National Glory for Finn Valley in Tullamore

National Track & Field Relay Championships

The National Track & Field Relay Championships and the U9 to U13 Championships were held in Tullamore last weekend. The Finn Valley juveniles excelled at these Championships with a total of four Gold medals, four Silver medals and Two Bronze medals in the U13 to U19 section and in the National Awards Scheme for our youngest athletes we had one Gold, two Silvers and two Bronze Awards. Adding this weekends tally to the U14 to U19 individual Championships the previous weekend we had one of our best ever seasons at National level with a total of eighteen Championship medals, Six Gold, Eight Silver and Six Bronze medals in the U13 to U19 age groups. Congratulations to all our athletes and indeed to their dedicated coaches.

The U12 to U19 relay Championships were held on Saturday with terrific performances throughout the day. The U/17 boys won Gold in the 4 x 400m in a time of 3.42.04 well ahead of DSD with 3.50.97. The team here was Mark McGowan, Maurice Boyle, Enda Doherty and Stefan Connolly. The U/17 4 x 100m boys won the silver medals with great running from Mark McGowan, Declan Hennessey, Stefan Connolly and Maurice Boyle in a time of 47.11 behind DSD IN 46.92.

The U/18 boys won the silver medals with a new personal best time of 45.58 a mere .55 of a second behind winners Leevale, Dooneen were 3rd in 46.12. The team here was Joe McGinley, Stewart McClean (winning his first All-Ireland medals this weekend), Seamus McMenamin and Pauric Feely. The U19 team of Joe McGinley, Stewart McClean, Mark McGlinchey and Pauric Feely won the bronze medals also in a new p.b. of 45.38 behind Leevale in 44.31 and Dooneen in 45.24.

Other teams to compete well were U/18 girls -- 5th in the final of the 4 x 300m: Emma O'Neill, Nikki Alcorn, Bronagh Sweeney and Geraldine Kelly. The U15 Girls: Shauna Guthrie, Breda McGinty, Ciara Gallen and Bronagh O'Doherty 7th and the U15 boys: Lorcan McMenamin, Pauric McLaughlin, Christopher O'Leary and Christopher McBride 7th.

Juvenile Games, Awards and U12-13 National Championships

On Sunday the programme got underway with the U/9 to U/11 relays where we had two teams competing. The U/9 girls having successfully made their way to the final in the 4 x 50m relay were very unlucky to finish in 4th place just out of the medals in a very close finish. The team here were Blathnaid Patton, Melanie Penrose, Eve Quigley and Caoimhe McMenamin. The U10 girls also qualified for the final and ran very well to finish in 7th place. The team here was Rebecca Ward, Eve Quigley, Aisling Gallagher and Jasenna Lynch.

Caoimhe McMenamin, Blathnaid Patton and Eve Quigley were also competing in the U/9 National Award Scheme and Rebecca Ward and Geraldine Gallagher were in the U10 National Award Scheme. This competition entails competing in three events and all three events count for scoring. Caoimhe had an outstanding day winning the coveted Gold Award with great performances in her three events, 3rd in the Long Jump, 5th in the Ball Throw and one of the fastest times in the 60m. Blathnaid Patton also had a great day winning the Silver Award in the U9 and Eve Quigley won the Bronze Award.

In the U10s Rebecca Ward competed really well to win the Silver Award as did Geraldine Gallagher who won the Bronze Award.

Dean Bonner and Ryan Kelly competed in the U11 Childrens Games with great performances from both in the Ball Throw; Dean finished 5th (37.54m) and Ryan 9th (34.11m).

U/12 & U13 National Championships

Matthew Kelly was Finn Valley's top athlete in the National Championships winning two Gold and one Silver medal in individual events. Matthew's competitive day started at 10.30 a.m. with the U13 Shot Putt Championships where he won the Silver medal with a new p.b. of 10.63m. Matthew then contested the U13 Ball Throw with clubmate Aaron McColgan. This was Aaron's first All-Ireland Championships and the club had high hopes of good performances from both boys. There was great excitement therefore when the competition ended and the results were announced that Matthew had won the Gold (48.68m) and Aaron the Silver (47.50m) both boys producing excellent p.b.'s. Aaron's mum Finola, dad Denis and sister Leanne were there to witness the occasion as this was Aaron's first National Championships.

Matthew then had to keep focused for his favourite event, the javelin, which was the final event of the day finishing at 7.20 p.m. His supporters, including his dad Michael and sister Geraldine, were thrilled when Matthew produced yet another p.b. of 28.78m to win the Gold medal. Congratulations from all at Finn Valley A.C. Matthew, this was a fantastic achievement.

Sharien McCrudden, younger sister of Gavin who won the Silver medal in the U15 Javelin the previous week, was competing in the U13 Javelin and much to the delight of her parents, brother Gavin and older sister produced an excellent p.b.of 24.17m to win the Gold. Sharien is obviously taking after Gavin who has previously won the U13 and U14 boys Javelin. Sharien had earlier competed in the Ball throw where she finished 8th. This was an excellent performance by Sharien who only took up athletics this summer.

Mark Bonner competed in the U11 600m and put in a brilliant finish to take the Bronze medal in a very close finish with an excellent time of 1.51.61. Mark, the son of Noreen Bonner, a seasoned athlete herself, was delighted with his first Track & Field medal.

Apart from the medallists we had outstanding performances from Aileen Brennan, 5th in the U13 High Jump, Aaron McMenamin 5th in U13 High Jump, Jodie Stewart 6th in the U13 Long Jump with an excellent p.b.of 4.43m, Cormac Gallen 7th in U13 Javelin, Aileen Brennan, 8th U13 Javelin, Ryan McNulty, 9th in U13 600m, Emily Murphy,11th, Niamh Doherty, 12th and Karen Ferguson 13th in U13 600m.

Mazda Track and Field League

Finn Valley competed in the First Division of the National League on Sunday in Navan with a combined team of young and not so young athletes making it a very enjoyable day for all. Gerard Doherty was 2nd in the Weight for Distance and 3rd in the Shot, Pauric Feely 4th in Long Jump, Joe McGinley 4th in the 100m, Stewart McClean 4th in the High Jump, Kieran O'Grady 7th in the Javelin, Frank Chaney 6th in the 1500m and Pauric, Joe and Stewart who had won Silver and Bronze medals in the National relay Championships the previous day in Tullamore combined with Kieran O'Grady to take 4th place in the 4 x 100m relay. They now look forward to the 2nd round on the 1st August.

World Masters Championships

Good luck to our athletes, Anne McGill, James Gibbons and Mark Connolly who will be competing in the World Masters Championships next week. We wish them well.

Celtic Games

Congratulations to Kieran McConnell who has been selected to compete in the Celtic Games in Scotland on the 7th August and to club coach Bernie Alcorn who is part of the management team.

Training

All juvenile athletes with the exception of those competing in the combined events and the National League are now on a break until the 7th September.

Bernie Alcorn, P.R.O.