Fintan Walsh's weekly blog

Big scalp for Thomas and qualification for Kelly

At two separate meetings on Friday last in Dublin and Rhede in Germany
two athletes from Ferrybank AC had outstanding results. At the Morton
International Games in Santry in Dublin  Thomas Barr continued his
excellent season with a sparkling winning display in the 400 metres
hurdles in 48.94 seconds finishing very strongly to easily beating the
reigning World Champion Jahue Gordon Trinidad and Tobago into second
place timed at 49.48, Mahue Suguimati Brazil was third in 49.94.
Assuming Thomas can hold his present form he is a medal prospect at
the European Championships in Zurich next month. In Rhede in Germany
Kelly Proper won a 200 metres race in 23.16 seconds a personal best
and the second fastest time ever by an Irish woman but more important
well inside the A qualifying standard for the European Championships
of 23.35. Kelly realised her big 2014 ambition and her coach Brid
Golden helped her on the road to achieving her goal seeking out
suitable races for Kelly around Europe. Kelly is deserving of being on
the major stage in Zurich,she is and always has been a very
competitive athlete. Also in Santry James Ledingham West Waterford was
second in the 800 metres A race in a very good time of 1 minute 50.36
seconds but David Mc Carthy disappointed in the Morton Mile where ten
athletes were below 4 minutes.


National Senior Championships

The big event of the Irish athletic season goes ahead this coming
Saturday and Sunday in Morton Stadium Dublin. Its the GloHealth All
Ireland senior track and field championships with Ireland's leading
athletes competing and with a big Waterford interest. Four Ferrybank
AC athletes will defend titles won last year Kelly Proper  200
metres,long jump, (she may not defend the 100 m also won last year
)Thomas Barr 400 metres hurdles his sister Jessie the same event and
Cara Kennedy hammer, others entered are Niamh Whelan 100 and 200 m,
Paul Murphy 400 m, Sean Archer triple jump, Niall Tuohy and Richard
Lucas 800 m, Neasa Murphy high jump, ,Andrew Connick 10000 m, Pat Ryan
hammer,Ben Kiely 400 m hurdles and Eooin Browne junior 3000 m. and
ladies relay teams may also compete.West Waterford AC  have 5 athletes
entered brother and sister Lisa and Thomas Houlihan compete in the
Pole Vault,.David Mc Carthy is entered in the 800 and 1.500 meters,
James Ledingham will run the 800 meters and Sean Curran  the Junior
3.000 meters and Kevin Fitzgerald Waterford AC is in the javelin..

Cork City Sports

 Star studded fields were the order at the Cork City Sports on Tuesday
July 8 th with several major medal winners among those competing.
Athletes from Ferrybank AC in action had quite good results. In a
field which  included Javier Curson Peurto Rico the third fastest
athlete in the world this year so far in the 400 metres hurdles and
the winner on the evening in 48.41 seconds Thomas Barr finished third
in 49.91 seconds a second outside his best.another highly rated
athlete Johnny Dutch USA was second in 49.27. Kelly Proper finished a
close second in the long  jump with 6.20 metres ,the winner Stuart
Bianca Bahamas won it with6.22 metres, Niamh Whelan was third in the
100 metres in 11.68 seconds and Paul Murphy won the (B ) 400 metres in
48.56 seconds.


World Junior

From today Tuesday July 22 nd until Sunday next July 27 th the World
Junior Athletic Championships are in  Eugene,Oregon USA and a team of
nine Irish athletes will compete and the team includes Niamh McNicol
Ferrybank in the 200 metres.The heats of this event are on Thursday
morning, the semi final Thursday afternoon and final on Friday.

Schools International

Cardiff is the venue on Saturday next for the Schools International
track and field meeting and three athletes from two schools in
Waterford are on the Irish team. Órlaith O'Brien Ursuline Convent
competes in the javelin and two from St Augustine's College Megan
Dunford and Jurig Kanass  both are in the pole vault

Four National juvenile wins

A number of athletes from Waterford AC ,Ferrybank AC and West
Waterford Ac competed at the National Juvenile Championships in
Tullamore  last Sunday and four titles were won. Waterford AC had a
very good day with wins by James Murphy in the under 15 long jump with
5.55 metres,Victory Eddy in the u 12 60 metres,Evan Hayes was second
in the u 12 long jump and fourth placings went to Luke O'Brien u 16
javelin and Lance Baylon u 15 100 metres. Ferrybank AC had two wins
and Orlaith O'Brien was a class apart in winning the u 16 javelin with
a championship best performance of 41.56 metres while World junior
bound Niamh Mc Nicol won the u18 100 metres in 12.12 seconds Fourth
placings went to Stephen Walsh u 18 100 m and triple jump and Praise
Oweye u 12 shot putt.. Aoife Hamilton West Waterford was second in the
u 17 2000 metres steeplechase

Rathgormack 5 miles Result

Race 4 of the Outfield Sports Three County Challenge the Auto Power
Rathgormack 5 miles was held on Friday evening last and William
Mansell Clonmel easily won it with Noel Murphy Waterford AC second and
Sally Forristal St Joseph's was first lady home.

Woodstown Five Miles on Friday

The Annual Alan Everett Memorial 5 miles road race is in Woodstown Co
Waterford this Friday July 18 th and in incorporates the Waterford
County Championship.  It  starts at 7 pm sharp,with walkers leaving at
6.45 pm.This year there's a time bonus of 250 euros if the winner
finishes under 25 mins and 100 euros for the 1 st female under 27.30
mins all the prize giving and refreshments will be in "The
Saratoga".online entries are now being  taken at www.waterfordac.com
for 10 euros or will be 15 euros on the night from 5.30 pm till 6.45
pm in "The Saratoga" Proceeds going to  Dunmore East branch of the
Irish Coast Guard. Lots of sponsored prizes and will be loads of spot
prizes on the night. Race starts approximately 1000 metres from "The
Saratoga" on the Dunmore East side of Woodstown. On Friday July 25 th
the Ballymacarbry 5 miles is at 8 pm. Ger Wyley Series.

All Ireland Juvenile

The final two days of the All Ireland juvenile track and field
championships are in Tullamore on Saturday and Sunday July 26 th and
27 th


Road Races in early August

Friday 1 st Final Race Outfield Sports Series Piltown 10 km 7.30 pm.
Friday 8 th Marine Climb Dungarvan 6 miles another race Ger Wyley
Sports Skins /Series,Sunday10 th Island run 5 KM Waterford Castle 1
pm, Friday !5 th Liz Hayes Memorial 5 miles Ballyduff  Lower Waterford