The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Sixth place for Kerry at National League final
THE senior outdoor track and field season came to a thrilling conclusion last weekend with the Irish Life Health Masters Championships and the National League final held in Tullamore.
Sunday saw our Division 1 women’s and men’s National League teams make the journey to Tullamore for the final. The women’s team, sorely depleted by holidays, event clashes and end of season breaks fought gamely for every point but were only able to compete in 14 events and finished in 6th place overall, a mere 5 points off medal position. It was a different story for the men however who finished in a well-deserved second place. The selectors having been able to draw a team from the strongest Kerry athletes available with ages ranging from just 16 to over 65. One of the highlights of the day came courtesy of Marcus Lawler from St Laurence O’Toole and Kerry’s Travane Morrison. Lawler battled it out with Travane over the two sprint events, winning the 200m in an impressive time of 20.74 scoring key points for SLOT but Travane came back to win the 100m later in the day, in a time of 10.62, leaving Lawler to settle for second.
On Saturday Kerry athletes O35 to O75 took to the track and field with great successes across all age groups and county clubs. Patsy O’Connor from Tralee Harriers was the stand out athlete of the competition coming home with five national titles in the M60 category, winning gold in the javelin, discus, shot, high jump and weight for distance. Team mate Martin Flaherty won bronze in the M40 hammer.
The Gneeveguilla women were on top form as always with Sheila O’Donoghue taking gold in the W50 shot, hammer and weight for distance. Catherine Moynihan O’Sullivan won gold in the W40 100m and long jump and took silver in the 200m. There were four medals for Eileen O’Riordan, gold in W45 weight for distance and silver in the discus, hammer and shot. Brid Stack was third in W45 200m.
Competing for St Brendan’s were David Kissane, bronze in both M65 400m and discus, Ursula Barrett, silver in W40 long jump and Pat O’Riordan who won gold in the M65 long jump and silver in the high jump.
Jim O’Shea from Farranfore Maine Valley proved that age is definitely no barrier to athletic prowess when he won gold in the M75 long jump and high jump and was just pipped into second place in the 100m. There was silver for club mate Sean O’Shea in the M45 hammer and bronze for Jerome Foley in M50 400m.
Kenmare and Killarney Valley had one athlete apiece in competition. David Littlejohn winning gold in M45 javelin and bronze in the discus and Michael Murphy taking bronze in the M50 200m. Colm Lynch from Iveragh brought two gold medals home to West Kerry, taking top honours in the M35 200m and 400m. Pat Murphy from Castleisland AC won gold in the men’s 5000k walk.
There were a host of gold medals won by An Riocht – Niamh O’Sullivan in W55 3000m, Ger O’Donoghue M35 110mH and 400m, Jer O’Donoghue M35 100m and both the men’s O40 4 x 100m relay team and the men’s O45 4 x 400m relay team. Anthony Greaney won silver in the M45 200m.
There will be a county board meeting on Monday 3rd September in the Rose Hotel, Tralee at 8pm. Can clubs and athletes note that this is a transfer meeting ahead of the cross country season and all paperwork should be in place in advance of the meeting.