All posts in National Championships

One of the highlights of the athletics year takes place on Sunday in Abbotstown. The Nationals. A day of mud, rain, wind, pride and guts! A day when athletes give of themselves not for person but for club.

There are eight Clonliffe teams competing in Abbottstown on Sunday from underage through to Senior with the prize of National Cross Country team titles and medals.

The senior men’s team have endured slim pickings in recent years having been the dominant force over the country from the mid 2000s right up to 2015 when the club last captured the National. Since then our Northside rivals Raheny Shamrocks have prevailed and on Sunday come hunting three in a row. Pre race favourites may well be Clonmel AC with sub 4 minute man Sean Tobin favourite to take the individual title.

The senior men’s team on Sunday is strong and will certainly will be in the hunt. It features the national marathon winning team from this year’s Dublin City Marathon of Gary O’Hanlon, David Flynn and Sergiu Ciobanu, the last Clonliffe man to win the National in 2013 in Tullamore, along with Jayme Rossiter, Cathal Doyle and Colm Rooney.

The men’s team is: Adam O’Brien (U/23), Cathal Doyle (U/23), Colm Rooney, David Flynn, Eoin Taggart, Gary O’Hanlon, Jayme Rossiter, Sean Doran, Sergiu Ciobanu, Thomas Sherlock and Valdas Dopolskas.

Unfortunately there are no Clonliffe senior women taking part.

There is a strong junior men’s team that looks like they will be serious challengers on Sunday including Sean O`Leary who has been in fine form of late and the current All Ireland School`s champion Efrem Gidey.

The junior men’s team is: Ben Guiden, Daniel Stone, Thomas Baltazar, Daniel Lacy, Eferm Gidey, Jarlath Jordan, Jordan Byrne, Ryan Sheridan, Sean O’Leary, Stephen Cashin.

It is also pleasing to see a full Clonliffe junior women’s team competing of: Ella Brown, Tess Loftus, Sarah Bateson, Ale Hernandez, Cliona Cooley and Hannah Browne.

The junior and senior races will be preceded by the underage competition with again good Clonliffe teams running.

Boys U/14: Jonathan Fitzsimons,  Callum Maguire,  Cian O’Hare, Cillian Keegan, Sandys O’Connor, Sean Cronin.

The girls U/16 team is: Aoife Hession, Alana Fitzsimons, Katie Halpin, Lara Gallagher, Naoise Cullen, Ella Cooley.

Boys U/16: Niall Carbery, Alex Neuroth, Andrew Gaffney, Cillian Sheeran, Jack Woods, Ronan Donohue.

The junior races also incorporate the U/18 races. The Clonliffe girls U/18 team is: Ella Brown, Sarah Bateson, Tess Loftus and Aimee Warren.

The boys U/18 team, again incorporated in the junior men’s race is: Ben Guiden, Thomas Baltazar, Alex Murray, Calum Simpson, Daragh Carter and Daniel Stone.

Traffic and parking in Abbottstown on National Cross Country day can be problematic. See attached Info: National XC Info 2018

Finally there will be hot food available for athletes in the Clonliffe club bar post event from 4.30/5 p.m.

The very best of luck to all on Sunday.

Day 2 of the Nationals continued at Morton Stadium today. Efrem Gidey got things off to a good start for Clonliffe winning silver in the junior 3000 in 8.46.40.

In the heats of the 100 all three Clonliffe athletes progressed to the final: Jeremy Phillips 10.65, Leo Morgan 10.98 and Eamonn Fahey 11.16. In The final accordingly there were three Clonliffe vests. Defending champion Phillips took bronze, with Leon Reid completing a sprints double, in 10.55, Leo Morgan was 5th (10.89) and Eamonn Fahey 9th (11.11)

Dara Kervick was in that unlucky 4th position in the 400 final (48.43). Ciara McCallion who had probably exceeded expections in making the women’s 400 final placed 7th (57.68)

Timmy Crowe took on the sprints hurdles finishing 5th in 15.59. In the pole vault Rolus Olusa was joint 5th after a 4.00m best clearance.

Keith Marks as always put in a fine performance in the long jump with a best of 7.29m and loosing out on bronze on countback.

In the final track race of the day with Clonliffe interest Cathal Doyle was 11th in the 1500 final (3.55.99).

Pride of place on the women’s team went to Shannon Sheehy in her first national for Clonliffe winning high jump silver.

So not a bad championship at all: 2 golds, 4 silvers and 2 bronze. Next up its the league final…rust never sleeps!

Day 1 of the National track and field championships in a windy Morton Stadium today saw some excellent performances from Clonliffe athletes with national titles won by both Stephen Scullion and Stephen Rice.

Scullion was the class of the field in the 10000 which featured no less than seven Clonliffe vests. Scullion took the National title and one would assume a plane ticket to Berlin for the European 10000, in 29.25.31. David Flynn had a fine run to 5th (30.20.80), next in were the marathon men 8th Valdas Dopolskas 30.29.56 and 9th Sergiu Ciobanu 30.34.82, and then 18th Eoin Taggart 32 55.32, 19th Declan Power 33.33.97 and 21st Sean Doran 34.29.40.

In the Javelin Stephen Rice basically had the title sown up from the first throw when he launched the Javelin some 66.95m and thereafter was never threatened. That proved to be his best of the day and in the end he won by some 8m. Alan Gunning placed 7th (47.66m)

In the 3000 sc Jayme Rossister had his best National result to date taking super silver in 9.05.49.

Simon Galligan once again medalled for Clonliffe in the nationals  bronze in the hammer 59.67m.

The 4 x 100 relay boys took silver behind Tallaght AC.

Other Clonliffe athletes competing today included Dara Kervick in the 400 qualifying for the final after a 48.54 heat. Likewise Ciara McCallion, despite an injury ravaged season, also qualifying for yet another national final after a 56.72 heat. Snezana Bechtina ran 59.64 in her heat and did not progress.

Cathal Doyle successfully negotiated the 1500 heats (3.59.17) for tomorrow’s final. Greg Hossenny ran 4.02.90 to bring his interest to an end, likewise Mark McDonald (1.57.40) and Shaun Conaghan (2.04.64) in the 800 concluded their championships. Finally Colm Rooney with a 15.23.55 run in the 5000 similarly sees an end to his 2018 nationals.

So in all a pretty fine day for the club’s athletes. Day 2 tomorrow.

Slim pickings indeed! The final day of the National Juvenile Championships in Tullamore on a warm muggy day saw the Clonliffe group leave empty handed.

The middle distance group all look a little tired today, it has been a long season, most haven`t had a break since September and it showed. Sarah Bateson in the U/17 1500 was never really in the race and finished up in 11th place 5.04.28, just catching Abbie Sheehy, who had put in a competitive performance, on the line, Abbie recording 5.04.34. In the U/17 boys 1500, this was the only 1500 requiring heats, Dermot Buckley ran 4.33.04. Daragh Carter was 3rd in his heat (4.27.45) and in the final placed 7th (4.23.53). The U/18 boys saw Daniel Stone finish 8th (4.14.28), Ben Guiden 14th (4.18.72) and, a pretty drained looking, Aaron Cullen 16th (4.20.12). Craig Giles placed 7th in the U/19 race in 4.10.60

In the 200s Sally Somula made the U/15 final where she was 6th (26.96). Rebecca Fitzsimons also made the U/18 final finishing in 4th position (26.72) Lauren Carr also made the final finishing 7th (26.66).

Well done to all throughout the season. Those on a break, enjoy it. The return date will be posted in August.