Limerick cross-country championships produce thrilling action

CROSS COUNTRY:

THE weather gods did not smile on Bilboa’s Old Quarry ground as wet and windy conditions provided the backdrop for the final County Cross-Country Championship race of 2022. This however did not deter from great action in both ‘Adult’ and ‘Juvenile’ Grades. Many thanks as always go to Bilboa for being excellent hosts.

In the Women’s section Tracey Johnson stormed to overall victory in the combined Novice and Masters race with clubmate Sinead McDermott was second. Third overall and the new Novice Champion is Dooneen’s Grace Culhane. Kate Bobka of An Bru was second Novice with Eadaoin Hennessey third for Dooneen.

Fourth Sheila Clavin, 5th Clare Coleman, 6th Louise Matthews, Dooneen took both Novice and Masters Team Titles on 9pts with Dooneen ‘B’ on 23 and West Limerick on 25pts. F50 Fiona Burke, F65 Carmel MacDomhnaill.

In the men’s event Karl Lenihan led from start to finish in taking the Masters crown. It was close in the early stages as clubmate Killian Lynch dug in close behind him but Lenihan extended his lead over the 4 laps and was a comfortable winner. Killian Lynch did however take the coveted Novice title.

It was a strong day for Dooneen as newcomers to Cross Country Cian Aherne and Niall Harris were second and third Novice respectively. Sam Hand was 4th for Kilmallock, 5th John Whitaker, 6th Krzystoff Sikorski. West Limerick just edged Dooneen by one point for the Team Title by 27pts to 28. Limerick AC were third on 40Pts with Kilmallock on 43.

M55 Joe Chawke, M60 Tony McMahon, M70 Tommy Madden. Dooneen rounded off a good day for the club by taking Masters Team Gold.

In challenging wet conditions the juvenile athletes took on the course in Bilboa with energy and enthusiasm. The u9 events started the day with some taking part in their first competitive event. 

West Limerick's Elsa Fahy led the u9 girls from the start to take Gold individual and team Bronze  with Molly O’Connor, Mollie Buckley and Olivia Enright. LAC had a very strong Team Gold, finishing with 4 athletes in the top 10 (Anna Murphy 2nd Alana Ryan 3rd , Isabelle Connolly 4th and Sadhbh Corrigan10th).

Dooneen AC were 2nd team with Clara Mooney 6, Sarah Trehy 7, Georgia O’ Sullivan 8 and Zoe Casey O Shea 17. 

Eva McMahon’s first place finish led Dooneen ACs U11 team to Gold with Faye Cusack 3rd Blanca Daviet 4th and Aoife Hayes 7th. Crea Moores Silver individual place led her Limerick AC team to silver position (Zara Coman 6, Tabitha Carroll 11 &Gabriella O Neill 13) 

Caoimhe Blackwell led Bilboa AC to Bronze team medal position with  Ava Egan Doireann O Dwyer and Mia O’Toole. 

Ellen Goggin won the U13 with LAC’s Faye Moore in Silver and Tiyah Coughlan Bronze. Aideen Kinsella Emma Murphy and Roisin Doyle completed Limerick ACs team taking the gold medals. 

Aimee Whelan won U15 with a fine run followed by Rhiannon Heng and Roisin Ní Neill Dooneen AC. 

Sarah Butler Dooneen AC and Sam Logan LAC won respective U19 events. 

U9 boys took off at pace and all teams raced right to the end to ensure best team placings. Ciaran McLoughlin West Limerick was first followed by Darragh Lynn Dooneen AC and Tom Lynch Limerick AC in third.

Dooneen took team Gold (Darragh Lynn, Sam Russell , Darragh Minogue and Caleb Cusack) LAC silver (Tom Lynch, Conal Redmond ,Rory McDonnell and Aidan O Brien) and West Limerick Bronze ( Ciaran McLoughlin, Joey Liston, Joe McCarthy, Donal Shine)

The U11 boys race was hotly contested with Limerick AC taking Gold Killian Coman and silver Rian Kiely Keogh’s and West Limerick  3rd James King and 4th Jack Young.

The teams were separated only by 2pts in the end with LAC taking team Gold (Oisin McGuinness and Oliver Keogh) and West Limerick silver (Cormac  Murphy and Conor Hayes) Dooneen AC were 3rd team (Cooper Martin,Thomas O Donnell, Alex Whelton and Iarla Kelleher) . 

Limerick AC U15 boys took the top 3 places and Team Gold led in by John Farrell, Danny Coyne and Adam O Driscoll with Oisin Jennings on the team also.  Boys U15 raced strongly with Fionn Cunningham LAC winning Gold followed  by Garvan Lyons West Limerick and James Naughton LAC.

Liam Barry Sun Hill Harriers completed the line-up. Aaron Lynch West Limerick performed very strongly for the second week in a row taking County Gold with Jack Downes LAC  Silver and  Alan McCutcheon bronze as he had a race to the finish with Brian Lynn Dooneen AC in 4th. 

AROUND THE COUNTRY:

Community Games National Cross country took place in Navan Adventure Centre Saturday. Limerick had 5 teams competing in the mixed distance relay events U12 and U14 with children from across the county competing following qualification at the recent county event in Shanagolden.

U14 girls won Gold (Sophia Meaney, Niamh Hynes, Ellen Goggin and Emer Purtill). Mixed U12 team placed second (U12 Kyle Harte Michael Hayes Caoilinn Crowley and Ellie May Quaid ) 

The girls U12 performed strongly (Eilish O Neill , Ellen Cagney, Babette Gonzalez Blodau and Ciara Lynn). U14 boys faced tough opposition at this level but also competed well ( Kieran O Connor Ruaghan Crowley Johnny Tarpey and  Tommy Flynn. Well done to all.

Well done to all who ran the Great Pink Run including Joanne Browne, Patricia Wade and Una Power

ABROAD:

John Kinsella’s dedication paid off as he completed the Chicago Marathon in a pb time of 2:26:06. Clubmate Mick McCarthy followed him in 3:14:50. Yvonne Deegan finished in a very good 3:22:35. Robert McCarthy completed the Manchester Marathon in 1:29:50.