Strong performances in Ulster 14-19 championships

While the senior section took in the Strabane 10K and Brian O'Domhnaill competed in a 20K. in Leamington. Brian was going really well in this event was placed 13th of 45 starters when injury prevented him from completing at 17K. He will now prepare for the National track championship in mid July. In Strabane Catriona McGranaghan won the women's section tackling and joined up with Noreen Bonner and Gloria Donaghy to win the team. Kieran Carlin led Valley to the mens team second place with John McGlinchey 4th and Patrick Hegarty 6th.

This weekend a number of athletes represent their schools in the Tailteann Games while club coach Bernie Alcorn travels to Budapest in charge of the Irish Junior squad.

There were a lot of very encouraging performances from the Finn Valley juveniles in the U14 to U19 age groups in Antrim on Saturday and Sunday. A top four finish in the Ulster Championships qualifies the athletes for a place in the All-Ireland Championships in Tullamore on the 8th and 9th July and as Sunday’s competition finished we had 31 athletes qualified for 39 events. Eleven Gold medallists, seven Silver and five Bronze.

Gold medallists were Laura Feely, our only double gold medallist of the weekend, in the Hammer and Shot U16, Nicole O’Leary U14 Javelin (Nicole also won a Silver medal in the Shot Putt, Sharieen McCrudden U15 Javelin (31.86m a new p.b.), the ever reliable Matthew Kelly – Shot Putt Gold U15 in a new p.b.and also a Silver medal in the Javelin. Gold also for Paul Doherty who had another very close race with John Bosco athlete Christopher Britton over the 100m Hurdles with Paul just 2 hundredths of a second ahead. Aoife Whelan U16, Michael Penrose U16, Shauna Guthrie U17 and Fionnuala Bruton U18 all showed great technique in winning their respective walks. Laura Friel won the U17 High Jump.

Silver medals also for Clive Heapes with a terrific 40.80m throw in the Hammer, Clive also won Bronze in the Javelin (30.96m) and qualified also in the Shot Putt. Jodie Stewart had a very good long jump competition (4.79m) and looks likely to go over 5m soon. Ciara Gallen also looked impressive in the U17 Javelin with 25.86m for 2nd place. Bronagh Sweeny also won silver in the U18 800m as did Madeline Penrose in the U14 2000m Walk.

Bronze medals for Donna McBride U16 300m Hurdles, her first Ulster individual medal, Clara Dunnion U16 2000m Walk, Cormac Gallen U15 Javelin an excellent throw of 32.42m in a very close competition and Kieran O’Grady in the U18 Shot (11.08m). Aileen Brennan cleared 1.45m under pressure to win Bronze in the U15 High Jump.

Qualification places for Christopher Gallagher U14 Javelin, Karen Ferguson U15 800m, Aaron McMenamin U15 High Jump, Denise Beirne U17 Triple Jump, Tara Hegarty, U17 800m, Ciara Hegarty 300m, Darran McNulty U17 Triple Jump.

Good performances on the day also from Brendan McDaid, Shaun Bannigan, Kevin Smith, Ryan McNulty, Niamh Doherty, Ailish Patton, Ciaran McGill, Lorcan McMenamin, Pauric McLaughlin (an unfortunate fall during the race but still finished 6th) and Emily Murphy.

Finn Valley have five athletes representing their respective schools in the prestigious Tailteann Games in Tullamore on Saturday, namely, Laura Feely, Paul Doherty, Ian Ward, Shane Bonner and Fionnuala Bruton. With possible places on the Irish Schools team for the Schools international at stake, we wish them all the best of luck.

Newsletters by Niall McGonagle, Club P.R.O.