Many of Galway’s top track and field athletes competed at the AIT Baseline meet last Wednesday in the AIT Arena, but it was Cillin Greene who stole the show,
The Galway City Harrier broke the National Indoor 300m with a superb performance, running 34.06 to claim his place in the record books.
Sprinters Jonah Erugo and Ronnie Warde of Castlegar also impressed over 60m. GCH athlete James Frizzell impressed in the 1000m running a time of 2.35, with clubmate Neill Keane finishing in 2.38. Maebh Brannigan of GCH clocked solid 3.03 in the women's race, while over 3k, GCH veteran Gerry Carty ran well to clock 9.58, and Aisling Joyce ran a decent season opener clocking 10.06.
Galway were well represented at the National Novice Cross Country and Juvenile Uneven Ages Cross Country for U11s up to U19s in Navan Adventure Park on Saturday.
The event featured some hugely competitive races on a true and testing cross country course in wet and windy conditions with Tuam AC, Craughwell AC, East Galway and GCH fielding athletes and teams across all races.
Notable performances for county runners included a fine run by Oisin Maher of Clifden, running with Westport AC, who placed 16th in the U11 race, which was held in very difficult conditions. At U13 level, Mathys Bocquet of Craughwell was Galway’s best finisher of the day in sixth place, while Gearoid King of Castlegar did very well in his first national race placing 15th overall.
At U15 level Ross McGuinness of Craughwell AC performed well, finishing 13th, while Aine O'Farrell of Athenry had a great race taking eighth in the U19 race.
At adult level Galway fielded two strong novice teams, with the ladies' team combining well over the 4km two lap circuit to finish 11th team overall. The team was led by Cliodhna Ruane of Corrib AC, who had a stormer to be first home ahead of Eleanor Whyte, Deirdre McCrae and Mags Sheridan, all of GCH, with top runner Aisling Joyce of GCH having to withdraw midway with a foot injury. Individually, NUI Galway athletes Orna Murray and Aoife O'Brien had two great runs, claiming 13th and 22nd place respectively.
The novice men's race over 6km was a real spectacle with some 250 runners taking on the testing hilly and twisty circuit. Zak Hanna of Newcastle AC in Down won an exciting race, with Galway’s best finisher, Craughwell AC athlete Damien O Boyle, in 31st place, with clubmate Kevin Mooney next in 44th, followed Jack Miskella (Craughwell ), Neill Keane and Naoise O Gibney of GCH, and Mark Davis of Craughwell, completing the six scorers for the Galway team. Craughwell AC placed 12th club overall, with Galway county in eighth overall.
Newcastle 5k
A pre-Christmas 5k was held in Newcastle, Athenry, on Sunday by Athenry AC, and first home was Cathal O'Reilly of Loughrea AC in a time of17.27. Sean Hanley of GCH in second in 17.55, and Jane Ann Meehan of GCH third in 18.03. Second women was Emma Boyle, with Linda Porter third.
Fixtures
The Fields of Athenry 10k road race takes place next Wednesday, St Stephen’s Day, in Athenry at 11am. The race will be a sell out with entry likely to close before the weekend.
The Resolution Run 5k Galway is the first race of 2019 on New Year’s Day in Galway city at 11am. Entry is now open on Active and Race HQ is the Claddagh Hall on the day from 9.30am.
