Ulster Glory for Finn Valley Athletes

The Finn Valley juvenile athletes have been hitting the headlines again following three days of competition in the Ulster Track & Field Championships.

Templemore Sports Complex

Our youngest athletes were competing in the 9,10, 11 & 12 Championships at the Templemore Sports Complex and gave a very good account of themselves indeed.

In the Girls 9 Awards Scheme the Gold Winners were Caoimhe McMenamin, Eve Quigley and Blathnaid Patton all of whom have now qualified for the National Award Scheme in Tullamore in July. In the Girls 10 Award Scheme the Gold Winners were Geraldine Gallagher and Rebecca Ward. Congratulations to all these young athletes who will no doubt be stars of the future.

Mark Bonner won the Silver medal in the U11 600m. Dean Bonner won the Gold medal in the U11 Ball Throw with Ryan Kelly also qualifying for the National Championships in 4th place. Ryan McNulty took the Bronze medal in the U12 600m, Ciaran Brennan won the Silver in the U12 Ball Throw, Andrew Gallagher took the Bronze medal in the U12 High Jump. Aaron McMenamin retained his Ulster Title in the High Jump and also won the Silver medal in the Long Jump. Matthew Kelly won the Gold in the U13 Javelin, 27.47m and Silver in the Ball Throw and Shot. Aaron McColgan won the U13 Ball Throw with a massive throw of 49.12m. Cormac Gallen won the Silver medal in the U13 Javelin with 21.60m.

Our girls were also very much to the fore with fantastic performances from Shireen McCrudden winning double Gold in the U13 Ball Throw and U13 Javelin. Shireen is the younger sister of Gavin McCrudden who has won the National Javelin Title two years running in Tullamore. Jodie Stewart also struck Gold in the U13 Long Jump with three of our girls qualifying in the U13 600m and Silver for Niamh Doherty, Bronze for Karen Ferguson and 4th place for Emily Murphy. Aileen Brennan had a busy day winning three Bronze medals in the U13 High Jump, Hurdles and Javelin.

Antrim Forum

Last Saturday and Sunday our older juvenile athletes contested the Ulster/Northern Ireland Championships at the Antrim Forum and were also very successful.

The U14 and U15 age groups competed on Saturday and produced six Gold Medals, Five Silver and Four Bronze and four 4th positions who also qualify for the National Championships in Tullamore on the 10th and 11th of July.

Gold medals were won by Laura Feely in the Shot, Gavin McCrudden in the Javelin (37.57m), Shauna Guthrie in the U15 2000m Walk, Aoife Whelan in the 2000m Walk U14, Breda McGinty in the 1500m running a great race despite getting spiked at the start to win in a time of 5 minutes 14 seconds and Laura Friel in the U15 High Jump in very windy conditions (1.45m).

Silver medals were won by Clive Heapes in the U14 Hammer and U14 Javelin, Lorcan McMenamin in the U14 High Jump, Ian Ward in the U15 1500m, Natasha Duffy in the 2000m U15 Walk.

Bronze medal winners were Laura Feely in the U14 Javelin, Clara Dunnion U14 2000m Walk, Fionnuala Lindsay in the U14 1500m in an excellent time of 5 minutes 19 seconds and Ciara Gallen in the U15 Javelin.

Aiden Connolly -- 250m Hurdles, Kieran McGill, U14 Javelin, Pauric McLaughlin U14 800m and Paula Friel U14 2000m Walk all finished 4th in their respective events and will also qualify to compete at the National Championships in Tullamore.

On Sunday the U16 to U19 age groups were in action with yet more success with Gold medals for Michael Reid in the U18 Discus, Fionnuala Bruton in the U16 2000m Walk putting in a great performance to achieve a personal best of 10 minutes 30.2 seconds, Nikki Alcorn retaining her Ulster Title once again also achieving a personal best time in the 3000m Walk and indeed went straight from the finish of the Walk to the start of the 3000m run and won the Bronze medal there. Brendan Alexander was delighted with his Gold medal in the U19 Pole Vault and followed this up with a Bronze in the 400m.

Bronagh Sweeney won the Silver medal in the U16 1500m and Bronze medals were won by Geraldine Kelly both in the Triple Jump and Long Jump, Maurice Boyle in the U17 Steeplechase, Maeve Culhane in the U16 2000m Walk, Kieran O'Grady in the U16 Discus, Kieran also qualified in 4th place in the Javelin. Laura Reid qualified in the U16 Javelin in 4th place and Joe McGinley qualified both in the 100m and in the 200m where he had a particularly good run narrowly missing the bronze. Good performances also from Emma O'Neill and Declan Hennessey.

Tailteann Games

Congratulations to Michael Reid (Discus), Geraldine Kelly (Triple Jump) and Nikki Alcorn (3000m Walk) who have been selected to compete on the Ulster Team at the Schools Interprovincial match in Tullamore on Saturday. Good luck to them all.

Training

Training continues on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings with full attendance expected from all those athletes who have qualified for the National Championships.

Bernie Alcorn, P.R.O.