, Rachael Gallagher, 1.23m and Emer OBrien, 1.20m; Relay 4 x 100m 56.83secs/1st

Under 13 Boys – 80m Ben Campbell, 10.72secs [H] and 1st in final/10.85secs, Rian O’Murchu, 11.78secs[H] Charlie Bennett, 11.93secs[H] ; 60m Hurdles – Ben Campbell, 10.30secs[H] and 2nd in final/10.15secs, Rian O’Murchu,11.66secs[H] and 5th in final/11.13secs;

600m Leo Carey McDermott, 1min 57.1/10th;

High Jump Rian O’Mhurchu, 1.31m. Javelin – Johnie McGonagle,5th/19.27m; Shot Putt Leo Carey McDermott, 10.90m/1st, Johnnie McGonagle, 9.80m/2nd; Relay 4 x 100m, 56.22secs/1st

At Mary Peters Track Belfast

On Saturday last the final section of the Ulster Juveniles was held at the Mary Peters Track, Belfast.

Again club athletes recorded numerous PB performances and qualifications for All Ireland’s in July Summary – Sarah Jane Keon qualified for the U14 200m final and in a closely fought decider finished 4th in a time of 29.36secs.

Later Sarah Jane ran 11.69 in Heat 3 of the 80m. Dylan Murphy, in the U14/200m final ran 28.71secs/5th and later in the day finished 4th in the high jump. In the heats of the U15 Girls 200m, Laoise McGonagle, 29.8secs, Louise Doherty, 30.6secs and Derbhla Neill, 30.9secs all ran well. Laoise McGonagle later impressed when winning the Shot Putt/8.96m.

Hannah Shallow, in the U16/200m final ran 29.95secs/6th and later Long Jumped 4.39m/5th; Declan Sharkey in the Boys U16/200m final, finished 5th/26.28secs; Ruben Burns wins U15/2k walk/11mins 53secs and later finsihes 3rd in the Hammer. Shane Breslin had a busy day. He qualified for the final of the U14/80m and ran 11.52secs for 4th in the final.

He followed up with a 26.33m/3rd in the Hammer and 9.43m/4th in the Shot Putt. Shane’s throws training partner Diarmuid O’Donnell was also busy – throwing 9.55m/Shot/3rd, 21.22m/Discus/4th and 21.22m /Hammer/4th. Diarmuid was also pleased with his trip to Belfast.

Eoin Sharkey burst onto the scene when winning the Ulster Schools U15 75m Hurdles title in late May. On Saturday, in another closely fought 80m Hurdles final Eoin was victorious in a time 13.3secs –six hundredths of a second ahead of 2nd placed Ethan Bryce, Lagan Valley.

Late in the afternoon, Eoin, added the 250m Hurdles title/39.53secs. Mia McCalmont, GU16 qualified for the 250m Hurdles final and ran 40.18sec for 6th in the decider. Earlier Mia Triple Jumped 9.34m for 3rd in a closely fought competition -2cm seperated 3rd and 4th. In the U15 Girls 250m Hurdles final Laoise McGonagle, 42.93secs/4th and Louise Doherty, 43/5secs/5th were happy with their performances. Nikita Burns, 2nd Shot/U16, Jordan Burns, 5th U17 Shot Putt/11.09m and Derbhla Neil, Girls U15/2mins 43secs/800m brought the Tir Chonaill involvement to a close. Congrats to all athletes that represented the club on various stages during the past few weeks and a special thanks to all the coaches who have worked so hard in preparing and motivating during the past few months

Upcoming events

Club athletes will contest the following National championships during the next few weeks.

Irish Seniors at Santry on 25/26th July, National Junior/Under 23 championships at Tullamore on 3rd July, All Ireland Children’s Games at Tullamore on 2nd July, All Ireland Juveniles and relays at Tullamore on 9th/10th and 24th July – best of luck to all Summer Camp -the clubs Annual Summer Camp will be held in the grounds of the AVS from he 4th to 8th July where children will experience the fundamentals of athletics via agility, balance and co-ordinantion games and activities -s ee attached advert

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Chris McNulty

Author of 'Boxing In Donegal: A History (2021)' - the definitive history of the sport in County Donegal - and 'Relentless: A Race Through Time', the 2019 memoir of former Irish Athletics Team Manager Patsy McGonagle. From St Johnston and now based in Letterkenny, Chris was a nominee for NUJ Sports Journalist of the Year in 2010. Honoured by the Donegal Boxing Board in 2016 for his coverage on the sport.

Successful period for Tir Chonaill AC athletes

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