Fintan Walsh's weekly blog

European Team Championships in Santry

On Saturday and Sunday next one of the biggest athletics events to be
staged in Ireland for years goes ahead in Morton Stadium in Dublin the
European Team Championships League One The Morton Stadium, Santry,
Dublin, is one of the most famous athletics stadiums in the world. The
stadium has held numerous national athletics championships and
international athletics competitions over the years, and will always
be remembered in the annals of world athletics history when 5 men
including Ronnie Delany broke the 4-minute mile barrier in the same
race in 1958, in front of 20,000 passionate Irish athletics fans.
The challenge to the Irish Team to keep it's 1st League status will be
one that all of the fifty strong Irish Athletics Team, together with
support staff, will relish, in what will no doubt be the highest
quality athletics meeting ever staged in Ireland.The Morton Stadium is
expected to be full with Irish supporters for the two days of
competition to give real support to the Irish Team in their endeavours
to finish in the top 10 European teams over the weekends some 40
events.  The Irish Team will be competing against teams from eleven
other European countries in Santry. These teams are:Belgium, Bulgaria,
Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Netherlands, Portugal,
Romania, Sweden and Switzerland. Dublin has hosted this prestigious
event on five previous occasions, the last being in 1997.  Over 650
athletes, from twelve European Countries, will be competing in twenty
events for Men and Women over the two days in Santry,. Waterford will
have five athletes on the Irish team Olympian Jessie Barr in 400
metres hurdles and 4 x 400 m relay.Kelly Proper long jump, Niamh
Whelan 4x 100 m relay, Brendan Quinn 5000 metres all Ferrybank and
David Mc Carthy West Waterford in the 3000 metres .Full timetable on
Athletic Ireland website

International news

Ben Kiely Ferrybank AC finished 4 th in the British AAA under 20 400
metres hurdles championships in Bedford last week end in a time of
53.35 seconds a B standard for the Europen Junior Championships and in
Budapest Niamh Whelan was 2 nd in a 200 metres race in 23.84 and third
in a 100 metres inn 11.87.

Munster Juvenile winners

Templemore in Tipperary was the venue on Saturday and Sunday last for
the Munster under 14 to 19 Championships and there were numerous gold
medals won by Ferrybank AC in particular but also by West Waterford AC
, Waterford AC and Tramore AC. as well as lots of silver and bronze
for all clubs also. The Ferrybank winners were Neasa Murphy high jump
u 17 1.70 metres a European Youth Olympic Qualifying standard, Orlaith
O'Brien u 15 discus and javelin the latter with a new record of 40.97
metres a massive seven metres better than tho old mark, Cormac Cann
200 m hurdles u 16, Siobhan Whelan u 18 triple jump, Frankie Dolphin u
15 triple jump, Chris Noonan 400 m hurdes u 17, Paul Murphy 200 m and
400 m u 18. Niamh Mc Nichol 100 and 200 m u 17, Niamh Giles Doran U 18
long jump, Conor Giles Doran u 15 javelin, Sean Whittle u 18 triple
jump, Chloe Farrell u 14  high jump, boys u 18 relay, boys u 15 relay.
Silver medals went to Orlaith O'Brien u 15, Tom Gallagher u 13, Eoin
Kenny u 15 Siobhan Whelan u 18 ( two ),Stephen Walsh u 17, Eoin Browne
 u 17, Patrick O'Neill u 17,  Niamh Giles Doran u 18, and bronze to
Dara Musgrave u 15 ( two ), Orlaith O'Brien, Stephen Whittle u 18,
Eoin Browne u 17, Cormac Mc Cann u 16, Chloe Farrell u 14,
.West Waterford winners were Aoife Hamilton u 16 800 m, Kate Hickey u
1 9 discus and Kate Mc Grath u 16 Hurdles, silver medals went to Aoife
Hamilton, Lucy O'Brien u 19 ( two), Aidan Mc Kenna u 15, Miceal Power
u 15,and bronze to Conor Blackwell u 15.and Christain O'Mahony u 17.
Waterford AC winners were James Murphy u 14 high jump and Kathleen
Heery u 15 Hammer, silver medals went to James Murphy u 14, Ruth Heery
u 16, Emma O'Brien u 17, Niamh Denn u 14  and bronze to Hannah Jacob
and Orla O'Connor and the Tramore AC boys under 14 relay team won, the
squad being Mark and Ian Hartery, Jamie Stone and Shane Monagle,
Denise O.Coonnor also won a silver and bronze medal u 15 in both
hurdles.

 Clashmore 5 miles details

150 competed in the 12th  Annual Old Still Bar 5 miles road race in
Clashmore on Friday last race 6 of the Ger Wyley Sports Series and the
winner was Michael Lyons Grange/Fermoy in 27 minutes 31 seconds, Keven
Kenneally West Waterford was second in 28.33 and Sean Caulfield St
Senan's Kilmacow third in 29.11. Angela McCann Clonmel led the ladies
home in 31.15, Sinead Mansfield was second in 32.25 and Corina Walsh
West Waterford  third in 33.13.First man over 40 was Peter Duggan St
Joseph's, o 45 Ray Hallissey West Waterford, o 50 Walter Keane
Waterford, o 55 Nelius Ahearne Midleton, Junior Richard Stillwell West
Waterford. Women o 35 Ann Marie St Catherine's, o 40 Claudia Lane Mary
Waterford, o 45 Libby Mc Ginn Murphy West Waterford o 50 Gabrielle
Blair Waterford.

Quinlan wins Fenor 15 KM

 Over 200 competed in the 15 km Road Race in Fenor on Sunday last in
aid of the Fenor GAA Club. The easy winner was Frank Quinlan in  51
minutes 39 seconds, Trevor Power was second in 53.32 both Waterford AC
and Conaill Cooper Slaney Olympic was third in 54.45. Joan Mahony
Waterford AC was first lady home in 65.42, Esther Murphy St Finbarr's
Cork was second in 66.13 with Deirde Ni Chearbaill  Crusaders Dublibn
third in 68.13. The category winners were as follows.Men ; o 40 Finlay
Weir Waterford, o 45 Michael Dunford West Waterford, o 50 Walter Keane
Waterford, o 55 Tom Burns do. Ladies o 40 Jacqui Mc Gee Tramore, o 45
Sharon Flynn Waterford, o 50 Bernie Prendergast West Waterford o 55
Kathleen Kennedy Waterford.

21st  Annual Dungarvan Leader Dromana 5 Miles on Friday

Now in its 21st  year and a very popular race run over the famous
Dromana Drive from Villerstown to Cappoquin takes place on this coming
Friday June 21 st at 8 pm. Entries will be taken at Villerstown
Community Hall with the presentation of prizes at Danny Flynn's Bar of
Cappoquin,.entry fee €5

National Events in June

 Sat 29th Woodie’s DIY AAI Juvenile Games, Finn Valley, Donegal. Sat
29th International Race Walks,Dublin. Sun 30th Woodie’s DIY AAI
Junior& Under 23 Championships Tullamore.

Road Races coming up

Friday next June 21 st  at 1 pm Industrial Estate in the City a 5 km
run in aid of the National Learning Centre on the Estate and to raise
awareness of the great work that goes on there. Situated at front of
Estate on Cork Road. Sunday next June 23 rd 12 noon 10 km Pink Rock
near Glenmore on Old New Ross Road. Friday June 28 th Champion Kiely
5K Road Race  Ballyneale Carrick on Suir 7.30 pm. Saturday June 29 th
at 9 am Waterford Viking Marathon, entries now closed. Glaxo
Smithkline 5 miles Dungarvan Friday July 5 th 8 pm Race 7 Ger Wyley
Sports Series.