from Athenry AC website – Report By Michael Tobin (Craughwell AC & competition secretary for this race)
– A Few Personal Words by james lundon This report originally appeared on The Galway AAI Site at https://www.galwayathletics.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=170&Itemid=1
The biggest juvenile cross-country race on the Galway athletics calendar was held last Tuesday in Renmore. Over 800 children from over 40 primary schools across the city and the county took part. Organised by Galway AAI, there were separate races for 3rd/4th class girls, 3rd/4th class boys, 5/6th class girls and 5/6th class boys. This year the races had their biggest entry ever with over 200 entered in most of the races and a massive 280 entered in the 5th/6th class boys race. It was going to be a tough battle for teams and individuals to make it through to the Connacht finals. Read on for details…
A very wet sky hung over all of Galway as the teams prepared to leave their schools that morning, with teachers and pupils alike not looking forward to the prospect of getting soaked in the Renmore air. But miraculously the weather cleared as the participants started to arrive in Renmore and the rain stayed away for the duration of the events.
The races got underway shortly after noon with the 3rd/4th class girls off first, followed by the boys, followed by the 5th/6th class girls and finally the 5th/6th class boys. The races themselves were ran off very quickly, with the last race finished shortly before 1pm. The results weren’t as fast (mea culpa!) because of the size of the entry in each race, but we finally got them issued about an hour later.
The standard of racing in all of the races was exceptional, with some very close battles up front and strong running right down through the field. Whether you were in the top bunch striving for medals, mid-pack battling it out with your schoolmates or towards the back of the field striving to complete your first cross-country race without stopping, everyone ran a great race. The enthusiasm and good behaviour displayed by all the participants was a credit to themselves and their schools. Well done!
In each race, the top three individuals, top three teams and next nine individuals not part of these teams all qualify for the Connacht finals which will be held in Calry, Sligo on Saturday 11th October commencing at 1pm with the walks and followed by the cross-country races at 1.30pm. Registration and collection of race numbers is at 12 noon. T
The following are the individuals and teams who qualified for the Connacht finals. The full results of each race are also attached at the end of this article.
3rd/4th Class Girls 800m
Individuals:
1 Grainne McDaid, Craughwell NS
2 Shannon Lee, Scoil Chroí Naofa, Athenry
3 Aoife de Graoin, Scoil Uí Cheithearnaigh
Teams:
1 Craughwell NS 26 pts (1,5,7,13)
2 Claregalway NS 53 pts (4,10,15,24)
3 Scoil Chroí Naofa, Athenry 94 pts (2,17,33,42)
Next nine qualifiers not on these teams:
6 Grace Gilmore, Scoil Padraig Naofa , Cregmore
8 Shannon Haverty, Brackloon NS, Kiltulla
9 Orlaith Maloney, St Joseph’s Carrabane
11 Becky Cawley, Scoil an Chroí Naofa, Ballinasloe
12 Vivienne Mannion, Brierfield NS
14 Elena Ní Mhaoláin, Scoil Uí Cheithearnaigh
16 Aoife Shorton, St Francis NS, Tirellan
18 Libby Burke, Scoil Róis, Taylors Hill
19 Muireann Ni Cheallacháin, Gaelscoil de hIde, Uarán Mór
3rd/4th Class Boys 800m
Individuals:
1 Jack Fitzpatrick, Esker NS
2 Eoin Rockall, Oranmore Boys NS
3 Liam Forde, Ballyglass NS, Ardrahan
Teams:
1 Oranmore Boys NS 33 pts (2,5,12,14)
2 Claregalway NS 97 pts (10,22,28,37)
3 Scoil Padraig Naofa, Cregmore 108 pts (6,19,39,44)
Next nine qualifiers not on these teams:
4 David Carter, Scoil Naomh Bríde, Moycullen
7 Liam Costello, Belmont NS
8 Jack Coyne, Scoil Chaítriona Renmore
9 Bronson Kelly, Milltown NS
11 Keane Holloway, St Joseph’s Carrabane ‘A’
13 Brian de Burca, Scoil Uí Cheithearnaigh
15 Maitiú Mac Oistigín, Gaelscoil de hIde, Uarán Mór
16 Oisin Woodlock, Ballymana NS
17 Luke O’Shaughnessy, Donnaghpatrick NS
5th/6th Class Girls 1000m
Individuals:
1 Alanna Lally, Crumlin NS ‘A’
2 Michelle de Burca, Scoil Uí Cheithearnaigh
3 Laura Ann Costello, Belmont NS
Teams:
1 Scoil Uí Cheithearnaigh 50 pts (2,5,6,37)
2 Craughwell NS ‘A’ 72 pts (8,12,20,32)
3 Scoil Padraig Naofa, Cregmore 83 pts (7,13,21,42)
Next nine qualifiers not on these teams:
4 Maebh Ni Bhrannagain, Scoil Iognáid, Gaillimh ‘A’
9 Grace Cahill, Lisheenkyle NS
10 Adele Ni Cheedagáin, Scoil Iognáid, Gaillimh ‘A’
11 Ciere Breathnach, Scoil Iognáid, Gaillimh ‘B’
14 Ellen Treacy, Ballymana NS
15 Tanj Ní Dhonnabháin, Scoil Iognáid, Gaillimh ‘A’
16 Sinead Treacy, St Joseph’s Carrabane
17 Lisa Casserly, Ballinderrin NS
18 Sinead Folan, St Francis NS, Tirellan
5th/6th Class Boys 1000m
Individuals:
1 Conor Ó Giollán, Gaelscoil de hIde, Uarán Mór
2 Nicholas Sheehan, Oranmore Boys NS
3 Matthew Freaney, Craughwell NS ‘A’
Teams:
1 Craughwell NS ‘A’ 51 pts (3,5,19,24)
2 Oranmore Boys NS 51 pts (2,7,16,26)
3 St. Patrick’s NS Galway 75 pts (13,14,20,28)
Next nine qualifiers not on these teams:
4 Cathal Reidy, Ballymana NS
6 Stephen Coleman, Lisheenkyle NS ‘A’
8 Simon Lee, Scoil Chaítriona Renmore
9 Ryan Murphy, Scoil Chaítriona Renmore
10 Darren Mac Oireachtargh, Scoil Iognáid, Gaillimh
11 Ronan Kelly, St Francis NS, Tirellan
12 Keegan Kelly, Milltown NS
15 Oscar Novak, Scoil Chaítriona Renmore
17 Brian Concannon, Brackloon NS, Kiltulla
Full results are available in the attached file.
If you have any queries on the results or on the Connacht finals, please contact me (Michael Tobin) at 087 6591879 or by email at michael@craughwellac.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .
If you are not already in an athletic club and interested in joining one, there are clubs in Athenry, Ballinasloe, Clifden, Corofin, Craughwell, Galway city, Lettermore, Loughrea, Portumna and Tuam. For contact details of any of these clubs, please contact Athletics Ireland Regional Development Officer – Paul McNamara at paul@athleticsireland.ieThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or 087 2693675
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A Few Personal Words by james lundon
I was wrangled in to help Mike put some shape on the Galway Primary Schools Cross Country Championships (lunchtime on Tuesday, 30 September 2008).
Four different races, around a 800 to 1000 metre brass course. 3rd and 4th class girls; then 3rd and 4th class boys; then 5th and 6th class girls; finally 5th and 6th class boys.
A super hour’s actions – not that I saw any of it, given that I was at the end of two long chutes in the company of Jim Maher furiously taking and scribbling numbers – trying to put shape on the 100s of kids coming through at a rate that would make even Ballycotton Running Promotions at their busiest on a cold March Sunday blanch more than ever so slightly.
The energy, the excitement, the novelty of the event was a joy to behold, all ably managed by Mike and his many helpers. The start of each of the races would put the World Cross-Country to shame such was dash to the first corner in each. I don’t think there was a single faller in any of the four races around that first bend either!
The event was a credit to all involved. The four races were run off in military fashion and full provisional results produced within an hour of the completion of the last race.
Over 800 finished across the four races. The old adage that _many hands makes light work_ was never more ably displayed that afternoon in the back dressing-room, with pieces of papers, laptops, pens and calculators flying every which way, as four sets of people were compiling results for the four races at the same time.
The results were compiled & checked and were then presented to the baying masses who had stayed on, in the expectation that their respective charges might be in the medals. Most were not disappointed.
Overall, a great day for all concerned. I just wish I’d been able to be part of such an event when I was that age!
Hopefully, we saw the first inklings of a few future champions and also people who might just take up running as a leisure pursuit in the years to come. They all count equally…