Fintan Walsh's weekly blog

Major International fixtures coming up.

 At  the European under 23 Championships in Tampere in Finland from
this Thursday July 11 th to  Sunday 14 th Thomas Barr runs in the 400
metres hurdles and Shane Quinn is entered in  the 5000 and 10000
metres both Ferrybank AC. Barr goes in the heats of the hurdles on
Thursday around lunch time the semi final is on Friday afternoon and
the final on Saturday again in the afternoon. If Quinn decides to run
in both the 10000 metres and 5000 metres his 10000 metres is on
Thursday evening and the 5000 metres on Saturday evening. For the
European Youth Olympics in Holland from July 14 to 19 th Niamh Mc
Nichol is on the Irish  relay team. This week the World University
Games are in Kazan in Russia and both Jessie Barr and Niamh Whelan
were competing.

National League on Sunday

The second round of the National Senior League will be held in Sligo
and Cork on Sunday next and Ferrybank women in the Premier Division
are second behind Clonliffe Hrs going into the second round and should
easily qualify for the final but there men's team is not in
contention. The Munster Development Gamesare in  Castleisland, Co.
Kerry on Sunday next also at 11 am. Under 9 to u 16 athletes who did
not win medals at Munster A Championships are eligible as are newly
registered athletes. See Munster Athletics Website

Three County Challenge Race.

The 4 th road race in the Outfield Sports Three County Challenge
Series takes place on Friday next July 12 th in Ratgormack County
Waterford at 7.30 pm Its the Autopower Ratgormack 5 miles and entries
in Rathgormack from 6.30 pm.

Cork City Sports

One of the stars of the Cork City International Sports on Tuesday July
5 th was Thomas Barr Ferrybank AC in the 400 metres hurdles. Thomas
ran a tremendous race all through and disputed the lead with the race
favourite Cornell Fredericks of South Africa and was upsides with him
at the final hurdle where Thomas hit it but still went on to finish
strongly to record a personal best time of 50.00 seconds beating his
old Irish under 23 record of 50.06, the South African was just in
front of him clocking 49.86 seconds.Thomas was only back in full
training a few weeks after injury and can now look forward to a very
good season. Kelly Proper was third in the long jump with 6.01 metres,
David McCarthy was 6 th in a top class mile in 3 minutes 57.85 and
Neasa Murphy was also 6 th in the high jump.with 1.65 metres while
Shane Quinn was 7 th in the 3000 metres in 8 minutes 4.8 seconds

All Ireland Juvenile titles won.

 In  Tullamore on Saturday and Sunday last at the Woodies DIY All
Ireland Juvenile Track and Field Championships there were five wins by
athletes from Waterford clubs with Ferrybank AC taking four of them.
For Ferrybank Paul Murphy was in fine form as he set a new
championship best performance in winning the 400 metres u 18 in 49.10
seconds, the other winners were Niamh Mc Nichol in the under 17 100
metres, in 12.47  Orlaith O'Brien in the u 15 Shot Putt with 11.33
metres and Tom Gallagher u 13 High Jump  with 1.50 metres, West
Waterford AC had a win with Seamie Fennell in the pole Vault u 17 with
3.50 metres and silver medals went too Kate Hickey u 19 discus, Megan
O'Connor u 18 pole vault and Jurig Kanass in the pole vault u 17,
Waterford AC had two silver medal winners James Murphy u 14 high jump
and Shane Cawley in u 12 shot putt and James Murphy was also third in
the long jump u 14. Shane Monagle Tramore Ac was third in the hurdles
u 14 and Ciaran O'Meoileoin An Ghaeltacht/Ard Mhor was third in the
discus u 15.

 Ben Kiely selected on Irish Junior team.

For  the European Junior Championships in Rieti in Italy from July 18
to 21 st Ben Kiely Ferrybank is chosen  to compete for Ireland in the
400 metres hurdles.

 National events to come in July

 Sat 20th / Sun 21 st Woodie’s DIY AAI Juvenile Championships second
section Tullamore, Sat 27 th / 28th Woodie’s DIY AAI Senior Track &
Field Championships , Morton Stadium, Saturday 20 th AVIVA SIAB
Schools Track & Field International  Morton Stadium 11.30am

Morton Games

The 2013 Morton Games  takes place in the Morton Stadium, Santry,
Dublin on Wednesday July 17.A whole evening of international track and
field athletics, the 2013 Morton Games highlights include the classic
Morton Mile and a Ladies Mile in a total of 26 events.Waterford
athletes will compete at this fixtures.

 More Road Race Fixtures in Waterford..

 Friday July 26 th 18 th Annual Doocey’s Bar Ballymacarbry 5 Miles (
Ger Wyley Sports Series ) Friday August 9 th Ardmore 5 miles  7.30 pm
( Ger Wyley Sports Series Final Race ) Friday August 16 th Second
Annual Lis Hayes Memorial  5 miles in Ballyduff Lower 7 pm, Friday
August 23 rd Annual Alan Everett 5 miles in Woodstown at 7.00 pm