Fintan Walsh's weekly blog

Four National titles won and Kelly on the double

Keeping up the marvellous record that Waterford athletes have at the
National Senior Track and Field Championships  our athletes came back
from Santry Stadium last week end with four gold medals as well as a
silver and bronze. Once again Kelly Proper Ferrybank AC was the
Waterford star as she brought home two gold  and one bronze retaining
two of the three titles she won in 2013. On Saturday she first of all
won the long jump title with a jump of 6.27 metres and this victory
brought her tally of long jump titles to eight in the last nine years.
A short time later she won her semi final of the 200 metres in 24.06
and later on in winning the final clocked 23.22 her second fastest
time ever for her second win of the day again retaining her crown,
making it three in all she also won the 200 metres in 2009. Then on
Sunday this athlete who thrives on competition defended her 100 metres
title and won her semi final in 11.62. In the final she eventually
finished third in 11.62 seconds behind dead heaters the three times
champion Amy Foster of Lisburn and Phil Healy Bandon  timed at 11.49
Another Ferrybank AC athlete also collected a gold medal on Saturday
making it four titles in a row Cara Kennedy impressively won the
hammer with a throw of 56.82 metres  over three metres in front of the
second athlete and very close to her best she is a most consistent
performer

Thomas Barr's four in a row.

Sunday proved to be a mixed day for brother and sister Thomas and
Jessie Barr both expected to give it a big shot to win 400 metres
hurdle titles for four successive years.Thomas duly obliged with yet
another powerful run and faultless display of hurdling to score an
easy victory in 50.04.Despite being checked in for her race Jessie did
not appear on the start line and it transpired that she arrived in at
a late stage for her race due to being caught in very heavy traffic on
the outskirts of Dublin and withdrew  due to insufficient time to warm
up. Again on Sunday Thomas Houlihan West Waterford  had a fine pole
vault competition eventually finishing second with a personal best of
4.70 metres the same height as the winner who took the title on the
count back with fewer faults The 1500 metres was a very important race
for David Mc Carthy West Waterford as besides himself three others in
the field had qualifying times for the European Championships but only
three will go and Sunday's winner was an automatic choice. In the end
David finished 4 th in 3.45.64 behind  Ciarán O'Lionárd who won in
3.43.85 in a tactical race so David has to wait and see if he makes
it.  James Ledingham another West Waterford athlete won his heat of
the 800 metres on Saturday and put up a fine performance in the final
on Sunday finishing just outside the medals in 4 th place in 1.50.73 a
foot behind the third athlete home, Others to do well were Lisa
Houlihan do 4 th in pole vault and Sean Archer Ferrybank again 4 th in
the triple jump and Paul Murphy again Ferrybank was 6 th in the 400
metres final in 48.40 this was his first major final and Niamh Whelan
made it through to the 100 metres final but withdrew due to injury,
she also got to the 200 metres final and finished 5 th in 24.37.In the
junior 3000 metres Eoin Browne Ferrybank was 6th.

Schools International

Three athletes from Waterford Schools were on the Irish team for the
Schools International in Cardiff on Saturday and all fared very well.
Orlaith O'Brien Ursuline set a personal best in finishing second in
the javelin with 45.16 metres, Jurig Kanass St Augustine's  finished
second in the Pole Vault with 4.03 metres and Megan Dunford do was 6
th in the pole vault with a personal best of 2.85 metres.


Alan Everett Memorial Road Race

Over 200 competed in the 7 th Annual Alan Everett Memorial Road Race
over 5 miles   in Woodstown on Friday last and Shane Quinn Ferrybank
AC was the very impressive winner in a fast time of 24 minutes 56
seconds, Kevin Dooney  Raheny Shamrocks was second in 25.16 and Niall
Sheil St Killian's Wexford was third in 26.51. Emily Sissons
Providence College USA girl friend of Shane Quinn also came up with a
very fast winning time of 27.17, Jacqui Carthy Kilmore was second in
29.59 and Órna Murray Ferrybank third in 30.04. Category winners; Men
M40 Mark Weir Nth Down, M45 Jim Baldwin Waterford, M50 Bill Egan ( Ind
), M 55 Dermot Power Waterford, M60 Con Kelleher do , M70 Tony O'Brien
do, Women M35 Joan Mahony Waterford, M40 Eilish Coady  ( Ind ) M45
Sharon Flynn Waterford, M50 Una Ui Mhuirrthe ( Ind ), M60 Terri Gough
West Waterford AC. junior Aisling Quinn Ferrybank,among those running
was Rally driver Craig Breen. The late Alan's wife Annette and her
daughters as well as his brothers and sister were present and the race
was started by his sister Norma Kenneally and his brother Pat spoke on
behalf of the family thanking all involved. Waterford Athletic Club
organised the event and Trevor Walsh Chairperson thanked all who
supported the event and the sponsors. As usual the ladies had lots of
refreshments ready for all competitors in"The Saratoga" after the race
The Waterford County Championship was incorporated in the event and
the two winners were Shane Quinn and Órna Murray.

All Ireland Juvenile

The final two days of the All Ireland Juvenile Track and Field
championships are in Tullamore on Saturday and Sunday next July 26 th
and 27 th and many athletes from Waterford clubs will compete. Two
very long days of competitions lie ahead with Saturdays programme
beginning at 10.30 am and Sunday's at 10 am and full timetable on
Athletic Ireland website.

Ballymacarbry 5 Miles

Another race in the Ger Wyley Sports/ Skins Series takes place this
Friday July 25 th at 8 pm in Ballymacarbry Co Waterford its the 19 th
Annual Doocey's Bar 5 miles. Entries from 6.45 pm in Community Hall in
Ballymacarbry which is on the Clonmel /Dungarvan Road . On Sunday
there is a 10 miles in Ballynonty Co Tipperary at 11 am

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, 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

 Late Jack Lalor

The death occurred last week of John ( Jack ) Lalor  from Carrick on
Suir who won NACA  All Ireland senior titles in the 100 yds in three
successive years 1958,1959 and 1960, he also won the 60 yds in 1958
and 1960 collected silver medals in the 60 and 100 yds in 1961 and
silver medals in the 220 yds in 1959,1960 and 1961 and a bronze in
1958. Many Waterford athletes still around from that era including
yours truly would have competed at all the meetings Jack competed in
and one or two would have run against him and all were great friends
of his  For a sprinter his athletic life started quite late but he
still was one of the best possessing a devastating start and had a
great spring in his step  Sympathy is extended to his wife and family
from all his