May 25, 2009 [Noel Guiden] Well the club captains have done it again. For the fourth successive year not only have they promoted the most fantastic days athletics but they provided the most fantastic sunshine. With temperatures soaring to the mid 20s the club’s athletes were inspired with sparkling performances, magnificent races and wonderful camaraderie. It was without a doubt the most fantastic club day.
As always these track and field championships provide something for all: tiny tots, juveniles, seniors and masters – no-one is left out. With the Morton Stadium bathed in summer sunshine and the very substantial attendance – as one seasoned observer pointed out you wouldn’t get many more at the Nationals – the action got underway at 4.15 p.m. with two keenly contested tiny tots races over 50 metres. This was a great start to the day’s events as it featured the sons and daughters and brothers and sisters of the Clonliffe family. As soon as the tiny tots were finished burning the track the juvenile programme got underway with the sprints events for under 10s, 12s, 14s and 16s, quite extraordinarily for a club championship there was a requirement for heaths in the boys U/10s event with some 20 young athletes entered. One of the early races of the day was the U/16 boys 100 metres which featured a blanket finish and having come through very strongly over the last 20 Craig Comiskey was victorious. Elaine Begley added another string to her bow with victory in the girls U/16.
The distance events for the juveniles range from 300 metres for the U/10s up to 1000 metres for the U/16s. Lauren Carr made it a double victory in the girls U/10 event adding the 300 metre title to the 100 metre title that she had won 30 minutes previously. Keith Hudson also claimed a double winning the boys U/12 500 and 80 metres titles. Craig Comiskey claimed the U/16 1000 metre title, finishing second in the race behind guest Mark Nolan and Elaine Begley also took a double winning the 1000 metres.
The field events were also very keenly contested, there was a full range of field events for the juveniles from ball throw for the U/10s and 12s to shot put for the older age groups, long jump and high jump.
The 2009 club juvenile championship results are:
Girls U/10 60 metres
1. Lauren Carr
2. Aoife Power-Breen
3. Jessica Darby
Girls U/12 80 metres
1. Dervla Brennan
2. Nana Ceba
3. Rebecca Crawford
Boys U/12 80 metres
1. Keith Hodson
2. Peter Taylor
3. Timothe Lawless
Boys U/10 300 metres
1. Calem Hayes
2. Mairtin Leonard
3. Ciaran Kearns
Girls U/10 300 metres
1. Lauren Carr
2. Jessica Darby
3. Aoife Power-Breen
Boys U/12 500 metres
1. Keith Hodson
2. Aaron Darby
3. Zachary Hales
Girls U/12 500 metres
1. Dervla Brennan
2. Lauren Brady
3. Lily McPartlin
Boys U/14 800 metres
1. Liam Ashton
2. John Buckley
3. Cian Larkin
Girls U/14 800 metres
1. Seanna Reilly
2. Rachel Murray
3. Eimear Treacy
Boys U/16 1000 metres
1. Mark Nolan
2. Craig Comiskey
3. John Bradley
Girls U/14 1000 metres
1. Elaine Begley
2. Aisling Aherne
3. Irene Falvey
Boys U/16 100 metres
1. Craig Comiskey
2. Mark Nolan
3. Ian Brennan
Girls U/16 100 metres
1. Elaine Begley
2. Leah Bergin
3. Lorna McDonnell
Girls U/10 long jump
1. Moya McDermott
2. Aoife Power-Breen
3. Lauren Carr
Boys U/10 long jump
1. Patrick Kelleher
2. Elliot Lawless
3. Mairtin Leonard
Boys U/12 long jump
1. Luke Dalton
2. Keith Hodson
3. Timothy Lawless
Girls U/12 long jump
1. Lily McPartlin
2. Sarah Murray
3. Laura Brady
Girls U/14 long jump
1. Shauna Reilly
2. Megan Coomber
3. Jasmin Hayles
Boys U/14 long jump
1. Liam Ashton
2. Tighe Brennan
3. Donal Kearns
Boys U/16 long jump
1. Martin Coombe
2. Mark Maloney
3. Aaron Wade
Boys U/12 high jump
1. Andre Liadov
2. Conor Monahan
3. Keith Hodson
Girls U/14 high jump
1. Shauna Reilly
2. Jasmin Hayles
3. Rebecca Crawford
Boys U/14 high jump
1. Liam Ashton
2. Donal Kearns
3. Sean
Boys U/16 high jump
1. Samuel
2. Maru
3. Marlon
Girls U/16 high jump
1. Elaine Begley
2. Leah Bergin
3. Lorna McDonnell
Boys U/10 ball throw
1. Calem Hayles
2. Patrick Kelleher
3. Mairtin Leonard
Girls U/10 ball throw
1. Lauren Carr
2. Moya McDermott
3. Caoimhe Reilly
Girls U/12 ball throw
1. Nana Ceba
2. Mary Taylor
3. Lily McPartlin
Boys U/12 ball throw
1. Andre Liadov
2. Darren Redmond
3. Calem Brady
Girls U/14 shot put
1. Shauna Reilly
2. Hannah McLoughlin
3. Eimear Treacy
Boys U/14 shot put
1. Tighe Brennan
2. Sean McLoughlin
3. Cian Larkin
The Senior Championships as always provided some magnificent athletics, once again the highlight was the Men’s 800 metres which over the last four years has attracted the clubs best middle distance athletes and always provides exceptionally fast times for a club championship. The sprint events were also very keenly fought and at the end of the days proceedings everyone looked forward to the relay.
The women got proceedings underway with the 200 metre championship and this was, as expected an excellent race with Leah Moore taking the win with a very strong run in a time of 26.8. The senior Men’s race featured the cream of Clonliffe’s up and coming sprinters and in the battle of the schools champions Conor Coleman won from Patrick O’Connor both running 11.6. The Senior Women’s 800 metres also provided an excellent race. As expected the Men’s 800 was a stormer with Gary O’Hanlon doing the pacemaking duties, the athletes scorched around the first lap, Aidan Bailey took up the running with 400 to go and then it was a question of who was the strongest and with Aidan bubbling with confidence courtesy of his 3000 metres PB on Friday proving to be the strongest winning the 800 metre title in a time of 1.53.9 from Mark McDonald 1.55.15 and David Flynn 1.55.34. Brett Paine took a whopping 3 seconds of his PB running 1.55.6 for 4th, Eoin Pearse was 5th 1.57.2 and John Fagan 6th in 1.57.6 and Stephen Harkness also running sub 2 with 1.59.8 in 7th. The magnificent 7 all under two minutes.
The Men’s 400 featured two of the country’s top 400 metre men, John Laffey winning in a time of 49.8 from Jeremy Lyons (without the hurdles this time) running 50.2. Conor Healy was 3rd in 50.6.
The Men’s 3000 metres was a race which featured a lot of our up and coming Junior athletes Jayme Rossiter ran a very mature race sticking behind Cormac Fitzpatrick (a guest) and out-kicking Cormac over the last 100 to win in a time of 9.20.3. The final race of the day was the 1500 metres race where Gary O’Hanlon set the pace with David Fitzmaurice sticking to his tail as long as possible, at the finish Gary won in a time of 3.49.8 with David Fitzmaurice recording 3.51.0 and Graham Mahon 3.59.7.
The final outing of the afternoon was the relay race which proved great fun – team commando were led out by Mark McDonald passing on to Jordan Logue and in turn on to anchor leg man Kevin English and with Gary O’Hanlon in hot pursuit over the last lap Kevin gritted his teeth to take a glorious win for his team.
The full results of the senior championship are:
Women’s 200 metres
1. Leah Moore 26.8
2. Sarah Woods 28.0
3. Shauna Forman 28.3
Senior Men 100 metre
1. Conor Coleman 11.6
2. Patrick O’Connor 11.6
3. Stephen Comiskey 11.7
Senior Women 800 metres
1. Becky Woods 2.18.9
2. Louise Reilly 2.20.5
3. Eleanor Alexander 2.23.4
Senior Men 800
1. Aidan Bailey 1.53.9
2. Mark McDonald 1.55.15
3. David Flynn 1.55.34
4. Brett Paine 1.55.56
5. Eoin Pearse 1.57.20
6. John Fagan 1.57.60
7. Stephen Harkness 1.59.80
8. Declan Moran 2.03.43
9. Graham Mahon 2.03.80
10. Joe Cooper 2.06.10
Senior Men 400 metres
1. John Laffey 49.8
2. Jeremy Lyons 50.2
3. Conor Healy 50.6
Senior Men 3000 metres
1. Jayme Rossiter 9.20.3
2. Cormac Fitzpatrick (guest) 9.24.3
3. Eric McCann 9.24.8
4. Jordan Logue 9.59.9
Master Men 3000 metres
1. Mark Bermingham 10.28
2. Maurice McCrohan 10.33
3. Colm Doran 11.39
Senior Women 3000 metres
1. Louise Ryan 10.19.82
2. Eilish McDermott 10.48.9
3. Joyce O’Hara 11.32.2
Senior Men 1500 metres
1. Gary O’Hanlon 3.49.8
2. David Fitzmaurice 3.51.0
3. Graham Mahon 3.59.7
Senior Women 400 metres
1. Shauna Forman 65.1
2. Sarah Finnegan 66.1
3. Sinead Galvin 69.8
In all a truly fantastic club championship and a fantastic advertisement for our club and our sport which was thoroughly enjoyed by competitors and spectators alike. Congratulations and much appreciation to Joe Cooper, Gladys Cooper and Pamela Cooper and their dedicated team of coaches and assistants on the day.