International Selection for Finn Valley Masters

The Finn Valley Seniors and Masters travelled to the Phoenix Park in Dublin to compete in the Gerry Farnan Memorial race.

Senior Women

The Senior women won the team title with great runs from Noleen Porter in 7th, (1st Over 35), Catriona McGranaghan 10th, Clodagh McCool 11th and Kay Byrne 18th (1st Over 40). Noleen and Kay gained international selection as a result of their great performances for the Home Countries International in November.

Senior Men

In the Senior men's race Finn Valley finished 2nd behind Raheny. Very good performances from Kevin Holian 10th, James McMahon 15th (2nd O-40), Dominic Bonner 20th (4th O-40), Charlie Gallagher 32nd, Michael McGlinchey 37th, Pat McElroy 60th, Drew Doherty 100th, Jim Hynes (4th over 60).

James, Dominic and Jim all gained international selection also by virtue of their performances. Congratulations to all.

News from America

Joe Byrne, running for University of Illinois, won the 8K race in the Saluki Invitational in a field of 52 athletes. His time was 25.17.46. Everyone at Finn Valley is delighted to hear that Joe is doing so well.

Finn Valley Retain Top Juvenile Cross-Country Trophy

Finn Valley juveniles travelled to Killybegs on Sunday for the second round of the Donegal Juvenile Cross-Country Championships and totally dominated the championships with Five Team Golds, Two Team Silvers and One Team Bronze with no less than 14 individual top three placings. The team trophy for the best juvenile cross-country club in Donegal was handed over to team captain Alan Cavanagh who was the individual winner of the under 16 boys. It was a proud moment for Alan who has been with the club for many years and has really come to the fore in the past 12 months. Alan's first introduction to athletics was through his primary school Woodland N.S. outside Letterkenny. Alan's father John was also there to witness the occasion and will no doubt be following his progress through the upcoming Ulster and All-Ireland Championships.

U10 Girls

The U10 Girls produced our first individual medallist in the form of Rebecca Ward, younger sister of Ian and Simon and another star in the making. Rebecca running in her first race finished 3rd. Tory Lafferty 13th, Aishling Gallagher 14th, Geraldine Gallagher15th, Louise McCafferty 19th, Megan Stewart 20th, Justine Duffy 22nd, Ciara McGarvey 25th, Andrea McCafferty, Josephine O'Neill, Ciara Boyle, Aoife McNulty, Shannon Driscoll, Shannon O'Kane, Niam Gallen and Erin McGranaghan all running well.

U10 Boys

The U10 Boys also showed genetics at work with Mark Bonner, son of Noreen Bonner (nee Martin) former Donegal Senior record holder for the marathon, winning individual silver and leading his team to silver medals on 21 points behind Letterkenny on 18 points and ahead of Killybegs on 59 points. Rory Finnegan, Letterkenny A.C. was 1st and Shaun Graham Letterkenny 3rd , Finn Valley's Dean Bonner, 4th, Justin Browne 5th, Paul Smith 10th, Ryan Kelly 11th, Ryan Porter 12th and Mark Gillespie 26th giving great support in the team event.

U12 Girls

The U12 Girls was a very close affair both individually and team wise with Lisa Shiels, Letterkenny holding off our own Amy Slevin in Silver position closely followed by Finn Valleys Karen Ferguson in Bronze, Emily Murphy had a great run in 4th place with Rochelle Tourish in 18th, Ciara Devenney 19th, Aileen Brennan 20th, Catherine McNulty 25th, Madeline Penrose 28th, Grace Ward 29th and Carla McDaid 32nd. A Very good Milford team winning the Gold on 26 points just holding off Finn Valley in Silver position on 27 points with Letterkenny in 3rd place on 34 points.

U12 Boys

The U12 Boys was a very exciting race with Finn Valley's Gerry Boyle having a great run in Silver medal position behind All-Ireland 600m Champion Mark English from Letterkenny with Caolan Ward also Letterkenny in 3rd. Gerry was well backed up in the team event with Christopher McBride in 4th place, Patrick Geary 5th, Eamon Patterson 6th, Colm McLaughlin 8th, Niall Doherty 11th, Andrew Gallagher 12th, Ryan McNulty 14th, Ciaran Brennan 20th, Kyle Tourish 21st, Kevin Smith 23rd, Kevin Smith 23rd, Paul Kelly 28th, Cormac Gallen 34th. Finn Valley easily winning the team event on 17 points, from Letterkenny on 26 points and Cranford on 57 points.

U14 Girls

The U14 Girls race produced an individual champion for Finn Valley with Jackie Gibson storming into the lead at the halfway stage to take the gold medal from Carla Bourne, Letterkenny with Fionnuala Lindsay, Finn Valley finishing very strongly in 3rd place. Gemma Vance who had led the race at the start held on for a very good 5th position and considering she is very new to athletics and is a year out of her age group looks like she will have a very bright future indeed. Tara Hegarty, (daughter of Pat Hegarty) finished in 7th, Bronagh O'Doherty 9th, Aofie Whelan 11th, Clara Dunnion 13th, Mairead McGill, despite a very bad fall, finished in 15th, Andrea McCafferty 22nd, Ailish Patton 23rd, Donna McBride 25th, Natasha Duffy 27th and Laura Friel 31st. Finn Valley won the team gold with 16 points from Letterkenny on 37 points. This team has excellent prospects at National level when you consider that Breda McGinty, last years silver medallist at National level, was not running due to flu.

U14 Boys

Not to be outdone the U14 boys produced another individual champion for Finn Valley with newcomer Kevin Mossey battling it out with team-mate Ian Ward for Gold and Silver with Kevin outsprinting Ian for the Gold and Dan King from Milford winning the bronze. Ryan McDaid finished strongly in 5th, Shane Bonner 6th, Aiden Connolly 7th, Pauric McLaughlin 8th, Philip Browne 11th, Lorcan McMenamin 13th, Dermot Brennan 14th, Conor McNulty 15th, and Michael Penrose 23rd. Needless to say Finn Valley won the team gold easily on 14 points with Letterkenny 2nd on 61 points.

U16 Girls

The U16 girls won Bronze medals in the team event on 38 points, behind Letterkenny 19 points and Inishowen 24 points, in a very high standard race with Letterkenny's Joanne English winning individual gold, from Karen Crossan, Inishowen 2nd and Sarah Shiels Inishowen 3rd. Maeve Culhane finished very strongly in 4th place just out of the medals with good running from Nikki Alcorn in 9th, Emma O'Neill 12th, Fionnuala Bruton 13th, Paula Gallagher 15th and Bronagh Sweeney 19th.

U16 Boys

In the U16 boys Team Captain Alan Cavanagh meant business from the start as he stormed into the lead with team-mate Mark McGowan in hot pursuit. They crossed the line in that order with Anthony Dorrian, Letterkenny in 3rd place. The team event was won by Finn Valley on 17 points. Conor McConnell 6th, Diarmuid Fullerton 8th, Stefan Connolly 9th, Enda Doherty 10th, Ross Wherity 11th, Maurice Boyle 13th, Kevin Gallagher 15th, Brian Patton 18th and Ronan McCabe 19th.

U18 Girls

We had no team for the U18 girls but we had two very good individuals with Levina Merritt following up on her silver medal in the U19 championships last week going one better to win Gold with team-mate Geraldine Kelly (National U17 Triple Jump Champion) taking the silver medal.

U18 Boys

Last race of the day was the U18 boys where we had another individual medallist this time in the form of Mark McGlinchey who battled bravely throughout the 5000m race to hold on for the Bronze medal and led his team to Gold with Brendan Alexander in 5th, Joe McGinley 6th and Declan Hennessey 7th. This was a very brave effort indeed considering all these boys are sprinters!! James King, Milford was the individual winner here from Martin Kelly, Letterkenny.

Juvenile uneven age group Ulster Cross-Country Championships at Ballyclare next Saturday

On Saturday our juveniles are heading for Ballyclare to contest the uneven age group Ulster Cross-Country Championships and club coaches feel that over the two weekends (Killybegs for the even age groups) we should have 11 teams not only qualify for the National Championships but with the potential to finish in the top three at National level. Travel details etc. will be on the club notice board.

Training continues on Tuesday, Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings at 10.30 a.m.

Bernie Alcorn 21/10/2003.