Brilliant performances in Carrick-on-Shannon

SLIGO Rowing Club made the short trip to Carrick-on-Shannon recently to compete in their 3.5 kilometre ‘head of the river’ race on the River Shannon.

This is a popular regatta and always draws big crowds.

A total of 8 crews from Sligo competed in various boat categories against competition from clubs from all over Connaught, Leinster and Ulster in what is the first race of the 2019 winter race season.

First up was Brian Colsh in the men’s J16 single. Brian has had a busy winter thus far attending various national trials and testing and the Sligo sculler made light work of his opposition winning his category by 35 seconds.

Allangh Donohue was next up in the women’s J15 single. This very talented athlete was narrowly beaten to second place by Dublin’s Aoife Moloney who is currently part of the women’s junior national team. Allanagh has another year at this age category and shows great promise for the future.

The morning’s racing was completed for Sligo by the men’s J16 coxed quad. The crew of Andrew Waters, David Murray, Naoise Walsh, Kilian McCarthy and cox, Darragh Colsh put in a strong performance and placed fourth in what was a very strong field.

The afternoon sessions produced further strong Sligo performances with Sligo stalwart Glenn Patterson putting in an epic row and winning the men’s senior single by a comfortable margin.

Sligo Rowing Club, for the first time ever, fielded two crews in the women’s J16 coxed quad event. Sligo ‘A’, consisting of Sarah Tighe, Mena Ryan, Ailish Duggan, Diya Ryan and cox David Murray produced their finest ever row narrowly winning the event in a ‘ding dong’ battle with a crew from Enniskillen.

The Sligo ‘B’ crew of Ava Murray, Jeanette Michalopoulou, Isabella Michalopoulou, Rosie Spoorenburg and cox and coach Rory Clarke, in their first ever race, finished fifth over all in their category and gained very valuable racing experience which will undoubtedly stand to them going forward.

Brian Colsh & Killian McCarthy teamed up in the afternoon to compete in the men’s club double scull. This crew put in a very brave and gutsy performance and were rewarded with victory over a very strong crew from the commercial rowing club in Dublin.

Last, but by no means least, was Molua Donoghue in the men’s master’s single scull. Moula, father and coach of Allanagh, raced extremely hard and finally snatched the victory that has thus far eluded him in this extremely competitive category.

This very successful day is testament to the hard work and commitment by all of Sligo’s rowers and their coaches and bodes well for the upcoming 2019 rowing season.

SLIGO ROWING CLUB FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER FIELDED TWO CREWS IN THE WOMEN’S J16