Kilrush-Askamore take all three draughts titles
BREE HALL was the venue on Saturday for the county Under-10, Under-12 and Under-14 craughts competitions.
So far entries for team events have seen the numbers increase. The chess finals had eight teams in action and, for the draughts events, there were six teams in the Under-10 category, six teams in the Under-12 category, and three teams in the Under-14 category.
The hall was a buzz of activity with all the young children really getting into the spirit of the competitions, and the level of concentration was awesome.
It was great to see so many in attendance and not a smartphone in sight (well, maybe with the parents at the back of the hall, but they are excused as they had to sit and wait for their children to compete).
As usual, the local committee had the hall nice and warm and co-ordinator Jim Doyle made sure that the event got under way very smoothly. He was ably assisted by the mentors and coaches who came along.
Wexford Community Games wishes to thank Jim as well as Tommy Kehoe, James Tomkins, Sinéad Doyle, Sarah Twomey, Martin Humphries, Anne Daly, Diane Mimnagh, Mary Keogh, Evelyn Boggan and Bobby Kenny who helped out with adjudicating.
Thanks to the hall committee and Clare Doyle who organised refreshments. It was a great night for the children from the Kilrush-Askamore Area who won all three categories. What an achievement.
The Clongeen children too were happy as they were runners-up in two categories, and the local Bree/ Davidstown Area were runners-up in one category.
The Under-10 teams came from Kilrush-Askamore (three), Bree-Davidstown (two) and Clongeen Areas.
The Kilrush-Askamore A team really got stuck in to the competition and won all their rounds. The Clongeen Area tried their very best to keep up with them but lost out in one round.
The Kilrush-Askamore Area have been getting stronger and stronger each year in this competition. They have loyal coaches backing and training them and it shows. They are now very strong opposition in the county and really putting it up to teams in the Leinster rounds too.
They won the competition on ten points with Clongeen as the runners-up on eight points and the Bree-Davidstown B team in third place on six points.
Clongeen have some very strong players in their camp too and have always featured in the top placings for the past number of years.
The Bree-Davidstown Area always give a good account of themselves and should be well pleased.
The winning gold medal team from the Kilrush-Askamore Area had Maya Kavanagh, Mogue O’Neill, Méabh Mimnagh, Rian Buttle, Amy Cowman, Tomás Lancaster and Sarah Kirwan.
The silver medal winners from the Clongeen Area had Aoife Kehoe, Kaleb Blake, Luke Murphy, Gianna Blake, Callum Gardiner and Alisha Keogh on their panel.
The third-placed Bree-Davidstown B team consisted of Riona Kehoe, Luke Carr, Mai Quigley, Sadie Quigley, Nathan Doyle, Cathal Ennis and Conn Fraser. The Bree-Davidstown second team featured Cian Doyle, Lara Donegan, Oisín Harte, Jack Browne, Saoirse Harte and Dylan Martin.
Ashling O’Toole, Rory Dee, Paudi Buttle, Aoife Kirwan, Páiric Tomkins, Tommy Kehoe and Aoibheann Buttle (Kilrush-Askamore B), and Charlie Kavanagh, Kelly Kavanagh, Conor Doyle, Eoin Cowman, Martin Kehoe, Niamh Tomkins and Clodagh Walsh (Kilrush-Askamore C) were the other competitors.
SIx teams were in action in the Under-12 category too from Kilrush-Askamore (two), Bree-Davidstown, Clongeen (two) and Castlebridge-Crossabeg.
As with the Under-10 category, the Kilrush-Askamore team put down their marker from the start and quickly got into their stride. Clongeen were hot on their heels yet again, and Bree-Davidstown were snapping at Clongeen.
Again there was a clean sweep and full points for the Kilrush-Askamore team, with Clongeen taking the silver medals yet again and Bree-Davidstown coming through in third place.
The teams from Castlebridge-Crossabeg and the B teams from Kilrush-Askamore and Clongeen gave it their all and all seemed to be enjoying the experience.
Kilrush-Askamore’s winning team had Anna Tomkins, Adam Donohue, Cian Lancaster, Shay Doran and Laura Kehoe on their panel. Clongeen’s silver medal team consisted of Katie Kehoe, Paul Kiely, Caitlin Murphy, Phillipa Coleman, Francois Rooney and Abbie Casey.
Odhran Kehoe, Katie Doyle, Bill Quigley, Cody Doran and Aoibhe Donegan were on the Bree-Davidstown panel.
Kilrush-Askamore’s second team had Mark Devereux, Rachel Dee, Thomas Kirwan, Conon Dillon, Amber Walsh and Tom Mackey on their panel.
The Clongeen B team had Leyon Purcell, Paul Murphy, Fionn Daly, Keela Daly and Laura McCarthy, while the team from the Castlebridge-Crossabeg Area consisted of Max Sweetman, Ben Kelly, Bronagh Boggan, Peter Kenny and Sarah Kenny.
Kilrush-Askamore, Bree-Davidstown and Clongeen competed in the Under-14 category. With two wins already for Kilrush-Askamore, who could stop them? Well, as it happened, nobody did.
Again they won all their games and took the gold medals. Bree-Davidstown finished in the runners-up position with Clongeen in third place.
Gold medals were awarded to the Kilrush-Askamore team of Amy Kehoe, Josh Doyle, Aine Devereux, Róisín Dillon and Karen Tomkins.
The runners-up from the Bree-Davidstown Area had Michael Humphrey, Cormac Kehoe, Tom Quigley, Adin Doyle and Adam Twomey on their panel, while Clongeen were represented by Caoimhe Gardiner, Megan McDonald, Orlaith Butler, Savannah Blake and Craig Keogh.
Entries are needed for the boys’ and girls’ Under-12 and Under-14 cross-country relays, teams of four children plus two substitutes. Entries are also being taken for the Under-16 boys’ and girls’ 10k marathons, with teams of four in each section.
Both of these competitions at national level will take place on Saturday, May 6, in Abbottstown, Co. Dublin. Area Secretaries are asked to give this notice due consideration. UPCOMING EVENTS Wednesday, February 22: county swimming finals in Enniscorthy pool. Warm-up at 5 p.m. with the events starting at 5.30 p.m.
Thursday, March 2: county Under-14 table quiz in the Ferrycarrig Hotel. Registration at 6.30 p.m. and the competition gets under way at 7 p.m. Could Area Secretaries please advise me (Anne Cowman on 086-1980775) of the numbers of teams they will have competing a few days beforehand, as the hotel will need to know how many tables to assemble.
Saturday, March 11: county art and handwriting competitions in Castlebridge National School. Closing date for receipt of entries to the county Secretary is March 4. Areas will be notified of times of the events once all the entries are with the county Secretary.