Community Games Finals a major success
Lucy Keogh of Myshall admires her u10 80m gold medal.
The National league preliminary round was held in Tullamore with St Laurence O’Toole having both men’s and ladies teams compete. While at the same venue on Saturday the National pairs and u12 championships took place with Oskaras Stonkus (St Pats AC) taking bronze in the u12 shot putt.
Also held in Carlow was the Tailteann Games where Jack Wickham (SLOT) finished second in the Pole Vault and should now ensure selection for the Irish team to compete in the SIAB International in Belfast in a few weeks. The Carlow Community Games finals were held at Ardattin last weekend, which was well supported and deemed a huge success.
Carlow this week played homage to one of their greats. The death occurred of PL Curran who gave a long service to Carlow athletics. A member of St Laurence O’Toole AC PL worked tirelessly and with passion for the sport he loved best: Athletics. Instrumental in establishing the track in Carlow along with playing a pivotal role in the establishment of the Community Games in County Carlow.
As a founding member, he became the organisation’s first County Chairman in 1973, a position he held for ten years. Throughout his long career in athletics, he championed nothing but positive values, promoting both success and participation. He was also to the forefront of athletics at both Leinster and National level.
On the international athletic front, he was the team manager for the Irish Olympic team in Los Angeles in 1984, where John Treacy won a silver in the marathon.
The World’s oldest games; the Tailteann Games took place at the SETU Sports Campus in Carlow last Saturday. Older than the Olympics, these ancient Irish Games were revived in the 20th century as a celebration of Irish Independence.
While initially they featured a plethora of sporting events, these days they are confined to Track and Field. Specifically they are the gateway for an opportunity to don the Irish green vest with the first two athletes in each event being selected as part of the Irish team for the SIAB International to be held this year in Belfast.
Several Carlow athletes of note have in the past represented Ireland from these games: Patricia and Mary Almond, Marcus Lawler, Molly Scott to name just a few. This year Jack Wickham might just get his opportunity.
It was silver for Jack Wickham (SLOT) as he represented Leinster in the Pole Vault. With the first two being selected for the International duty, Jack will now don the Irish vest as part of the Irish team for the forthcoming SIAB international.
The All-Ireland u12 Championships and Pairs competition took place in Tullamore last Saturday with some success for one particular Carlow athlete. Oskaras Stonkus (St Pats, Tullow) took silver in the Shot Putt u12.
His best throw came from round 2 where he threw a whopping 9.58m to topple the Leinster champion Luke Hanlon and slip into third place. With four out of the six throws in excess of nine meters, Oskaras was very consistent throughout the competition, deserving his bronze medal. He was in fact the only Carlow individual to take home a championship medal in the u12 All-Irelands.
In fact the young athlete had a busy Saturday as he first took part and won the u12 Long Jump at the Community Games in Ardattin before heading to Tullamore to take part in the All-Ireland shot.
The preliminary round of the national league took place last weekend in Tullamore. St Laurence O’Toole took part in the ladies and men’s teams. While full teams did not turn out for the occasion, there were some promising performances from those who did. Overall the ladies team finished 10th with the men in 16th place.
For the ladies there was an excellent performance from Jennifer Sawyer who took second overall in the 400m. Sawyer was drawn in heat one, where she finished first with a time of 55.40, a season’s best. The winner came from heat 2 in the form of Aisling Strafford (Ratoath) with a time of 54.86. Sawyer then went on to compete in the 400m hurdles.
The 2024 National 400m hurdles champion has returned to the superb form she displayed two years ago with increased speed and injury free. She won heat 2 with a time of 60.61 gaining maximum points as she took overall victory.
The 4x100m relay team of Chloe Ryan, Kara Morrissey, Mia Cullen and Leila Colfer finished 5th in their heat. Deirdre Doyle 2.17 to finish 4th in the 800m. Leah lawler took 5th in the 3000m. Mia Cullen stepped into her senior competition shoes with a 3rd place in her heat of the 200m.
The u18 athlete collecting seven points for the club. Leila Colfer finished 5th overall in her signature event the 100m in a time of 12.46. Michaela Subrtova took on the jumping events taking 7th in the triple jump and 11th in the long jump, contributing a total of 13 points towards the clubs overall tally. Molly Travers took on the pole vault and weight for distance with Claire Archbold competing in the walk and Clare Hutton in the discus and shot.
There were parades and pipers, speeches and medals. Scores of parents, sunshine and general all round cheers of joy and happiness at the Carlow Community Games finals held in Ardattin last weekend. Soaked in blissful sunshine athletes from over 15 area’s contested for the coveted top position in each event, which guaranteed them a place in the National Finals to be held in SETU Carlow later this summer.
Large crowds attended on both days to witness hundreds of athletes from Carlow contest almost 70 finals. With ages ranging from u6 to u16, there was a versatile array of events from sprints, middle distance, relays and field events to suit all ages and talents. St Lazerians retained the Hosier Cup for the best overall area, a cumulation of the two days results.
Proceedings got underway on Saturday when the early morning sunshine illuminated the colourful displays of groups as they paraded through the venue to the sounds of the leading bag piper. A formal affair where the Irish flag was carried with pride by four young athletes from St Mary’s followed by the Carlow flag by four athletes from Myshall.
Each area presented their team in succession complete with their area colours, colourful mascots and a dazzling array of accessories, which were worn right throughout the two days of competition. The Mrs Curran Cup was donated this year by the Curran family in memory of their mother Ann who was deeply involved in the Community Games.
The Cup was awarded for the best participation at the Community Games, its winners this year being Graiguecullen. Area’s were also awarded for their Parade efforts with Myshall taking the award this year from Rathvilley and Burrin.
Starting with the girls events. In the U6 races, Graiguecullen made an early impact through Erin O’Neill’s victory in the 60m, while Bagnalstown showed strength in depth by claiming the 80m title with Kiyah Middleton and also placing two more athletes in the top four. This early success set the tone for Bagnalstown, who would feature prominently throughout the day.
The U8 competitions saw a spread of winners, with Ella Driver (Slaney Valley) and Lucy Keogh (Myshall) taking 60m and 80m titles. Moving into the U10 age group, Slaney Valley impressed with victories and multiple placings, including Máire Fitzpatrick’s win in the 100m, while St Lazerians also emerged strongly, taking gold in the 200m through Kate McNally and adding several other top-four finishes.
Bagnalstown continued its impressive showing in the field events, particularly with Neasa Byrne’s win in the turbo javelin. Meanwhile, Ballon Rathoe began to build momentum, claiming victories in the hurdles (Aoibhinn Egan Kelly), ball throw (Lilly Sargent), and later adding multiple successes in the older age groups.
At U12 level, Slaney Valley were once again top of the podium with Katie Byrne taking the 100m gold and Saoirse Dunne the 600m gold. It was a 1, 2 for Askea as Sienna Ryan and Emily Coady took gold and silver in the u12 300m. Millie O’Brien (Burrin) won the long jump with a magnificent leap in the second round.
The U14 competitions were where big battles were fought for places in the community games finals. Burrin athletes Fatima Mohammed had an easy victory in the 200m as had Matab Mohammad Ibrahim in the hurdles. Throwing power houses Ciara Coyle and Grace Cassin (both Ballon/Rathoe) took gold in the shot putt and javelin.
Bennekerry/Tinryland got their first gold medals of the day with Isabella Butler in the 100m and Mia Regan in the Long Jump. One of the most impressive performances of the day was from Bailee Bolton (Graiguecullen) who led from start to finish in the u14 800m and was untouchable throughout.
U16 is the oldest category in these county track and field finals. Lucy Malone (Ballon/Rathoe) was an impressive winner of the 1.500m from Sarah Keogh (Grange Tullow), an event that was not easy in the soaring afternoon temperatures. Malones team-mate Abby Keppel had earlier in the morning won the discus.
Ava Broderick (Askea) was a comfortable winner of the u16 100m from team-mate Amelia Skebas. Nicole Rigley (St Lazerians) won the 200m u16 from her team-mate Treasa Dermody.
In the U6 races, Askea took the first gold as Oisín Byrne stormed down the track in the 60m, while Bagnalstown’s Callum Hayden’s win in the 80m was equally impressive. In the u8 events, Askea again featured prominently with Daniel Bulfin winning the 60m, while Bagnalstown secured another sprint victory in the 80m in the form of Zaryab Mughal.
In the u12 age group Bagnalstown’s Jacob Cummins looks set to emulate the feats of his mother Michelle who won the Carlow and National finals a few decades ago. Cummins won the 100m confidently and comfortably. It was in this age group that St Lazerians really started to emerge as a force. They won the 200m (Daniel Hickey), hurdles (Paudie Hayden) and turbo javelin (Tadgh McDonald).
Oskar Stomkus (Tullow/Grange) had an eventful day, taking the boys u12 Long Jump before heading to Tullamore to win a National bronze in the shot putt. His team-mate Philip O Callaghan outsprinted Ryan Murphy (Bagnalstown) for gold in the 600m.
Beau Daly took gold for Hacketstown in the ball throw. Cale Kent (Bagnalstown) won gold in the 100m a race that had a considerable number of false starts. Matthew Doyle from Borris St Mullins won the ancient skill of the Long Puck. Jack Kenny was another Askea sprinting talent that topped the podium with gold in the 200m.
St Lazerians were to the fore in the u14 age group with their athletes taking three gold; Billy Og Forde (100m), Oisin Savage (hurdles) and Fionn McNally (Javelin). Graiguecallan’s Tom O Cathasaigh won the 200m and Oisin Molloy (Rathvilley) won the 800m. Lukas Andrulenis (Hacketstown) took the long jump title.
His borther Jack won the u16 100m. Harry Butcher (Myshall) produced a dominant display of running in the u16 200m bolting from the start to a significant lead by the end of the race. St Lazerians once again collected multiple medals as Adam Keating won the 1500m and Conor McDonald the Discus. Finally Tiernan Kearney (Slaney Valley) took the High Jump title.
An extraordinary display of relays took place with heats, semi-finals and finals running through both days. St Lazerians displayed exemplary baton changing throughout all age groups. The u6 relays produced an unusual display of baton changing practices from passing the baton in a seated position to examining the baton in detail before continuing running. Medals were distributed across all area’s.
The u16 girls relay, the penultimate community games race of the two day competition was a very close and exciting affair. In the final 30m Tullow/Grange outsprinted long time leaders Ballon/ Rathoe to cross the line for gold. In the girls u14 there was an excellent run over the final leg from Holly Broderick (Askea) who avenged her fall in the 100m to take gold for Askea in the relay.
