Wednesday 27 February 2013

Fintan Walsh's weekly blog

European Indoor Championships In Gothenburg

This week end from Friday to Sunday the European Indoor Championship
are in Gothenburg and there was expected to be a  a Waterford
representation. David McCarthy West Waterford qualified in the 3000
metres and was selected but he had to withdraw due to 'flu. Ireland's
best hopes appear to be Brian Gregan 400 metres, Derval O'Rourke 60
metres hurdles, Ciaran O'Lionard 3000 metres and Fionnula Britton 3000
metres.

Scottish Indoors

Ferrybank AC make their annual visit to Scotland this week end for the
Scottish Under Age Indoor Championships. Approximately 10 athletes are
travelling to compete on Saturday in under 18 and under 20 age groups.

Orna third

In Tullamore on Sunday last two athletes from Ferrybank AC both had
good performances in the All Ireland Inter Club Junior Cross Country
Championships in the junior women's race. Orna Murray took the bronze
medal ans[d just two places behind her  5 th place was Aisling Quinn,
in the senior men's race Andrew Connick do also had a good run to
finish 10 th overall

Quinn in form in USA

Shane Quinn continued his good form last week end in the USA on the
Collegiate circuit. On Saturday competing in the New England
Collegiate Indoor Championships in Boston University he  was clear
favourite going in to the 3000 metres final and he duly obliged with a
comfortable win in 8 minutes 11. which was well outside his best
time,on Friday he was also on the winning Providence College Medley
Relay team that won. In the Ivy League Central Championships in
Harvard University on Saturday last Kevin Cooper was 8 th in the 3000
metres final in 8.28.68. Kalyn Sheehan had a great win in the
Pentathlon event recently in Rhode Island USA in the Atlantic10
Conference Indoor Championships. She had a very respectable score of
3660 pts winning by 10 pts from Kiersten La Roche SO Temple with
Jennifer Czerapowicz FR Rhode Island third

 Kelly wins at Athlone graded meeting

Competing in a graded meeting in Athlone on Saturday last Kelly Proper
won the long jump with 6.12 metres and finished second in the 60
metres in 7.55 seconds the race was won by Ailis McSweeney in 7.52.

Many Munster Juvenile titles won.

In Nenagh on Saturday and Sunday last at the Munster u 14 to 19 Indoor
Championships Ferrybank AC who had the majority of athletes from
Waterford competing there had several wins.  Siobhan Whelan won three
events under 18 the 60 metres, 200 metres and triple jump and was
second in the long jump. the other winners were Paul Murphy who had a
double in the 200 and 400 metres u 18, Orlaith O'Brien in the  u 15
Shot putt, silver medals were won by  Sinead O'Regan 60 metres and
high jump u 15, Cormac McCann 60 and 200 metres u 16, Damon Crowley
1500 metres u 18,Sean Whittle high jump u 18, Kelly Meade High Jump u
18 and bronze medals went to Stephen Walsh 60 and 200 metres u 17,
Tadg Brennan 800 metres u 16, Frankie Dolphin Hurdles u 15 and Chloe
Farrell long jump u 14. For Tramore AC Emmanuel Ogbonna won the triple
jump was third in the Long Jump under 19 and Denise O'Connor was third
in the hurdles u 16. Waterford AC medal winners were Hannah Cawley
second in  u 15 walk and bronze medals went to Ruth Heery u 14 walk
and Hannah Jacob u 15 walk.

Deise College Dungarvan 10 Km

Ravis Zakis West Waterford won the 31 st Annual Dungarvan 10 km on
Sunday last which had an entry of 150, Danny Smith, Ballynonty was
second in 33.33 and third was Noel Murphy, Dunhill in 34.26. Angela
McCann, Clonmel was first lady home in 37.29, Ann Marie Holland,
Source, Cork was second in 38.01 and Marie Dolan, Rathfarnham was
third in 38.25 it was the final race of the Michael Roche Carpets
Spring Series and the two series winners were Ravis Zakis and Angela
McCann. Category results on Sunday last were; Men o 40 Val Gunner,
Gowran, o 45 Andrew Leary, West Waterford, o 50 Walter Keane ( ind ),
o 55 Joe Gough, West Waterford , Junior  Ciaran Dee, do. Women ; o 35
Corina Walsh, West Waterford, o 40 Diane Behan, Waterford AC, o 45 Ann
O'Donnel, West Waterford AC, o 50 Ann Moroney,  The Duncannon 10 k
road race on Sunday last was won by Philip Hart West Waterford AC in a
course record time of 30 minutes 33 seconds.

Road Races coming up.

Sunday March 10 th Mt Sion Juvenile Hurling Club 5 miles 11 am also
same day Munster Novice & Senior Road Championships 1pm in
Newtownshandrum GAA Grounds, Co. Cork, Sunday 24 th March 1pm in
Moyglass, Co. Tipperary Munster Masters Road Championships Sunday
March 31 st 5 Miles in Waterford City  11 am in aid of Cancer Society
, registration at Kingfisher Club Tramore Road  The 3rd annual WIT AC
WAC 5K run/jog at WIT Sports Campus on Friday April 5th at 7pm!
.
Watch your numbers

Many runners especially in Road Races are not using the numbers
allocated to them in a particular event and passing them on to someone
else especially those pre entered who find they cannot run on the day.
Nowadays most races are recorded on computers and the name that is
against the number will be the one recorded for the finish. In some
cases numbers allocated to men have ended up on women and vica versa
and it causes havoc with those getting out the results who will
invariably be blamed for something they have no control over. Please
wear correct numbers and if you pre enter and cannot run on the day
just destroy the number

Waterford Viking Marathon

Just four months away from the Second Annual Waterford Viking Marathon
on Saturday June 29 th please enter early and don't t miss out as
their will be a date when entries close, check the website

Death of former Olympian

Former Donore Harriers athlete Cumann Clancy aged 90 has died in the
New York. Cumann was Irish Discus champion for many years and in 1948
won the British AAA discus championship. He represented Ireland at the
1948 London Olympic Games with his good friend Jimmy
Riordan.Originally from Co. Galway, he broke the Irish Discus record
on several occasions and accepted a scholarship to Villanova
University following the 1948 Olympic Games. There he joined up with
club mate and friend Jimmy Riordan and were the first Irish athletes
to take up Athletics scholarship to American Universities.

Tuesday 26 February 2013

More good results from the States!

Another good win for Shane Quinn and an impressive 400m time from Kalyn Sheehan in the Sates at the weekend . Kevin Cooper going well also.

New England Championships - Boston University
Men 3000 M
1 Quinn, Shane SO Providence 8:11.47
2 Sollowin, Stephen SO Northeastern 8:13.43
3 Fowler, Bryan SO Connecticut 8:15.91

Women 400 M
Finals
1 Emerson, Celina JR Connecticut 54.40
2 Gooden, Camille FR Northeastern 55.97
3 Dorsey, Jaimee FR RIC 56.31
4 Sheehan, Kalyn SR Rhode Island 56.40



Ivy League Championships - Cambridge, MA
3000 Meters Heat 2
1. Korolev, Maksim JR-3 Harvard 8:04.19
2. Bendtsen, Chris JR-3 Princeton 8:07.01
3. Everett, Daniel SO-2 Columbia 8:07.44
4. Bleday, John JR-3 Dartmouth 8:09.83
8. Cooper, Kevin SR-4 Brown 8:28.6

Sunday 24 February 2013

National XC

Well done to Orna Murray and Aisling Quinn who finished third and fifth in the National Junior XC in Tullamore today.

Munster u 14-19 Championships

Great results at the Munster u 14-19s over the weekend where our athletes won 19 medals in total! Siobhan Whelan had a fantastic weekend winning the u 18 60m, 200m and triple jump and placing second in the long jump. Paul Murphy won double gold in the u 18 200m & 400m. Orla O Brien had a fine win in the under 15 shot. Sinead O regan won two silver under 15 in the 60m and high jump as did Cormac McCann u 16 in the 60m & 200m. Damon Crowley was second in the 1500m u 18, kellie Meade was second in the high jump u 18, and Sean Whittle was second in the high jump u 18. There was bronze medals for Stephen Walsh u 17 in the 60m & 200m, Chloe Farrell  in the under 14 long jump, Tadhg Brennan in the under 16 800m and Frankie Dolphin in the under 15 hurdles. We had loads of finalists. A huge well done to everyone who competed.

Saturday 23 February 2013

Fintan Walsh's weekly blog

Kelly Proper sparkles with All Ireland treble


Athlone was the venue on Saturday and Sunday last for the All Ireland
Senior Indoor Championships and what a week end it proved to be for
Kelly Proper Ferrybank AC. Kelly competed in three events and won all
three recording personal bests in two of them. On Saturday her first
victory came in the long jump with a distance of 5.91 metres and this
made it 8 All Ireland wins in succession in this event and she then
won her heats in both the 60 and 100 metres making it through to
Sundays finals in both. Sunday proved to be even better as in the 60
metres she was up against two fancied competitors Amy Foster with the
fastest qualifying time and Ailis McSweeney. Both however were
disqualified for false starting and Kelly took full advantage to win
in a personal best time of 7.45 seconds her first 60 metres title. A
short time later she lined up for the 200 metres final and was a
decisive winner again in a personal best time of 23.78 seconds and
this was her 4 th 200 metres title.  Kelly has an amazing tally of
titles at these championships and it shows what a great competitor she
is over the years. Last year she was troubled with injuries hopefully
she can now look forward to a great outdoor season ahead. Other
results by Ferrybank AC athletes were as follows ;Sorcha Murphy joint
second in the high jump with 1.60 metres, Sean Archer had a personal
best of 13.72 metres in the triple jump in taking the bronze medal,
Shane O'Dwyer was fourth in the high jump with 2 metres equalling his
personal best and Billy Ryan 5 th in the 800 metres in 1.51.69, for
West Waterford Thomas Houlihan was joint second in the pole vault with
4.40 metres and James Ledingham 4th in the 800 metres in 1.51.16.

USA wins

In Boston on Thursday last David McCarthy had a big personal best in
the 3000 metres at an Indoor meeting and also  secured the qualifying
time for the European Indoor Championships in Gothenborg in early
March. He easily won the event in 7 minutes 51.24 seconds which was
well inside the qualifying time of 8 minutes even. At the same meeting
Kevin Cooper running for Brown University was fourth in a mile race in
a personal best time of 4 minutes 02.9 seconds while Shane Quinn had a
facile win in the USA on Saturday in Geneva, Ohio at The Big East
Conference Indoor Championships in the 5000 metres in a time of 14
minutes 17.51 seconds.

Bralitis wins Kilmacthomas 5 Miles

200 competed in the Annual Bausch and Lamb 5 miles road race in
Kilmacthomas on Sunday last, race 3 in the Michael Roche Carpets
Spring Series. Sandis Bralitis West Waterford was the winner in 25
minutes and 36 seconds, Niall Sheil St Killian's Wexford was second in
25.42 and Danny Smith Ballynonty was third in 26.15. Jacqui Carthy
Kilmore Co Wexford won the ladies section in a record time of 29.08,
Angela M Cann Clonmel was second in 29.20 and Maria McCarthy
Farranfore Maine Valley was third in 29.29. Category winners were as
follows; men o 40 Brendan Mooney, o 45 Andrew Leary West Waterford o
50 Walter Keane, o 55 Joe Gough West Waterford Junior Mark Condon.
Women o 35 Sylvia
Malone Waterford, o 40 Claudia Lane Mary ( ind ), o 45 Mags Kirwan
Bolger Waterford, o 50 Bernie Prendergast West Waterford. Proceeds
went to Waterford Hospice.

Mt Juliet Half Marathon.

Thomas Hogan Sliabh Bhui Rovers won the Mt Juliet Half Marathon on
Saturday last in 70 minutes 38 seconds, Philip Harty West Waterford
was second in 71.59 and Ravis Zakis do was third in 74.40. Martina
O'Dwyer Carrick on Suir won the ladies section in 85.21 Full results
on Total timing website. At the All Ireland Masters Indoor
Championships in Athlone on Saturday February 9 th Tom O'Brien
Waterford AC won the over 45 high jump with 1.70 meters a new National
record in that age group and not 1.60 metres as previously stated.

All Ireland Cross Country in Tullamore on Sunday

All the top cross country runners in the country will be in Tullamore
on Sunday next for the All Ireland Senior and Junior Inter Club cross
country championships and many will be striving for places on the
Irish teams for the World Cross Country Championships in Poland on
March 24 th. Unfortunately cross country at this level in Waterford is
very poor at the moment but it is expected a few individuals will
compete. The All Ireland juvenile Cross Country Relays are also on the
programme,the venue is opposite the Tullamore Track and first race is
at 12 noon for juveniles ,full time table is on Athletics Ireland
website

Munster Juvenile Indoors

Nenagh is the venue on Saturday and Sunday next for the Munster under
14 to 19 Indoor championships and lots of athletes from Waterford
clubs will be competing. The competition begins both days at 11 am,
check – in for the Outside Track opens at 9:15 am and closes at
10:15am  Check – In for Hurdles and Sprints opens at 10:15 am and
Closes at 11:15 am, full timetable on Munster Athletics Website..

31st Annual Déise College Dungarvan 10k on Sunday.

The fourth and final race in the Michael Roche carpets spring series,
the Déise College Dungarvan 10K will take place at 11am on Sunday next
February 24 th. The fast canal circuit will be used for the coarse
with the race headquarters at the Dungarvan Sports Centre, Quann’s
which is where the presentation will also take place. Entry fee 8
euro.Entries from 9.30 am at the Centre. Also on Sunday the Celtic
Link Duncannon 10 km has a 12 noon start at the County Wexford venue.

Other Road Races coming up.

Sunday March 10 th Mt Sion juvenile hurling club 5 miles 11 am, Sunday
March 31 st The Munster senior/novice road championships will be on
March 10 th and Masters are on 24th March, venues for both to follow.
 The WIT AC /WAC 5k race coming up 6 weeks from now with entries
available on www.runireland.com. Full details with route map and
poster on www.waterfordsac.com.

Ferrybank Fit 4 Life

Ferrybank Athletic Club presents Fit4Life for Youth, couch to 5 km in
6 weeks. Get fit, have fun, feel good with no running experience
required. For boys and girls 13 to 19 come along and complete your
first 5 km by the end of 6 weeks programme. Every Tuesday at IDA
Industrial Estate. Cork Road (meet at AIB Bank Paddy Browne's Road)
6.30 pm to 7.30 pm. Every Saturday at Waterford Nature Park Tramore
Road 11 am to 12 noon. Cost Reg fee 12 Euro last for calendar year or
3 Euro per session. All needed ,runners and comfortable
clothes.Further Information : www.ferrybankathleticclub.org or Bríd
Golden : 087 6889330


Watch your numbers

Many runners especially in Road Races are not using the numbers
allocated to them in a particular event and passing them on to someone
else especially those pre entered who find they can not run on the
day. Nowadays most races are recorded on computers and the name that
is against the number will be the one recorded for the finish. In some
cases numbers allocated to men have ended up on women and vica versa
and it causes havoc with those getting out the results who will
invariably be blamed for something they have no control over.

Sunday 17 February 2013

Sean Archer, Sorcha Murphy, Kelly Proper and Shane O'Dwyer plus the RTE Sport roundup of the National Senior Indoor Championships 2013

Nat Seniors....triple gold for kelly, silver for Socha, bronze for Sean!

A super weekend at the National Senior Indoor Championships in Athlone! Kelly Proper took three titles in the long jump, 60m and 200m recording lifetime best times in both sprint events! Sorcha Murphy took silver in the high jump and Sean Archer took bronze in the triple jump in a personal best. Shane O Dwyer was fourth in the high jump with a pb of 2.00m and Billy Ryan was fifth in the 800m. Well done to everyone!

Full results from the National Indoor Senior Championships this weekend

Full results from the National Senior Indoor Championships this weekend

Wednesday 13 February 2013

Club Gear update

UPDATE ON THE FERRYBANK AC GEAR- There has been a few people into us looking for some of the Ferrybank ac running team wear hoodies and running jackets. Since we did not supply Ferrybank ac before we had to source out all the product and make sure it looks the same as the original. We hope to have this complete by next week.We just want to keep you updated in what's going on. We have some of the hoodies in stock age 5/6,7/8,12/13 and large adults. Other sizes will be back in stock end of next week. 
The Nike Rain Jackets you are using at the moment has changed (old stock) so we are waiting on the new design which should be available near the end of March. Sorry about the inconvenience this is causing and thank you for your patience I will keep you updated and if anyone has been into the shop Alfie Hale Sports and want a hoodie or anything else and not left there name and phone number please do so.
Thanks 
Stephen Hall
Team Sales
Alfie Hale Sports

Fintan Walsh's weekly blog

Five All Ireland titles won in Athlone.

A small but select number of athletes from Ferrybank AC and West
Waterford AC travelled to Athlone on Sunday last for the All Ireland
junior and u 23 Indoor Championships and they came away with five
titles, four for Ferrybank AC and one for West Waterford AC.  Three of
the Ferrybank winners were in the under 23 grade and Thomas Barr
excelled in winning a very competitive 400 metres in a personal best
of 47.41 seconds, the race was one of the best of the championships,
Sean Archer captured the triple jump with a distance of 13.44 metres
and Shane O'Dwyer won the high jump with a jump of two metres. In the
junior grade the Murphy sisters Sorcha and Neasa both jumped the same
height of 1.68 metres in the high jump with Sorcha the winner on fewer
faults and for Neasa who was second it was a personal best and a
qualifying standard for the European Youth Olympics later this year.
For West Waterford AC Thomas Houlihan won the u 23 Pole Vault with
4.60 metres and Clare Collins was third in the high jump in the same
grade with 1.55 metres

Joe has Master's treble and record.

Joe Gough the ageless West Waterford AC athlete was in excellent form
at the All Ireland Masters Indoor Championships in Athlone on Saturday
last. Competing in the over 60 grade he had a treble winning the 200
metres in 27.81,the 400 metres in 60.57 and the 800 metres in a new
Irish record in that age group with 2 minutes 15.61 seconds some 6
seconds faster that the old record. Another athlete in record breaking
form was Tom O'Brien Waterford AC who set a new record in the over 45
high jump with 1.70 metres he also won the long jump.Other Waterford
AC results were as follows; Susan Dullaghan 1 st 400 metres o 35 and
second in 200 metres, Mary B Ryan Jennings 1st in over 60  Long Jump
and second in the 800,1500 and 3000 metres,Brendan Leahy 2nd in the
200 and 400 over 35 and Diane Behan 3 rd in the o 40 400 metres.Terri
Gough West Waterford AC won the 200 and 400 metres and was second in
the 60 metres o 60..

Munster Juvenile Indoors

Lots if medals were won by athletes from Waterford at the Munster
under 9 to 13 indoors in Nenagh on Saturday and Sunday last. For
Waterford AC  Jack Corcoran Waterford AC won the 500 metres u 9 and
Lydie Rowe the 60 metres u 9, silver medal winners were Jack Corcoran
u 10  60 metres and long jump, Victory Eddie u 11 60 metres, Shane
Cawley u 12 shot putt and bronze medals were won by Cathal Scanlon u
12 shot putt and Sarah Jacob u 12 shot putt and Evan Hayes 60 metres u
11 (b) race. For Ferrybank AC Tom Gallagher won the u 13 long jump,
Rachel Walsh the u 11 long jump, silver medal winners were Tom
Gallagher high jump u 13, David Igwe  60 metres u 9 and Paula Igwe
long jump u 11 and Tom Gallagher was third in the 60 metres hurdles,
for Tramore AC Tom Halley was third in the u 9 60 metres.

Aisling wins Munster Schools title

Many athletes from Waterford schools participated in the  AVIVA
Munster Secondary schools Cross Country Championships in WIT Campus in
Carriganore on Thursday last and quite a few were very much to the
fore in the honours list. The ultra consistent Aisling Quinn led from
the start to easily win the intermediate title, Orna Murray finished
second in the senior grade and Molly Hutchinson was third in the minor
all three from Ursuline Convent Waterford and Hannah Power Ard Scoil
na nDeise was also third in the junior race. Fourth placings went to
Miceal Power St Augustine's Junior and Emma Hallahan do minor. Other
high placings were had by Shane O'Brien St Declan's Kilmacthomas 5 th
in minor race, Sinead Flynn St Augustine's again 5 th in Intermediate
grade, Sean Curran Dungarvan CBS was 6 th in the Intermediate,   . St
Augustine's won the junior girls team title and were second in the
inter girls and third in the junior boys, Ursuline were second in the
senior girls and third in the Inter girls, Ard Scoil were second in
the junior girls, De La Salle second in junior boys and Blackwater CS
Lismore were third at senior level. The course was a demanding one but
after heavy rain it was in fact a real cross country course and all
involved ensured a smooth running of the event. Sincere thanks to
Management and staff at WIT for providing the excellent facility and
to Tom O'Brien for his input into the track design, as usual the Order
of Malta were on hand and very much appreciate

 Harty wins Anne Valley 5 in record time.

A record entry of over 500 competed in the 7 th Annual Anne Valley 5
miles in Dunhill on Saturday last in excellent weather conditions and
Philip Harty West Waterford set a new course record with a pillar to
post win in 25 minutes 9 seconds. Sandis Bralitis his club mate was
second in 25.46, Bryan Murphy Carrick on Suir was third in 26.33 and
Noel Murphy from Dunhill was fourth in 27.46. Sylvia Malone Waterford
AC was first lady home in 31.05, Maebh Savage Tramore was second in
33.40, Joan Mahony  Waterford AC was third in 33.54 and Kate Nolan do
4th in 33.58. There were competitors from many parts of Ireland, a
large group from Clayton Hrs in England led by John Roche who has
strong Waterford connections and two from Texas USA. Tyler and Keren
Herrera who stayed a few days in The cottage in Dunhill. Official
starter for the event was Jim Harney Dunhill and many voluntary bodies
and individuals helped out in a very enjoyable and successful event
spearheaded by Trish Quinn. Proceeds went to Jack and Jill Foundation
and Waterford Hospice.

Irish Universities Indoor Championships

On Friday February 1 st the Irish Universities Indoor Championships
were in Athlone and athletes from Waterford clubs were very much to
the forefront competing for various Universities and Institutes of
Technologies around the country. The following won their events; Niamh
Whelan UL 200 metres in 24.42 seconds, Sorcha Murphy do High Jump 1.65
metres, Thomas Barr do 400 metres  47.77 seconds, Sean Archer WIT
Triple Jump 13.82 metres, James Ledingham UL was second in the  800
metres in 1.53.48, Niamh Whelan also second in the 60 metres in 7.57,
Laura Behan DCU was third in 3000 metres, as were Clare Collins UL in
the high jump , Lisa Houlihan NUIM in the pole vault, Tom Boucher UCD
in the 16 kg weight and Shane O'Dwyer WIT in the high jump. Athletes
competing for WIT  from other counties were David Hynes first in 60
Metres, Aoife Bartley second in Triple Jump.

All Ireland Seniors this week end

The new arena in Athlone is the venue on Saturday and Sunday next for
the All Ireland Senior Indoor Championships which begin on Saturday at
1 pm and on Sunday at 2 pm .All Ireland's top athletes will be
inaction including many from Waterford clubs. It promises to be a top
class event and a number of athletes from Waterford are expected to
figure prominently.

Road Races

On Saturday next the Mt Juliet Half Marathon,10 KM and 3 KM will be a
big attraction the fixture gets under way at 11.30 am full details on
their website.

Neasa Juvenile All Star for 2012

Athletics Ireland are delighted to announce the Juvenile All-Stars for
2012 as selected by the Juvenile Competition Committee.The awards
ceremony which is sponsored by Tipperary Crystal will be held in the
Tullamore Court Hotel on Saturday next 16 th February. An athlete from
each of the thirty two counties will receive an award based on their
performances during 2012 and the Waterford winner is Neasa Murphy
Ferrybank AC a native of Dunhill whose main event is the high jump,
congratulations to Neasa.

County Board meeting

Next County Board meeting will be in De La Salle College Waterford on
Monday next February 18 th at 8 pm all clubs asked to be represented.