Very belated report on the Galway Indoors

February 19, 2020 Mike Tobin

Some of Craughwell AC’s U10 Boys athletics squad at the Galway Indoors in Athlone IT

Apologies for the slowness in getting this article up – I will figure out some more efficient mechanism for the Connachts as with so many athletes competing, its impossible to write a report that mentions all. Had hoped to do so but not enough time so here’s the shortened version that I wrote several weeks back with contributions from Ronnie and Evan for U13s and U12s.

A bumper weekend of Galway Indoor Championships action took place on Saturday and Sunday 11/12 January in the impressive surrounds of Athlone Indoor Arena. It was another fantastic weekend for Craughwell AC with phenomenal success across all of the age groups and huge participation across the age groups.

Before getting into the results, a massive thank you from the club to Denise Barry and Brendan Treacy who were 2 of the main organisers of the event. Craughwell AC has been the lead club in organising this event for more than 10 years now and we owe a huge debt of thanks to both Denise and Brendan for their work. Denise does all of the meticulous planning for the event and the secretarial duties and coordination while Brendan is the man on the ground on the 2 days, keeping things moving, sorting issues etc. He set numerous personal bests on the day for travelling up and down the backstairs in Athlone and in fact some people were wondering if he had a twin brother present such was his speed in covering all parts of the arena!

There were many more key officials on the day, in particular electronic timing maestro and online entry guru Iain Shaw of Athenry AC and his timing team of Colm and Marion who have brought a huge level of professionalism to the event making it one of the best organised in the country, a feat that would not be possible also with the ever-present starting officials Oliver Geraghty and Eamonn O’Donnell of GCH and the young gun on day 1 James Lundon. There are countless others to thank on making it a super weekend for all participants.

Back to the action where one could be forgiven for mistaking it as a Craughwell AC training session such was the participation in some of the age groups! I will work in reverse covering day 2 first which saw the U13s to Senior’s in action, and then day 1 where the U8s to U12s took Athlone by storm.

Highlights of day 2 included an incredible 6 Galway titles for Laura Cunningham in 60m, 4x200m relay, shot putt, long jump, high jump and triple jump; and Championships Best performances for Paul Joyce in the Men’s 800m and Darragh Kelly in the U14 High Jump.

In the Senior grades, Laura Cunningham’s first gold of the day came in the long jump with a leap of 4.74 from behind the board – a little down on her 4.92m from a few weeks ago at the Northwest Games. Siona Lawless took silver in the same event with 4.68m … struggling with her mark on jumps 1 and 2 but nailing it on the 3rd jump for a very good jump and would probably have gone much further only for the inconsistent mark for the first 2 jumps.

Galway Senior Women Indoor 4x200m Relay Champions 2020
Craughwell AC’s Freya Bohan, Sinead Treacy, Laura Cunningham, Arlene Earls

The U19 girls jumped at the same time with Alisha Larkin leading the way with a best of 4.71m to take silver in the U19 grade followed by Freya Bohan in 4th place with 4.46m and Ellie Cronin 5th with 4.40m. Laura headed straight for shot putt next and almost threw a PB with a brilliant 7.80m with the 4kg weight to take the senior gold. The optimistic timetable saw the 4x200m relay arrive swiftly where our senior team was anchored by club 200m record holder Sinead Treacy who handed off to Laura and then to Arlene Earls and then to Freya for an exceptional time of 1:48.18 to take senior gold.

Laura and Arlene’s busy day looked to have ended prematurely after the relay where Arlene took a tumble after crossing the line and grazing her knee badly while Laura pulled a muscle or trapped a nerve in her upper back while rounding the first bend in the relay. However with a bit of a break until the next event, both bravely took to the track for the 60m where Laura took gold in 8.49 and Arlene silver in 8.65. Arlene followed this up with 28.09 to take silver in the senior 200m, an event that Sinead Treacy absolutely torn the track apart with a brilliant 25.52 to take the senior gold.

Craughwell AC’s triple jumpers who dominated proceedings in the women’s events at the Galway Indoors
Aoife Kelly (U19 bronze), Ellie Cronin (U19 gold), freya Bohan (U19 silver), Laura Cunningham (Senior gold)

Freya was another to have a brilliant day of springing with 8.34 to take bronze in the U19 Girls 60m and followed it up later with bronze in the 200m in a blistering 27.07 with Alisha 4th in both races in 8.47 and 29.39. Freya’s time was close to a 2-second PB and she very nearly didn’t run it as was quite tired having triple jumped only 30 minutes beforehand. Craughwell AC athletes dominated that triple jump with Laura taking senior gold with 9.77m and Ellie taking U19 gold with 9.27, followed ever so closely by Freya with 9.26 to take silver and Aoife Kelly with 8.95 to take bronze. Laura wrapped up her quintuplet series of individual performance with a comfortable 5-step clearance of 1.50m in the high jump and withdrawing at that point in case of aggravating the strain picked up in her back during the relay. Aoife took gold in the shot put with 6.53. Ellie took silver on countback in the high jump with 1.50 – unlucky to tip 1.55 off with a slight brush of her heels – and earlier took bronze in the 60m hurdles with 10.34.

Cormac Kearney, County Galway 60m Masters Champion 2020
pictured along with Evan Morgan in second place and legendary pole vaulter Justin Lane in third

(was he just in lane or just out of lane, that’s what I want to know!)

In the senior men’s events, Ronnie ‘The Rocket’ Warde ran a blistering 7.41 to take the Galway Senior Mens 60m title. Training partner Cormac Kearney did likewise with 7.91 to take the Galway Masters Men 60m title with Evan Morgan taking silver in 8.48 – fantastic to see two of our coaches Ronnie and Evan leading by example in the sprints. Endurance dynamo and 800m speed merchant Paul Joyce showcased his talent once again with a brilliant 1.59.29 Championship Best Performance to take the Galway Senior Mens 800m title.

Ronnie Warde pictured with his manager and agent Alan !

Craughwell AC’s Paul Joyce and Kyle Moorhead
Senior Mens and U19 Boys 800m Champions at the Galway Indoors in Athlone IT

Paul with the record sheet of his Championship Best Performance in the Senior Men’s 800m

Paul’s prodigious talent showed early brilliance to place 4th in the National U11 B cross country in 2005; he dipped in and out of the sport for a couple of years before taking National bronze in the U19 indoor 800m in 2013 in 1.59.73 and following it up with a 1.58.05 PB in the National U20 800m in 2014. Music then took over with Paul’s endurance serving him in good stead as a drummer in 3 different bands for 3 or 4 years before returning to the running at the start of 2019.

Music’s loss is athletics gain and Paul’s sub-2 tees him up nicely for an assault on the club indoor record of 1.57.21 held by Peadar Harvey. He will need to be watching his back however as Kyle Moorhead ran a blistering PB to capture the Galway U19 Boys 800m title in 2:01.86, destined to go sub-2 soon and in the process join an elite group of the club’s athletes numbering 6 – the aforementioned Paul and Peadar along with Damien O’Boyle, Nicholas Sheehan, Gavin Cooney and Jack Miskella.

In the U17 grade, Saoirse Moore had a good day with silver in the 800m in 2:37.30 and bronze in the high jump with 1.45m. Saoirse Pierce took gold in the 60m hurdles in 11.93 and later placed 4th in the high jump with 1.35. Sophie O’Brien jumped very well in the high jump, taking silver in 1.45m. Sophie earlier placed 7th in the long jump with 3.94, not getting properly onto the board on any of her 3 attempts – disappointing for Sophie as she is well capable of big jumps having often medaled at Galway and Connacht level. Hannah Whelan and Cara Furey made their debuts for the club in the 60m sprint with Hannah placing 5th in 9.07 and Cara 6th with 9.84, and followed it up later in the 200m in times of 30.69 and 33.33. Hannah capped off a nice day with 2:48.50 to take bronze in the U17 800m. In the boys’ events, Lukas Schukat took double gold in the high jump with a 1.60 clearance and in the triple jump with a leap of 9.72 – having earlier placed 4th in the long jump with 4.86. Ross McGuinness took an excellent gold in the 1500m in 4:40.

Craughwell AC’s Evan Hallinan and Evan Quinn
who placed 3rd and 2nd in the U16 Triple Jump at the Galway Indoors

The rollercoaster of podium placings continued in the U16 grade with Jade Moorhead taking 4 medals with a 1.56 high jump PB to take gold and adding bronze in the 200m with an exceptional 28.51 and bronze also in the long jump with 3.92 and relay. There were many more fine performances in the U16s including U16 Girls 60m Hurdles 2 Siofra Davis (10.64), 3 Ella Lyons (11.51); 200m 3 Jade Moorhead (28.51); 1000m Race Walk 1 Alana Grogan (5:56.29); Long Jump 1 Ella Lyons (4.38) 2 Erin Kelly (4.10), 3 Jade Moorhead (3.92); High Jump 1 Jade Moorhead (1.56), 3 Leonore Church (1.45); Triple Jump 1 Erin Kelly; 4x200m 3 Craughwell AC 2:00.19 (Ella Lyons, Jade Moorhead, Siofra Davis, Grace Keaveney).

In the U16 boys, Sean Cunningham was particularly impressive with 25.70 to take silver in the 200m. Other results in the U16s included 60m 2 Ryan McDonnell (7.92), 3 Sean Cunningham (8.02); 200m 2 Sean Cunningham (25.70); 60m Hurdles 2 Cian Lavan (10.98); Long Jump 2 Evan Hallinan (5.25), 3 Evan Quinn (5.21); Triple Jump 2 Evan Quinn, 3 Evan Hallinan; High Jump 2 Evan Hallinan (1.65), 3 Cian Lavan (1.55); Shot Put 2 Calvin Ryan (9.28); 4x200m 1:46.54 (Sean Cunningham, Ryan McDonnell, Cian Lavan, Evan Quinn).

Craughwell AC’s U16 Girls who took a clean sweep of the medals in the 1500m at the Galway Indoors
Alana Grogan (bronze), Clodagh O’Meara (gold), Anna Cotter (silver)

Craughwell AC’s U16 Girls who took a clean sweep of the medals in the long jump at the Galway Indoors
Jade Moorhead (bronze), Erin Kelly (silver), Ella Lyons (gold)

Galway U15 Girls Indoor 4x200m Relay Champions 2020
Craughwell AC’s Tara Morgan, Grace Keaveney, Ella Farrelly and Issy Fitzgerald

U15s also saw some super performances including Girls 800m 3 Holly O’Boyle (2:47.37); Shot Put 3 Tara Morgan (6.66); Long Jump 1 Grace Keaveney (4.29); 4x200m 1 Craughwell AC 1:59.44 (Ella Farrelly, Grace Keaveney, Issy Fitzgerald, Tara Morgan). U15 Boys 800m 3 Oliver Ginty (2:27.15); Long Jump 2 Oliver Ginty (4.23); High Jump 1 Sean Liston (1.45); 4x200m 2 Craughwell AC 1:58.46 (Darragh Kelly, Fionn Higgins, Sèan Liston, Oliver Ginty).

Ella Farrelly led the way in thte U14s with triple medals in long jump, hurdles and sprints. Details of podium performances in that age are as follows U14 Girls 60m 2 Ella Farrelly (8.74); 60m Hurdles 1 Ella Farrelly (9.93); Long Jump 1 Ella Farrelly (4.53); 4x200m 2 Craughwell AC 2:08.48 (Isobel Schukat, Gillian Crowe, Amelie Grogan, Keely Grogan). U14 Boys 60m Hurdles 3 Darragh Kelly (10.48); Long Jump 3 Fionn Higgins (4.37); High jump 1 Darragh Kelly (1.58 CBP).

The following report on the U13s is from Ronnie:-

Hurdles – Sean Hoade took gold followed by Conor Penney, Dean McNally and Declan O’Connell .Lauren Kilduff had a bad fall but got up to continue the race. Katelyn Walsh and Emily Kinane both ran fine races

60m- Lauren Kilduff took the gold with 9.11 followed closely by Megan Devane, Ciara O’Conor, Emily Kinane, Eabha Molloy, Claudia Fitzpatrick and Kiera Mernagh. Keevagh Barry stumbled out of the block and took a nasty fall which ended her race and her competition for the day. We have no doubt she will be back again to her usual winning ways

Long Jump – Sean Hoade took gold with a jump of 4.22 m, Cian Brady was third with 3.93m and Dean McNally was sixth with 3.60m. Patrick Diviney had a great day also in the Pit

Emma O’Donovan had a fine jump at 3.98m to receive silver and Lauren Kilduff also jumping 3.98m to receive a bronze. Count back rules applied! Megane Devane, Emily Kinane, Kelly Hallinan, Eabha Molloy also jumped very well

Shot putt- Again Sean Hoade received a medal but this time it was Silver with a fine throw of 6.93m. Patrick Diviney got 5th in a very close competition.

Kiera Mernagh narrowly missed 3rd spot by 5cm to receive 4th place. Jennifer O’Connor was 7th followed closely by Kelly Hallinan and Maria O’Gorman

High Jump- Emma O’Donovan took Gold with a fine jump of 1.30m with Ciara O Conor taking 4th followed by Chloe Keane,

Conor Penney received a bronze medal and Keelan Moorehead taking 4th followed closely by Stephen Ruane

600m – Declan O Connell ran a massive PB to take silver and Keelan Moorehead taking bronze. They were closely followed by Stephen Ruane, Jack Farrell and Dara Sweeney

Emma O’Donovan continued her winning streak by taking Gold. Katelyn Walsh, Ciara O’Connor,Chloe Keane, and Caoiln Corban all ran great races

Walk – Lillian Walsh took Gold in the 1000m

Relays
Boys took Silver with Conor Penney, Cian Brady, Sean Hoade and Keelan Moorhead. Our second team which was 4th had Dean McNally, Declan O’Connell, Jack Farrell and Stephen Ruane

We had 3 girls teams entered with Lauren Kilduff, Megane Devane, Emma O’Donovan and Katelyn Walsh taking Bronze. Our second team included Ciara O’Conor, Keevagh Barry, Claudia Fitzpatrick and Chloe Keane. Our third team consisted of Emily Kinane, Kelly Hallinan, Lillian Walsh and Caoilin Corban. All athletes running extremely well

The following is Evan’s report on the U12s…

It was a very successful day for our U12 athletes. Overall, we won 43% of the medals on offer!!

Full list of performances below, but I need to point out a few notable performances:
Oran Collins: Won 4 medals today!! Gold in Relay, Silver in Shot Putt, Bronze in 60m and Bronze in Long Jump
Jack Cahill: Golden boy Jack with 3 Golds!! – Gold 60m, Gold in High Jump and Gold in Relay
Rachel Warde: Gold in 60m Hurdles, Silver in 60m and Silver in Relay
Lauren Morgan: Gold in Long Jump for third year running and Silver in Relay
Megan Smith: First ever medal with a fantastic Silver medal in High Jump
Roisin Coleman: First ever medal with a brilliant Bronze in Shot Putt

Full List of Results:
60m
Rachel Warde – Silver
Lauren Morgan – 4th
Jack Cahill – Gold
Oran Collins – Bronze

Long Jump:
Lauren Morgan – Gold
Mia Hollingsworth – Bronze
Oran Collins – Bronze
Sam Casey – 4th

60m Hurdles:
Rachel Warde – Gold

High Jump:
Jack Cahill – Gold
Eanna Morrissey Silver
Megan Smith – Silver

Five of the six medallists in U12 Shot Put frmo Craughwell AC

Shot Putt: (Clean sweep for the girls)
Ava Doyle – Gold
Leah Ryan- Silver
Roisin Coleman – Bronze
Ethan Stace – Gold
Oran Collins – Silver
Fiachra Niland – 4th

Relays:
U12 Girls – Silver (Lauren Morgan, Rachel Warde, Aeveen Kelly and Ava Doyle)
U12 Boys – Gold (Jack Cahill, Eanna Morrissey, Kai Watters and Oran Collins)
U12 Boys – Silver (Tom Malone, Sam Casey, Keelan Griffin and Eoin Caufield who stepped up from U11 to help team to Silver medal

Galway U12 Boys 4x200m teams – gold and silver medallists at the Galway Indoors

The U11s also had some great performances including U11 Girls 600m 3 Aisling Lavan (2:10.54); U11 Boys 60m 2 Dara Kavanagh (9.46); 600m 1 Alan Hallinan (1:54.04); Long Jump 1 Oisin O’Donovan (3.67); 4x200m 2 Craughwell AC 2:14.25 (Alan Hallinan, Dara Kavanagh, Cathal Desbonnet, Daithi Lawless).

In the U10s and U9s, it was also a super day – with only a handful of events available to the athletes, there were some star performances including U10 Boys 60m 2 Sean Colleran (9.87); 400m 1 Darragh O’Donnell (1:16.97); Long Jump 1 Darragh O’Donnell (3.24); 4x200m 3 Craughwell AC 2:25.65 (Ciaran McNena, Darragh O’Donnell , Sean Colleran , Jack McNena, Ruairi McNena). U9 Girls 60m 1 Laoise Colleran (10.88) 2 Lola Whitney-Mangan (10.92); 200m 1 Laoise Colleran (37.36), 2 Ruby Maher (39.29); Long Jump 1 Lola Whitney-Mangan (2.75), 2 Aaliyah Whiriskey (2.34); U9 Boys 60m 2 Jack McNena (10.91); 200m 1 Jack McNena (36.98).

In addition the following athletes took part in the U8 60m development race: Dylan Doyle, Crystal Cummins, Olivia Gorman, Emma Meehan, Roise Beattie, Kaci Madden, Orna Murray, Zoey McAllen, Oran Gillespie, Cathal Niland, Matthew Drysdale, Aileen McFadden, Abigail Machaj, Darragh Tormey, Sebastian Oancea, Odhran Fallon, Orla O’Mahony