Fintan Walsh's weekly blog

All Ireland win for Orna Murray


At the all Ireland Novice and Under Age Cross Country Championships in
Adamstown Co Wexford on Sunday Last OrnaMurray Ferrybank AC put up
another brilliant performance to win theunder 19 title to add to the
Munster crown she won in WIT a few weeksback. Another athlete to
perform with distinction was Aoife Hamiltonfrom West Waterford who was
third overall in the under 15 race and she
led West Waterford AC to the Inter Club Team title and Waterford to
the Inter County title, the other members being Sinead Flynn, Hannah
Power, Meg Ryan, Kate McGrath and ChloeFennell.  West Waterford also
had theirboys under 11 team placed third in the Inter Club section.
High placings were securted by the following West Waterford; Lucy
Holmes 12 th  under 11 Sean Hickey 15 th u 11 Hannah power 16 th and
Meg Ryan 18 th u 15 and Lucy O'Brien 19 th  under 19 and Aoife O'Brien
20 th u 11. Waterford AC had Hugo Blair placed 14 th in the under 14
section and Lynsey Mc Guire 23 rd u 13  and for Ferrybank AC Orla
Queally 17 th u 17, Eoin Browne 20 th u 17 and Nicole Rowe 27 th u
19..With a breakdown of the computer system results were hard to come
by from the clubs.

Brilliant day for Irish Athletics

Ireland's Fionnuala Britton from Kilcoole Co Wicklow successfully
retained her European Cross Country title in Budapest on Sunday last
over a snow covered course, the first lady to retain this prestigious
title. On a momentous day for Irish athletics Britton led the senior
women's team to the gold medals in front of France, Great Britain and
Spain, the team comprised of Britton , Linda Byrne Dundrum South
Dublin AC, Ava Hutchinson do, Lizzie Lee Leevale AC Cork, Sarah Louise
Treacy Moynalvey AC and Sarah McCormack Clonliffe Harriers AC. Britton
had been in excellent form this autumn and she confirmed it at the
19th SPAR European Cross Country Championships over the course in
Skanzen. She put on a tremendous display of tenacious front running as
she romped to a two second victory over Dulce Felix of Portugal. The
diminutive Wicklow women was to the fore of the field from the outset
and pushed the pace ferociously throughout. With two kilometres to go
the race was between Britton and Belgium's Almensch Belete.However
both Felix and Adrianne Herzog of the Netherlands were starting to
make an impression on the leaders. Britton lifted her game once again
and propelled herself over the finishing line to take the title in a
time of 27:45, ahead of second place Felix 27:47 with Herzog rounding
out the top three in third.Linda Byrne was having the race of her life
as she stormed to an eight place finish and was followed home by Ava
Hutchinson in 20th, Lizzie Lee in 23rd, Sarah McCormack in 36th and
Sarah Louise Treacy in 42nd. The team combined brilliantly to claim
the team gold medals with a score of 52 points. Coincidentally the
Irish team’s score of 52 was the same as France, however Ireland were
awarded the title on count back. Britton also has a 4th placing,a 7th
and an 11 th placing in this event in the last five years so once
again Athletics has been  a winner of a major International event for
Ireland..The senior men’s team was led home by Brendan O’Neill Dundrum
South Dublin AC, as he finished in 22nd place. O’Neill, a former team
gold medallist at U23 level at these championships, performed
impressively on his debut in the senior race. O’Neill showed class to
finish in 22 nd, just ahead of his club mate Joe Sweeney in 27th.
David Rooney Raheny  was the next of the Irish to finish in 38 th
place, followed by Michael Mulhare Portlaoise AC in 44th, Sean Hehir
Rathfarnham WSAF in 52nd and Paul Maher Kilkenny City Harriers AC in
73rd. the team finished a very respectable 7 th of the 13 nations to
finish

Annual Paddy Joe Curran Memorial Old Parish Turkey Ttot
.
The Annual Paddy Joe Curran memorial Old Parish Turkey Trot will take
place this year on Sunday next December 16 th at 12 noon. It’s a 5
mile road race around the local area, plus there’s a 4 mile walk/jog
which gets under way at 11.30 am.Entries will be taken at the Marine
Bar from 10.15 onwards .All monies raised is in aid of cancer and will
be donated to S.E.R.T.Entry to the run/walk is 7 euro/donation.

Paddy Byrne winter League

Again there was a big entry for Race 4 in the Winter League in the
City last Thursday and it continues thisT hursday at the RSC at 7pm,
registration from 6.15 pm then a break until the New Year.

Baldy Man Run.

This year's event in Tramore is on Sunday December 30 th at 12
noon.Entries from 10 am at Majestic Hotel, entry fee 12 Euro or 30
Euro for three. Proceeds to Special Olympics. Contact Michael Flynn.

January Fixtures

 Sunday 6 th Munster Junior, U/23, Senior & Masters Indoor
Championships Nenagh. Sun 13 th Munster Juvenile Cross Country Relays,
Junior & Senior Cross Country Championships Limerick Racecourse. Sat
19 th  AAI Master Indoor Championships Athlone. Sun 20 th AAI Junior &
U/23 Indoor Championships Athlone. Thurs 24 th East Munster Schools
Cross Country Championships at 12 noon WIT Waterford.Saturday 26 th
AAI Senior, Junior, Master & Juvenile Indoor Combined Event
Championships Athlone, Sunday January 28 th AAI Games Athlone