Aug 16, 2010 [Jeremy Lyons] The Clonliffe men put in a clinical performance on Saturday in Tullamore to retain their league crown and make it a glorious three in a row. Despite going in favourites, the plan still had to executed and from Martin Hunt’s first rotation in the hammer circle at 10:30am to John Fagan holding off the DSD team for 2nd in the 4 x 400m relay at the end, the Clonliffe team showed that they meant business and it would take a serious team to beat them.
The key to a great team in any sport is that it’s a perpetual exercise, never resting on their laurels, always building. Patrick O’ Conner is an example, not a major player in last year’s squad, he was a star performer yesterday, to cap off what has been a great season for him. Right throughout the team there was fresh blood to add to the old stagers. The likes of Jayme Rossiter, Conor Coleman and John Fagan were squad members last season and now they are core to the team. Matt Field, Declan Moran, Thomas Dorina and Ciaran Mackey were making their league final debuts and all contributed to the win. Field in fact broke the Club 110m Hurdles record when finishing 2nd in 15.15.
Six wins were secured with the throwers in dominant form. Luke Mangan won the shot putt by a mere 0.01m, Martin Hunt was never troubled in the hammer while Paul Marry was similarly in control in the javelin. The Beast From The East, Tomas Rauktys, had a super double when firstly holding off the challenge of Dave Coleman in the Discus and then won what is fast becoming his speciality event, the 56Ibs. Tomas’ training regime to be witnessed in Santry throughout the winter is a benchmark for any young Clonliffe athlete no matter what their event whether its track or field.
The 6th win came from the coolest man in the stadium in Dave Donegan. The National Record holder came in to vault when most of the field had been eliminated and duly won in a comfortable 4.70m. There were seven 2nd places with Matt Field (110H), John Fagan (400H), Aidan Bailey (1500), Mark Kenneally (5000), Patrick O’ Conner (200), 4 x 400 relay team and Marcin Klinzow (High Jump). Marcin epitomised the team spirit by taking 2nd despite a bad hamstring injury picked up in training two days previously.
The mens 4 x 100 had an eventful journey when claiming 3rd. Danny Kavanagh had a storming first leg but stumbled (and may have suffered a break in his foot) as he passed the baton to John Laffey and dislodged Laffey’s right spike. Laffey ran 50m with a loose spike and the final 50m in his sock as he lost his footwear. To his credit he kept going to hand off to Conor Coleman who ran a great bend to hand to Patrick O’ Conner who brought the team home in 3rd. Jayme Rossitter had a great 3rd in the steeple while Conor Healy overcame a calf injury to take 3rd in the 800. Our very own Teddy Tamgho, Thomas Dorina was 3rd in the triple jump with Patrick O’ Conner finishing 3rd in the 100. Patrick also had a storming 49.1 secs leg in the 4 x 400m relay taking the baton from Jeremy Lyons who was running his last race for Clonliffe.
Ciaran Mackey was very unfortunate to suffer a hamstring injury after just 100m of the 400m and was unable to finish. Declan Moran is not recognised as a walker but he did his shift for the team with a solid 5th place and this again was another example of what this team is all about. Matt Field, fresh from his new club record in the hurdles, also suffered a bad injury in the long jump after just one jump.
In the end team captain Joe Cooper was delighted with another great day and pushed off comparisons between him and Brian Cody when it comes to managerial greatness while the backroom team was completed by the ever present Killian Lonergan. Another season done and dusted and with Europe beckoning again next season its back to the hard graft of the winter in a few weeks to make sure it all happens again come 12 months.
A great point to note from the weekend was the number of people who travelled to support but weren’t competeing. Parents, coaches and athletes and indeed some of these athletes will no doubt be wearing the famous Black and Amber in future league successes in the years to come.
Congratulations to all the Clonliffe Ladies who fought a long & tough battle to take 3rd place for the second year in a row in Division 1 of the National T&F League. First place was Galway Co. 106pts, Second place was Kildare Co. with 105pts and Clonliffe 3rd 105.5pts
We had some great performances by this young and talented team with a PB for Ailish McDermot in the 3000m 10.13 taking second place. We also saw our ladies 4 x 100m – Shauna Furman, Sarah Doyle, Leah Moore and Ciara Mc Callion take 2nd and our 4 x 400m team stole the show with an impressive 1st place 4.04 – Orna McGinley, Sarah Woods, Becky Woods and Ciara McCallion.
Overall this was a great day for the Clonliffe Ladies Team!!!