
All Ireland U/17 Bronze Medallists – Nathan Bowe, Brian O’Callaghan, Lorcan Troy, missing from photo Bill Hogan
All the accolades from Sunday must go Nathan Bowe, Lorcan Troy, Bill Hogan and Brian O’Callaghan who individually and more importantly as a team put in such strong determined runs to capture national bronze medals in the Boys U/17 club competition. Facing stiff competition over 3k and twice around a solid but hilly course and also contending with a strong cold wind each of the boys gave it their all with Nathan leading them home in 25th followed by Lorcan in 37th, Bill in 38th and Brian in 42nd to capture these elusive national medals. Well done boys on a marvellous performance.
All of our 26 young athletes from U/11 to U/17 who travelled to Waterford on Sunday can be so proud of their performances in what turned out to be such a competitive championship. With a biting cold wind throughout the day all the athletes battled hard in their respective races to bring honour to themselves, their families and the club.
Upwards of 120 young athletes took part in the Girls U/11 event with Amy Reddan leading them home in an excellent 44th place. Next across the line was Saoirse Doran in 99th with Blathnaid Lloyd 103rd and Una Duggan 114th. In the team event the club finished 15th overall while Amy was also part of the Tipperary team that finished 5th in the Inter-County competition. Once again over 100 young athletes took to the start of the Boys U/11 race with David Doyle putting in a terrific performance to finish 16th – just four places shy of a national individual medal. Cathal Guilfoyle crossed the line in 64th with Lorcan Burke and Adam Phelan having a mighty tussle on the run-in to finish 72nd and 73rd respectively followed by Adam Spillane-Leane in 87th and Frank Doyle in 96th. The boys combined to finish 9th in the club competition while David was part of the Tipperary team that finished 4th.
At U/13 level just two girls represented the club in Helen Cleere and Emma Leahy and with yet again close to 100 athletes in the field both did extremely well to finish 38th and 66th respectively. In the Boys equivalent 5 athletes represented the club with Aaron Moore leading them home in 51st followed by Jake Bowe in 60th, Aaron McLoughlin in 65th, Liam Ryan 87th and Kian Dunne 88th to bring the club into 10th place in the team competition while Aaron, Jake and Aaron were part of the County team that finished 7th overall.
In the Boys U/15 race Gavin Ryan gave a superb performance to finish 26th overall with an equally good run from Charlie Tobin who finished 28th. Dylan McLoughlin came through for 34th with Eanna Guilfoyle in 38th to lead the club to 4th place overall in the team competition-just one place short of national medals. Young Aoibheann Duggan was our lone representative in the Girls U/17 race and put in a sterling performance to finish 31st.
As already mentioned above the Boys U/17 ran superbly to capture the bronze medals in the club competition and what a way to round off the day for the club. Indeed all four were also part of the Tipperary team that finished just out of the medals in fourth place in the Inter-County competition.
Many thanks to all the parents who drove and supported the athletes on Sunday which is very much appreciated by the club and I am sure by the athletes themselves. This rounded off the Cross Country season and all will now be focusing on the upcoming track and field season.