Limerick Athletics - Weekly News Update

Limerick County Senior & Juvenile Even-Age Cross Country Championships

THE Newcastle West Demesne was the venue for the ‘Blue Riband’ event of the Limerick Athletics calendar, the Limerick County Senior & Juvenile Even-Age Cross Country Championships which took place in perfect conditions last Sunday.

Niall Shanahan, of An Bru AC, won his third title in a row as he led from start to finish and had a gap of over 100 metres after the first 5 laps. He was followed by a group from West Limerick AC with Karl Lenihan who has had a very good year finishing second and clubmate Declan Guina 3rd.

Fourth place went to Killian Lynch (West Limerick), fifth Niall O’Callaghan (West Limerick) sixth th Derek Kiely (Limerick AC). West Limerick AC took their 14th County Team title on 9pts with West Limerick ‘B’ second on 22.

In the Women’s event Emerald’s Sophie Moroney retained her title. She also led from the start with Dooneen’s Sinead McDermott almost catching her on the last lap of the 8K course. Dooneen’s Emer O’Mahony completed the podium. Fourth was Grace O’Donnell (Emerald, with) 5th Verena Tarpey, 6th Carmel Mac Domhnaill. Dooneen AC were first team.

Juvenile Races
Good numbers were present for the juvenile races with u 10 girls starting proceedings. Gold individual and team went to the host club West Limerick with Elsa Fahy winning gold and team mates Anna Stack (bronze) joined by Mollie Buckley and Katelyn Barrett. Individual silver went to Dooneen AC Blanca Davies. 

U12 gold also went to West Limerick with Eavan Lyons running a fine race to finish ahead of Eva McMahon and Ciara Lynn of Dooneen AC. Dooneen won team gold with West Limerick silver and LAC 3rd. Sophia Meaney Dooneen won the U14’s race ahead of LACs Faye Moore and Aimee Whelan.  Maria Cagney West Limerick U 18 Gold. 

Limerick AC proved very strong in the boys U10 and 12 taking individual golds and team golds in both categories. Tom Keogh, LAC gold, Jack Ryan, LAC silver and Jack Young, West Limerick bronze, were the U10 medalists. Team silver went to West Limerick with 3 teams from their club competing in this event. 

U12 gold went to Darragh Whelan with Killian Coman  also LAC taking silver and West Limerick's Darragh Collins taking bronze. Dooneen took team silver with West Limerick 3rd. 

Ruadhan Crowley, Dooneen AC, won the U14 boys event with LAC claiming team Gold with Fionn Cunningham (Silver individual), Adam O'Driscoll (Bronze) Oisin Jennings and James Naughton making up the team. 

U16 boys were lead home by Jack Downes LAC followed by Brian Lynn and Jack Crowley Dooneen AC. Aaron Lynch West Limerick won the U18 boys with Alan McCutcheon taking Silver.  Many thanks go to West Limerick AC on being superb hosts.

Run Galway Bay
Taking place in loops entirely along the Salthill Promenade Gary Egan (An Bru) was 3rd man in 36:33 in the 10K in an event won outright by Cork’s Lizzie Lee in 35:25. Sergiu Ciobanu win the Half Marathon in 1:10:23.

Karen Raine ran the full marathon with many athletes currently in final preparation for the forthcoming Dublin Marathon.

50 Years Ago
Ireland's athlete of the year, Neil Cusack (20), the former Limerick A.C. runner attending East Tennessee State University. won the 34th N.C.AA. cross-country individual championship.
Cusack clocked 28 minutes, 23 seconds for the six-mile course in murky 40 degree heat in Hueston, Texas on his way to claiming the prestigious title.