Sheil’s the master
Women’s title for Carthy in Lingstown
THE MR Oil Athletics Wexford Masters and Junior cross-country championships, along with the Juvenile relays, took place on Sunday in a wet and chilly Lingstown. Indeed, conditions were such that each and every one of the spectators present should have received a special endeavour medal!
The course, the same as is used for point-to-point events, was, to say the least, soft and it cut up fairly quickly.
This pleased some of the old-timers no end, delighted, as they were, to see some real cross-country running in the county (for ‘real’ read muck and pain). Some of the younger athletes running without spikes found themselves taking off at a tangent on the corners.
First off were the ladies, their distance 4k. The testing undulating terrain coupled with the sticky underfoot conditions made the 1,500m lap feel longer than it was.
Kilmore’s Jackie Carthy wasn’t long about dictating the pace of the race with only D.M.P’s Ann Sullivan prepared to match her metronomic stride, the rest of the field strung out, Indian file, behind.
On the final lap, however, Carthy’s relentless pressure proved too much for Sullivan and the Kilmore lady eased away to win in style.
Fellow Kilmore member, Helen Doyle, put her recent good marathon form to good use, first closing the gap on Sullivan and then moving past her in the home straight to take silver.
Kilmore took the team title, followed by S.B.R. in second and D.M.P. six points back in third. Elaina Browne of United Striders took the individual Junior title.
The Masters and Junior men 6k proved to be an entertaining and competitive race.
As with the ladies’ race, one person was holding the strings throughout and, while Niall Sheil of St. Killian’s was happy to have company for the first three laps, when he decided to step it up a gear that was that.
The battle for the minor placings saw a ding-dong between United Striders athletes John McGrath and Alan O’Connor.
McGrath’s strength proved decisive at the end and he took silver.
Striders packed four into the top twelve to take the team title, followed by Slaney Olympic, with S.B.R. in third.
D.M.P’s Liam Turner ran a strong race to take the Junior title with Aedan Rogers (U.S.) in second and Joseph Hanlon (Taghmon) third.
The Juvenile relay championships (even ages) produced a number of competitive and closely-fought races.
The deteriorating underfoot conditions made the going very tough for the first couple of races and led, ultimately, to the course being altered.
Stand-out performances? The boys’ Under-14 was won impressively by current Leinster relay champions United Striders. The winning girls’ Under-14 team from Menapians were no less impressive.
Overall, U.S. had seven teams in the top three followed by D.M.P. and Menapians with five each. Regardless of what the results say, the truth of the matter is that, given the awful conditions, every single one of the children competing were nothing less than heroic. Take a bow!
Masters ladies: 1, Jackie Carthy (Kilmore); 2, Helen Doyle (Kilmore); 3, Ann Sullivan (D.M.P.).
Team: 1, Kilmore, 9; 2, S.B.R., 22; 3, D.M.P., 28.
Over-35, Emily O’Connor (Slaney Olympic); Over-40, Ciara Bowe (S.B.R.); Over-45, Lillian Lawless (S.B.R.); Over-50, Mary Gaynor (Menapians); Over-55, Mag Dunphy (Slaney Olympic); Over-60, Annis Kehoe (Slaney Olympic); Over-65, Jane Porter (Slaney Olympic).
Junior ladies: 1, Elaina Browne (United Striders).
Masters men: 1, Niall Sheil (St. Killian’s); 2, John McGrath (United Striders); 3, Alan O’Connor (United Striders).
Team: 1, United Striders, 21; 2, Slaney Olympic, 50; 3, S.B.R., 71.
Over-35, John Stone (D.M.P.); Over40, Pat Foley (Croghan); Over-45, Billy Reck (Slaney Olympic); Over-50, Ted Flannelly (United Striders); Over-55, Ger Maloney (St. Paul’s); Over-60, Eugene Doherty (S.B.R.); Over-65, Tom Kavanagh (S.B.R.); Over-70, Billy Harpur (S.B.R.).
Junior boys: 1, Liam Turner (D.M.P.); 2, Aedan Rogers (United Striders); 3, Joseph Hanlon (Taghmon).
Under-10 girls’ relay: 1, Bree; 2, Taghmon; 3, D.M.P.
Under-10 boys’ relay: 1, Menapians 1; 2, Bree; 3, United Striders.
Under-12 girls’ relay: 1, Bree; 2, Kilmore; 3, D.M.P. 1.
Under-12 boys’ relay: 1, D.M.P.; 2, United Striders; 3, Menapians.
Under-14 girls’ relay: 1, Menapians; 2, D.M.P.; 3, Kilmore.
Under-14 boys’ relay: 1, United Striders 1; 2, United Striders 2; 3, D.M.P.
Under-16 girls’ relay: 1, Menapians; 2, United Striders 1; 3, United Striders 2.
Under-16 boys’ relay: 1, United Striders; 2, D.M.P.; 3, Menapians.