Ferrybank Athletic Club retain title of Best Juvenile Athletic Club in Ireland

Ferrybank Athletic Club, who have already retained their Munster Juvenile Club Title this year as well as adding the best Senior Munster Club title, travelled to Tullamore, Co Offaly last weekend with the aim of retaining the title of Best Juvenile Athletic Club in Ireland.

Last year the club achieved 21 Gold, 8 Silver and 13 bronze medals for a total of 42 medals & 92 points) and gained more than double their nearest opponents tally. This year the club were short of the services of three of their stars on Day 1 as Kalyn Sheehan, Kelly Proper and Mairead Murphy were travelling home from Lignano, Italy, where they represented Ireland in the European Youth Olympics.

In the warmest weather conditions of the year, the club easily retained their title but what was more remarkable was that the tally of 18 gold, 15 silver and 16 bronze (49 medals & 100 points)  was done without the expected services on Day 2 of Mairead Murphy who was ruled out with injury.

There were 5 double gold winners. Kalyn Sheehan (long hurdles & 200 meters under 17), Niamh Ryan (800m & 1500m under 16), Jessie Barr (triple jump & sprint hurdles under 17), Niamh Whelan (100m & 200m under 16), Ciara Cronin (800m & 1500m under 15).

Race of the day was the under 17 girls 800 meters when Mary O’Connor came from 7^th after lap one and 15 meters behind the leader, to time her charge perfectly and pip her teammate, Grainne Quinn, on the line.

The club had a ‘1,2,3’ in the girls under 17  200 meters with Kalyn Sheehan leading the way from Mairead Deevy and Hayley Murphy with a similar finale in the boys under 16 250 meter hurdles with Gavin Kennedy from Alan Corcoran with Christopher Russell taking bronze.

Triple medallists were Ciaran Donnelly ( gold 250m hurdles, silver high jump & bronze sprint hurdles under 15 ) and Jessie Barr (double gold with silver in the high jump under 17).

Other gold medallists were Kelly Proper (long jump), Shane Quinn (1500 meters), John Francis (1500 meters), Hayley Murphy (100 meters) and Mairead Deevy (300 meters)

The club now looks forward to the younger athletes (under 9 to 13) taking part in their National Championships in Sligo this weekend.

At time of print, Kelly Proper will be in Morocco representing Ireland in the long jump at the World Youth Championships.

The Irish team for the Celtic International in Wales was announced and includes seven of the clubs top performers and all national medal winners from the club will travel to Birmingham for the British Championships in August.

Full results

Gold

Gavin Kennedy- 250m hurdles

Kalyn Sheehan – 300m hurdles, 200 meters

Ciaran Donnelly – 250m hurdles

Kelly Proper – Long jump

Jessie Barr – Triple jump, 100m hurdles

Ciara Cronin – 800 meters & 1500 meters

Niamh Ryan – 800 meters & 1500 meters

Mary O’Connor – 800 meters

Niamh Whelan – 100 meters & 200 meters

Shane Quinn – 1500 meters

John Francis – 1500 meters

Hayley Murphy – 100 meters

Mairead Deevy – 300 meters

Silver

Adam Heaslip – shot putt

Alan Corcoran – 250m hurdles

Eoin Beglin – 400m hurdles

Andrew Heffernan – high jump

Ciaran Donnelly – high jump

John Francis – 800 meters

Grainne Quinn – 800 meters & 1500 meters

Niall Tuohy – 400 meters & 800 meters

Nicola Power – 80 meter hurdles

Jessie Barr – high jump

Kevin Cooper – 1500 meters

Mairead Deevy – 100 meters & 200 meters

Bronze

Sinead Donnelly – Long jump

Christopher Russell – 250m hurdles

Theo Wallace – high jump

Dayle Kennedy – discus & shot

Shane Quinn – 800 meters

Kitty Walsh – 800 meters

Kevin Cooper – 800 meters

Hayley Murphy – 200 meters

Gavin Kennedy – 100m hurdles & triple jump

Adam Heaslip – discus

Theo Wallace – 75m hurdles

Ciaran Donnelly – 80m hurdles

Beth Walsh – 1500 meters

Mary O’Connor – 300 meters