Two Galway students have been selected to represent Ireland at the schools’ international in Cardiff on July 16.
Both Alanna Lally and Evan McGuire were among the medal winners at the Aviva Tailteann Track and Field interprovincial schools competition.
McGuire claimed gold in the 400m hurdles in 57.33 - a fantastic result for the St Joseph’s College, Galway, athlete who was competing in his first serious 400mh race. McGuire’s clubmate Anthony Hebron, who won the Irish schools title in this event at the start of June, finished sixth.
Alanna Lally represented the Presentation College Athenry and ran a great race in the girls’ 800m to take second place with a great PB of 2.12.9. The winner Siofra Cleirigh Buttner (Colaiste Iosagain ) wiped almost five seconds off Aoife Byrne’s 2:12.5 time set in 1996.
With an eye to the future, Laura-Ann Costello also had a great run to finish 6th in the 200m.
The Galway Senior Track and Field championships took place in Dangan on Thursday night when promising GCH youngsters Keith Fallon (4:20 ) and Derek Murray (4:26 ) came home just ahead of Craughwell AC's Finn Stoneman (4:28 ) in the 1500m.
In the ladies’ 1500m Caroline Whirskey of Loughrea won in a fine time of 5:03, ahead of Nicola O'Ceilligh and Caoimhe Daniele, while Ronan Kelly had a tough battle to just pip Ronan Dobey in the 200m with a 23.4s winning time. Henry Griffin was third in 26.5s.
The men's javelin was dominated by Corofin, taking first and second place through the powerful Farraghers, James and Dean. A third brother Tommy won the veterans’ event.
The women's javelin was won by Craughwell AC's Maria McNamara in 16.63, ahead of Helen Corbett GCH 13.58 and Sarah Finnegan of Craughwell AC 10.72m.
The men's senior high jump was won easily by James Farragher in a solid 1.65, ahead of David Reilly and John Deely both on 1.35, while Craughwell AC's Cathriona Farrell also won with a 1.65 jump in the women’s event, pipping team mates Maria McNamara on 1.50 and Katie O'Donoghue on 1.45.
Juvenile team competition
Galway qualifiers from the Connacht championships took part in the Woodies DIY juvenille u-9 to u-11 team competition. In the u-9 60m Chellane Trill and Sinead Duggan of GCH took bronze, while their clubmates Ella Ibidunni and Zoe Moore also took third in the u-10 girls.
Shane Jennings and Oisin McCormack of Ballinasloe & District AC won silver in the boys’ u-11 60m, with Jennings securing the fastest individual time in the 60m of 9.15s. Jennings also ran the fastest overall individual time in the 600m with a quality finish of 1:49:33 to help him and teammate Niall Collins (2:02.21 ) to another silver.
Galway's other silver medal came in the long jump from Craughwell AC's Kate Reilly (2.80 ) and Ava Finn (3.10 ). Ava's fine 3.10 jump was the joint furthest individual jump in the competition. Cian Garman (3.24 ) and Ryan Gallagher (3.48 ) finished third in the u-10 boys’ long jump.
In the u-9 girls’ 4x100m relay, Craughwell AC athletes, Ava Finn, Kate Reilly, Aine Kelly, Leanne Lynskey and sub Laoise Bond, claimed bronze, while in the u-10 girls’ 4x100m, the team of Sarah McCartin, Jane Trehy, Ailbhe Miskella, Mia Waters and sub Eva Kelly raced to silver.
Farrell wins gold
Craughwell AC's Cathriona Farrell won gold on a blustery day in the high jump with 1.71 and silver in the long jump with 5.24 at the 2011 Woodies DIY Junior and u-23 Championships in Santry. This was a third success victory for Farrell in the high-jump competition.
