Alanna Lally was the well-deserved winner of Athletics Ireland’s Tailteann Schools Award at the annual national awards ceremony in Dublin recently.
Lally enjoyed a most successful 2014 with numerous national title wins, including the national championships at u-19 level over 400m and 800m, both indoor and outdoor. She set a championship best performance at 400m, won the All Ireland Schools Senior 800m, and finished second in the National Junior 800m, just missing selection for the World Junior championships.
Craughwell AC ‘s high jump athlete Cathriona Farrell received the Galway Bay FM Athletics Award 2014.
She was a close runner up in the Young Sportsperson of the Year Award, just missing out by 12 votes in the public text-voting competition.
During the year Farrell won a phenomenal number of titles, including the national senior, intervarsity, and u-23 indoor and outdoor titles, and was selected for her first senior international to compete on the Irish team in the European Team Cup.
Novice Cross Country
Galway and Craughwell athletes make up most of the teams in Sunday’s All Ireland Novice Cross Country in Santry.
Both squads have some strong athletes and will be in the hunt for county team medals. Keith Fallon and Neil Greaney, both strong track runners, along with triathlete John Greaney are three athletes with potential for high placings in the hugely competitive men’s race. In the women’s event, GCH star Alvy Carragher will expect to go well following her fifth place at the intermediates earlier this year, and she will be well supported by Helen Corbett, Barbara Dunne and Niamh Hennelly.
Senior men: Neil Greaney, Paul Joyce, Ollie Mullins, Robert Hogan ( all Craughwell AC ); Martin Kearney, Billy King, Seamus Leddy, John Moroney, Culan O’Meara, Declan Duggan, Keith Fallon, John Greaney, Damien Ridge, Brian Bruton (all Galway City Harriers A.C ); Vincent McGuinness, Crusaders AC.
Senior Women: Alvy Carragher, Helen Corbett, Barbara Dunne, Siobhan Egan, Niamh Hennelly, Sinead Brody,Gráinne Ní Uallacháin, Jane Walsh (all Galway City Harriers AC ); Emer O’Connell (Corrib AC ); Catherine Thornton (Crusaders AC ).
This weekend sees the annual Carnmore Turkey trot over 5km in aid of Carnmore Hurling Club, which will be held Sunday at 1pm. Race director Andy Talbot expects a bumper attendance, with turkeys as prizes for the various category winners.
