ST. JOSEPH’S A.C.
The annual Kilkenny athletic awards on Friday 23rd, February 23, at Gowran Park race course saw a huge St. Joseph’s attendance. Congratulations to all our athletes who received awards.
Eabha Mullally received an award as a member of the girls’ county Under-11 cross-country team which won national bronze medals.
Grace Glennon and Maeve Bookle were part of the county Under-13 girls’ team which was also the third best team in the country in the All-Ireland cross-country championships, while Danielle Griffin went one better, being a member of the county Under-15 girls’ team which won national gold medals.
Sally Forristal was a starring member of the county Novice women’s team which finished second at the national championships.
Jordan Knight won the county Juvenile track and field athlete award, with Verena Fenlon winning the county Masters track and field athlete award.
Sophie Becker won the international athlete award, with Maggie Helen O’Connor winning an award for a Leinster championship best performance in race walks, and she also accepted the county race walking shield for the club.
The final club award went to Larry Leacy who won the St. Joseph’s special club merit award.
A fantastic 37 Juvenile St. Joseph’s athletes, with coaches and parents, headed to the National Indoor Arena, Abbotstown, Dublin on Sunday, February 25, for the Leinster Juvenile indoor relay championships. After a fantastic day of relay action, three teams came home sporting much-coveted Leinster medals.
Leading the way was the boys’ Under-16 team of Danny Glennon, Eoin Kennedy, Cathal Beirne and Jordan Knight, with Evan O’Toole as substitute, who stormed to gold medals in a straight final.
The girls’ Under-15 team of Rachel Foley, Katie Taylor, Ciara Mullally and Erin Foley, with Danielle Griffin as substitute, won their heat and finished in a brilliant second position in the final.
Another hard-won bronze medal was achieved by the Under-13 team of Grace Glennon, Mairéad Mullally, Eabha Mullally and Grace Leavy. This team also won their heat and won their bronze medals in the final by a precious metre.
The unluckiest team was the girls’ Under-14 crew of Rachel Foley, Caitlin Mullally, Maeve Bookle and Grace Glennon, with Mairéad Mullally and Breanna Beirne as substitutes, who finished second in their heat and did not qualify for the final despite having the fourth fastest time of 20 teams.
The girls’ Under-16 team of Sophie Mullally, Ciara Mullally, Katie Taylor and Áine McDonald, with Erin Foley and Naoimh O’Connor as substitutes, finished second in their heat and sixth in their final.
The Under-17 team of Áine McDonald, Sophie Mullally, Chloe Mullally and Tara Glennon, with Naoimh O’Connor as substitute, finished fifth in a straight final.
Valiant performances at Under-12 and Under-13 level by the following athletes unfortunately did not result in final qualification: Eabha Mullally, Keelin Byrne, Lily Doyle, Sarah Foley, Leah Heffernan, Caoimhe Barry, Kadhla Croke, Cíle Garvey, Ciarán Cummins, Oisín Mullally, Conor Lanigan, James Cummins, Niall Cummins, Breanna Beirne, Maeve Bookle and Aoife Lanigan.
At the Leinster Junior, Senior and Masters indoors championships in Abbottstown, Dublin, Shane Power had a great win in the Senior men’s pole vault.
In the men’s Over-35 competition, Austin Lee won silver in the 60m hurdles and shot putt and bronze in the long jump. Mary Breen had a great day, winning the weight for distance with a championship best performance and finishing second in the shot putt.
Well done to Danielle Griffin who ran another fine race to finish 26th in the Leinster schools cross-country championships in Santry, Dublin.
Congratulations to Maria Griffin who won the Over-45 prize in the Kilmacthomas four-mile road race, and to John McDonald who ran a personal best time of 1:27:20 in the John Treacy ten-mile race recently in Dungarvan.
St. Joseph’s Athletic Club was founded in 1968 and is 50 years old this year. An event not to be missed is our 50th anniversary dinner dance taking place on Sunday, March 18, in the Rhu Glenn Hotel.
Adult tickets are €30 with Juvenile tickets costing €20. The following day, Monday, March 19, is a bank holiday so a great night is absolutely guaranteed.