Star awards for Wexford trio
Fiona, Maeve and Aaron feted at Tullamore function
WEXFORD ATHLETES Fiona Kehoe (Kilmore), Maeve Hayes (St. Paul’s) and Aaron Tierney-Smith (Menapians) were the recipients of Leinster Star Awards at a ceremony in Tullamore last weekend.
Maeve and Aaron picked up their awards having been named best Juvenile athletes for Co. Wexford in 2017. Fiona was rewarded as best Senior athlete in the county.
Maeve Hayes started the year by winning, and retaining, her titles in high jump (1.58m P.B.) and long jump at the Leinster indoor championships (Under-16).
During the year she achieved new bests in both events. She had the honour of representing Leinster at the Tailteann Games.
The highlight of her summer was winning a bronze medal in the high jump at the National Senior championships.
Aaron Tierney-Smith’s year got off to a winning start with a gold medal in 60m hurdles and a bronze in the 60m flat at the Leinster Junior indoor championships. He also won the Under-18 Leinster indoor 60m hurdles title.
At the national indoors he placed third in Under-18 60m hurdles. Moving outdoors he had a sprint double, winning the Leinster Under-18 100m hurdles (14.88s P.B.) and 200m (22.83s P.B.).
Aaron was second in the 110m hurdles, joint second in the 100m, and third in the 400m hurdles, at the Wexford Senior track and field championships. He was also on the winning Menapians team in the 4 x 100m relay.
At the National Juvenile track and field championships, Aaron won silver in the Under-18 110m hurdles.
At the National Junior and Under-23 track and field championships, he took silver in the 110m hurdles.
He then went on to compete at the international Celtic track and field games in Dublin in August.
Fiona Kehoe started 2017 on a high, having just won the national Novice cross-country. Her good form continued as she won the Leinster Senior indoor 1,500m and placed second behind Ciara Mageean in the 800m. She then went on to win the 800m at the national indoors.
Along the way she picked up Wexford county titles on both the track and the country. Last weekend Fiona got the new year off to a strong start with a win in the Ferrycarrig 5 mile road race.
Three athletes shared the title of Wexford athlete of the month last August - Lystus Ebosele (Enniscorthy), Marguerite Furlong (Adamstown), and Pádraig Hore (Taghmon). The award is sponsored by Mr Oil.
Here is how the year went for each of the recipients -
Lystus Ebosele: second Leinster Schools inter-discus and shot; third All-Ireland discus and shot; first Leinster Under-17 discus and shot; third in shot at Tailteann Games; All-Ireland champion Under-17 discus and shot; second shot at Celtic International Games; won the shot putt and high jump and was second in both the 100m and the long jump at the Wexford Senior track and field championships.
Marguerite Furlong: second Leinster indoors Under-18 shot; first Leinster Schools inter-discus; first All-Ireland Schools discus; first Leinster Under-18 discus, second in shot; first in discus at Tailteann Games; All-Ireland champion Under-18 discus; second in discus at Celtic International Games.
Pádraig Hore: first Leinster indoors Under-18 shot; second discus at Athletics Ireland spring throws; second Leinster Schools Senior discus; second All-Ireland Schools Senior discus; first Leinster Under-18 discus, second shot; third All-Ireland Under-18 shot; second discus at Celtic International Games.
Peter O’Connor of Enniscorthy A.C. was Wexford athlete of the month for September.
Peter received the award for winning the Northern Ireland Junior decathlon. Other highlights in his year: third Athletics Ireland national indoor combined events; two golds at the Leinster indoor relays along with individual Leinster indoor medals in 60m hurdles (third) and long jump (second); gold at Leinster track and field championships in 110m hurdles; second in Leinster Junior 110m hurdles and long jump.
Peter also helped the Co. Wexford men’s team gain promotion to the Premier Division in the AI National League.
He won the 110m hurdles, the shot putt and the javelin, was second in the triple jump, high jump and 400m hurdles, and was third in the long jump, at the Wexford Senior track and field championships.
Aidan Shannon of United Striders was athlete of the month for October. The award followed his fantastic run in the Leinster Under-14 cross-country in Navan when he not only took the title but also led his club and county to victory.
Aidan also finished ninth in the Under-15 Leinster cross-country. Earlier in the year he won the Leinster Under-14 1,500m on the track.
Athletics diary: January 13, Irish Life Health National Indoor League round one, Abbotstown; January 14, Leinster Juvenile relay, Intermediate and Master championships, Dunboyne; January 20, Irish Life Health National combined events all ages, Athlone; January 21, Mr Oil Wexford Masters and Juvenile relays, and re-scheduled Intermediate cross-country, Wexford town, hosted by Menapians; January 24, 7.30 p.m., Wexford Athletics A.G.M., The Athenaeum, Enniscorthy; January 27, Irish Life Health National Indoor League round two, Athlone; January 28, Irish Life Health National Indoor Junior and Under-23, Athlone; February 3, Irish Life Health National Indoor League final, Abbotstown; February 4, Irish Life Health A.A.I. Indoor Games, Abbotstown.