Week ending Saturday 24th May
David Burke joins our coaching team
We have some very good news for our senior Club members with the announcement that David Burke has decided to come out of retirement to coach our adult section. David, who won the National Senior cross country title and represented Ireland on numerous occasions, including at the World Cross Country Championships, has a great record as a coach and we can expect to see the fruits of his work in the months and years ahead. David was also part of the victorious Club team that won three National Senior Cross Country titles in the 1990s, along with Cormac Finnerty, Tom McGrath and John Burke.
Individual and team success at National 5k
The first instalment of the Athletics Ireland Race Series 2025, the National 5k, was held in the Phoenix Park early last Saturday morning where Mullingar Harriers had a fine representation of 12 athletes ready to compete alongside just over 2,100 others. In very hot and balmy conditions, Andrew Nevin had the honour of leading the Mullingar squad home and powered to a fine time of 16:01. Next to finish was Eddie Lynch with a strong run in 18:26, securing himself a National silver medal in his master category. Aisling Corcoran, capitalising on her recent impressive racing form, led the ladies team home in a fast 19:50 and was delighted to take her first individual National medal, a bronze, in her master category. Battling hard together for the team placings were Mary Stuart (20:22), silver in her master category and Criona Reid (20:23) so close to the medals in fourth place. Also running well were Aeilish McGovern (20:44) fourth place in her category, missing bronze by just six seconds, Patrick Muldoon (21:43) and Linda Cunningham (22:13). Brigid McCabe (24:22) brought home the National bronze medal in her master category and Michelle O’Halloran battled hard in the sweltering heat to finish in 25:21. Nicky McCabe (25.49) had a top five placing in his master category, with Lisa McEntee (27:08) completing the Mullingar group. When the team results were announced, the very strong master women team of Aisling, Mary and Criona placed first Club, and can be very proud of their performances [LC].
Fun in the sun in Tullamore
There’s only a few opportunities for our younger members to take part in T&F competitions, so last Friday evening the Midland Inter-County Juvenile T&F Match between Laois, Offaly, Westmeath and Longford in Tullamore was such an opportunity and an ideal event, particularly for our youngest members. A big squad of over 60 girls and boys from Mullingar Harriers aged 8 to 13 years joined over 350 other girls and boys drawn from Clubs across the midlands and competed in brilliant sunshine on a lovely warm evening. For many of the Mullingar squad, this was their first time to compete in Tullamore, where we hope many will return in June to compete in the Leinster Juvenile T&F.
This is always a very popular event and we were delighted to see so many compete for Mullingar and maroon and white was very prominent throughout the evening. The young Mullingar athletes certainly enjoyed it and gave great accounts with lots of them visiting the medal podium during the evening, some more than once, winning lots of medals between them. This was a step up from the event we held at our own track the week before that was confined to our own members, but in Tullamore even though the standard of competition was higher the emphasis was still very much on fun and participation and just having a go at different events such as sprint, middle distance, shot put and javelin. As an indication of the fun element of the event, the evening started with the relays and if a Club didn’t have enough in an age group for a team, they could simply join in with athletes from other Clubs to make up a team, which several from Mullingar did and many were delighted to win medals in this way. We hope it encourages everyone to compete in the Leinster T&F at the same Tullamore venue in June.
Thanks to Offaly Athletics and to Tullamore Harriers for organising and hosting the event, and to the parents and coaches that attended to ensure our youngsters could take part and enjoy themselves. Particular thanks also to our own coaches and parents that volunteered to help on the night as officials. Without such help, an event like this can’t happen. As a measure of the success of the evening, Offaly Athletics is already planning a similar event in July [GD].
Summer scorcher for Westmeath Community Games
The Westmeath Community Games T&F Finals were held in brilliant sunshine under clear blue skies at the Club Grounds last Sunday. The hurdles and short sprints were held on the grass infield area but all the other track events were held on the 400m all-weather track. Thanks to the Trojan work of a few volunteers, everything was in tip top shape for the Games. A new feature this year was the procession of athletes around the track, led by the Mullingar Town Band, which provided a great spectacle and really added to the occasion and marked out competing at the County Finals as something special and to be very proud of.
Attendance was very good and the programme ran very well to time thanks to the many volunteers who gave up their time to help, especially those Club members who turned out in good numbers to officiate and ensure the smooth running of the event.
Congratulations to all the athletes who have qualified for the National Finals. In order that they are as well prepared as possible to represent Westmeath, they and their coaches and team managers are very welcome to train at the Club on Tuesdays and Thursdays between now and the finals, which is particularly important for the technical events like hurdles, relays and field events [GD].
Leinster & Munster Schools T&F
Mullingar Harriers will have eight athletes competing at the All-Ireland Schools T&F Finals in Tullamore in two weeks following some excellent performances at the Leinster Schools T&F held in Tullamore last Monday and Tuesday and at the Munster Schools T&F held in MTU Cork last Saturday.
In the Leinsters, successfully qualifying was Ailbhe O’Farrell (St. Finian’s College) who placed third in the Senior 1,500m steeplechase, Conor Walsh (Colaiste Mhuire) with a brilliant run in the Intermediate 3,000m to finish second, and the Glennon brothers representing St. Finian’s College showed their class in the walks, as Gareth came second in a close finish in the Junior 1,200m walk, Daniel finished second in the Intermediate 2,000m walk and John simply dominated the Senior 3,000m walk to win by a long way. Oisin Clarke (Colaiste Mhuire) kept with the leading pack right from the start of the Junior 800m and with 300m to go surged to the front and made his long run for home. Even though he was caught and passed on the home straight, he had done more than enough to finish comfortably second in a new personal best of 2:09. Lily Walsh (Loreto College) was never really troubled and secured a terrific Leinster double, adding the Junior 1,500m title to the cross country title she won earlier this year. Our final qualifier was Eleanor Kiernan (Ursuline Thurles) who led the u/16 mile for three laps at the Munsters and though overtaken on the final lap, she battled back to win by almost two seconds in a new Championship record of 5:14.44.
Also competing in Leinster but not advancing to the All-Ireland finals was Oisin Kehoe (St. Finian’s College) who was very unfortunate to hit a barrier in the Intermediate 1,500m steeplechase, injuring himself and though he bravely carried on he was clearly hampered and finished out of the top three places. With only two to qualify in the sprints, Kyle Faherty (Colaiste Mhuire) just missed out in the Senior 200m with third place in a very close finish. Conor Liston and Jamie Wallace (Colaiste Mhuire) contested the Senior 800m, Matthew Molloy (St. Finian’s College) the Senior 5,000m, Liadan Gavin (St. Joseph’s Rochfortbridge) the Minor 500m but finished out of the qualifying places. Donnacha Doyle (Colaiste Mhuire) recorded a personal best of 1.40m in the Minor high jump but it wasn’t enough to finish in the top three. Aoibhe Martyn (Loreto College) just missed out in the Minor long jump with a fourth place finish, and finally, Kyle Faherty, Conor Liston and Jamie Wallace were part of the Colaiste Mhuire that placed third in the Senior 4x400m relay [GD].
Ferbane 5k
Ferbane AC hosted the fifth round of the Healthy Offaly 5k series, the Ferbane 5k, last Sunday morning. It was a glorious day of sunshine and the temperature was already heading towards 20degC as the 271 runners headed out towards Ballycumber on a looped course. A few testing rolling hills had to be negotiated in the opening kilometre or so before the runners took a left down a tight country road where locals provided not only water stations, but one enthusiast had his power hose directed across the road to give some welcome cooling for the athletes. At the mid-point the race turned left again for the run back to the finish. A few more gentle hills ensured everyone had to battle to keep their time targets in check, before an 800m dash to the finish. Mullingar Harriers were represented by three runners. Aisling Corcoran, fresh from her exploits in the National 5k the morning before, was a clear winner of her master category in 19:56, Lorraine Claffey was pleased with her run, finishing in 23:30, with Michael O’Sullivan home in 25:27 [MO’S].
Warning, don’t miss the closing dates for Leinster T&F
Competitors in Tullamore last Friday evening need to take careful note that the entries for the Leinster u/9, 10 and 11 (Children’s Games) and u/12 and u/13 T&F to take place in Tullamore on Sunday 1 June close this Friday (23 May). Entries for the u/20, Senior and Masters T&F close next week (May 30); and finally, entries for juveniles under 14 to 19 T&F close in two weeks (June 6). Don’t leave it too late to submit your entry in case you have problems with the online entry system. The link to entries and the relevant competition reference number can be found on the Club website. There are no late entries, so don’t miss the deadline and as always, if anyone has any difficulty submitting their entries, please don’t hesitate to contact Greg.
Bon Voyage to Stephen Nea
Finally, the very best to Corporal Stephen Nea who departs on his second UN tour of duty to Lebanon. Everyone at Mullingar Harriers wishes Stephen well and we look forward to seeing him safely home and back competing in the Club colours later this year.
Sympathy
Finally, the Executive and members of Mullingar Harriers wish to extend sincere sympathy to the O’Reilly family on the recent death of Paddy O’Reilly who ran with Mullingar Harriers in the 1980s, including the first few Dublin City Marathons.
Check the Club’s website at www.mullingarharriers.com or its Facebook page for all the latest news.
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