The Woodie’s DIY junior indoor championships completed an excellent weekend of athletics at Nenagh today. As always there were some superb performances throughout the whole weekend. The men’s 800m was a closely fought battle as Dean Cronin from Blarney Inniscarra took the lead from the gun and attempted to lead throughout. Conor Murphy from Naas overtook him with a lap to go and quickly pulled away, easing down as he went over the line for a good win. Behind the battle for the minor places was intense. Eoin Carroll from Donore went into second but the battling Cronin again overtook him and they crossed the line together almost, with the Cork youth just getting the edge.
Ryan Creech from Leevale tried to adopt similar tactics in the 1,500m but was overtaken by Joe Breen from Sliabh Bhuide Rovers who went on for a good win.
Michelle Finn from Duhallow did take the lead in the women’s 1,500m and was never headed as she raced to a well earned victory.
The two long jump competitions were both won by athletes who took the lead in the first round and then withstood all challenges to win their respective titles. Aileen Ruane from Sligo was the women’s winner with 5.49m and Paul Smith from Shercock won the men’s with 6.68m.
Another Shercock athlete, Paul Fitzpatrick, was a comfortable winner of the men’s 5,000m walk, while Laura Reynolds from Mohill was the easy winner of the women’s 3,000m walk.
Grainne Moggan from Brothers Pearse cleared 1.65 at the second attempt in the women’s high jump and also cleared 1.70 at the second attempt. Her efforts at 1.73 came a little unstuck but she had done enough to win the event.
Sandra Lawlor from Celbridge gave a fluent display of hurdling to win the women’s 60m hurdles from Jessie Barry of Ferrybank, while Ciaran O’Cathain from Roscommon gave a solo display of hurdling in the men’s equivalent.
Brian Gregan from Tallaght took over the lead after 180m of the men’s 400m and went on to record an impressive win in 48.69, while Sinead Kelly from St. Abban’s recorded a gun to tape victory in the women’s 400m.
Niall Counihan from Dooneen has not gone over 14m since setting a new Irish record some weeks back but is gradually edging his way back and he won the triple jump with a best of 13.89m which came in the last round. He simply had to do that distance to win as Francis Egan from St. Abban’s recorded 13.78 at his last attempt to lead the competition.
There was a double for Ferrybank’s Christopher Russell who comfortably won the 60m in 7.10 and the 200m in 22.40.
Ferrybank also did the double in the women’s sprints where Niamh Whelan just got the better of Joan Healy in the 60m, but recorded a clearcut win in the 200m over Healy.
It was Ferrybank again in the men’s 3,000m where Niall Tuohy had a convincing win with a time of 8:29.17.
Ciara Everard from Kilkenny City harriers was another to record a convincing win, leading from gun to tape to win in a time of 2:11.70.
The men’s shot saw Daniel Clifford from Farranfore Maine Valley win with a best of 12.72m, just 6cm clear of Shane Kennedy of Ferrybank.
