Jack McWey, from Kildare town on his way to gold in the U14 Boys Javelin
AFTER another epic weekend in Athlone, Kildare’s Community Games stars returned home flush with medals.
The county’s finest underage performers had 19 podium finishes including seven precious golds. It was another fantastic weekend at the National Finals for those in white as Kildare triumphed in various events.
Of course come Sunday evening, the troops returned feeling a little weary but they were brimful of pride from their most recent crusade in the midland town of Athlone. They had travelled from 16 different settlements within the county and gathered in Athlone Institute of Technology for the annual Community Games festival.
Dressed in their white tracksuits, the Kildare stars competed with enthusiasm for their county. In total, 106 medals were won by Kildare representatives, including team success in Gaelic football, variety and the mixed relay.
There were seven national champions from the Short Grass county come Sunday evening while there were seven silver-medal winners and five third-placed finishes. The under-14 relay team were unlucky to finish fourth as was Aimee McGrath from Newbridge St Conleth’s in the 800-metres.
GAELIC GOLD
The under-10s from Clane-Rathcoffey won gold in mixed Gaelic football competition with an exhilarating display. They were comfortable on the ball and played as a unit. ErneValley (Cavan) opposed then in the semi-final but could not prevent their Kildare opponents from progressing on a final score of 3-8 to 2-4.
The final was a repeat of the 2011 decider against Carrick on Shannon (Leitrim) but there was never going to be a repeat of that result as this time the Leitrim lads only managed three points against a rampant Kildare side. The Kildare lads totally outplayed them scoring 3-10 in the process.
CLANE-RATHCOFFEY: Dean Comiskey, Michael O’Connor, Daire O’Doherty, Matthew Walsh Hussey, Ronan Murphy, Ben Kirwan, Leah Dean, Holly Tyrell, Sean Tighe, Christopher Park, Ethan Farrell, A Wassam, Oisin O’Sullivan, Rebecca Lynch, Rosemary Ennis, Laoise Coillinan, Sean Finnerty, Sean Sheridan, James Bull, Patrick McNally.
VARIETY THE SPICE OF ATHLONE
The variety competition has always been popular within Kildare but in recent years the number of counties participating have fallen. Counties can now submit two teams to put on this 15-minute show of music, comedy and dance yet just four competed this year. However the entertainment was still as good as ever as the four teams performed their shows. Kildare were represented by both Newbridge areas while Bree/Davidson (Wexford) and Sixmilebridge/Kilmurray (Clare) made up the quartet. Just one point separated the Kildare teams as St Conleth’s won gold ahead of St Brigid’s who took silver. Wexford were third and Clare took the fourth place medal.
St Conleth’s: Tanya Gallagher, Rebecca Aspell, Meabh Manning, Lucy King, Leah Halford, Jodie Fleming, Jade Hogan, Jack Monahan, Elliot Nolan, Ciara Taheny, Carrie Ann King, Caoilinn Galvin, Aishling Dempsey, Aine Leonard.
St Brigid’s: Sophie Donoghue, Shauna Walsh, Rebecca Donohue, Rachel Smullen, Niamh Carey, Leah Boland, Kym Kearney, Kellie Tyrell, Katie Collins, Kasey Harpur, Glen McLoughlin, Emma Begley, Danny McLoughlin, Aoife Byrne.
GOLDEN LEAGUE
Om the athletic track there were golden performances Kilcullen athletes Lisa Aspell (U14 80m Hurdles) and Grace O’Toole (U12 600m) while Jack McWey (Kildare town) took gold in U14 Javelin. Aspell won both her heat and semi-final on the way to gold while O’Toole waited until the final to show her cards after finishing fifth in the semi-final to qualify.
The St Conleth’s under-15 mixed relay team took gold on the track also unbeaten in heat and semi-final – the team of Aimee McGrath ,Mark Glynn , Juliet Odife , Kevin Kyne, Mark Dempsey and Michael Ugochukury securing first place.
The under-8 competitors all get the opportunity to race twice. Those that fail to qualify from heats enter the B competition. Jack Morrin (Eadestown) made the most of his second chance, winning a gold medal in 80-metre B section) Eadestown’s Sarah Larkin took silver in the girls 80-metres while Gavin Keane (Straffan /Ardclough) took bronze in the 60-metre B final.
SILVER STARS
The St Brigid’s U13 Futsol team qualified for their final with a hard fought 2-1 victory over Fanad of Donegal but lacked a bit of sparkle, going down 2-0 to Croagh/Kilfinney (Limerick) in the final.
There was also silver for the Eadestown under-13 mixed relay team of: Hazel McLoughlin, John Lawler, Keela Magee, Orla Lane,
Diarmuid Kilgallen and Eoin Conneff.
ST BRIGID’S: Jamie Lyons, Oisin Sherlock, Daniel Madaghjian, Cian McHugh, David Higgins, Cian Butler, Jack Hannon, Ben Scanlon.
LEIXLIP’S NEAR MISS
Leixlip’s under-13 basketball team had a very good win over Donagh (Monaghan) 43-26 in their semi-final but found Oranmore/Maree (Galway) just too strong in the closing stages. Leixlip had led by six after the first period but could not match the late surge from the Galway side going down 39-28.
LEIXLIP: Ciara Bracken, Emma Browne, Laura Browne, Mollie Lawlor, Eimear Harrington, Ashley Njongue, Jan Muchemi, Fatimah Akorede, Caoimhe Masterson, Ellen Devine
EXTRA-TIME THRILLER
The under-11 B hurling final between Sallins and Ardfert/Kilmoyley (Kerry) took extra-time to separate the teams but it was the Kerry side who finished best to win by 3-9 to 2-7.
Sallins: Eoin McConnan, James Dalton, Adam Kelly, Cormac Cullinane, Ryann Herbert, Diarmuid Mangan, Shane Callaghan, Jack Couch, Stephen Moran, Ciaran O’Gorman, Ryan O’Gorman, Simon Hughes, David Cronin, Shane Quinn, Sean Goings, Colm Dalton, Brian Wilsom, Stephen Kelly, Ciaran Mangan, Sean Cullinane.
Sallins U11 hurlers
TRACK STARS
Meanwhile on the track Kildare athletes were performing with great determination.
Runo Ayavoro (Newbridge St Conleth’s) took silver in under-10 100-metres while John Fitzsimons had a fantastic race taking silver in the 1500-metres under-16 race. Ruth Sargeant (Eadestown) was just caught on the line in the under-10 60-metre hurdles while Nikki O’Neill managed a personal best to take silver in the under-14 javelin.
Dara Oke (Newbridge St Conleth’s) won bronze in the 100-metres under-12 and Kildare also took bronze in both under-10 200-metre events through Heidi Muirs (Newbridge St Brigid’s) and Leon Sweeney (Sallins).
Fourth place went to Aimee McGrath (Newbridge St Conleth’s) in the under-14 800-metres and Kilcullen’s under-14 relay team of Ellie O’Toole, Katelyn Hegarty Kelly, Nanci Murphy and Lisa Aspell also too fourth place.
BRIGID’S BRONZE
Newbridge St Brigid’s played out the story of St Brigid to take bronze in the under-15 Culture Corner event. The team was: Niamh McFadden, Kate Dunne, Grace O’Brien, Dervla Leahy and Caoimhe Cummins.
ROLL OF HONOUR
Gold: Clane-Rathcoffey (U10 Gaelic Mixed); Newbridge St Conleth’s (U16 Variety); Newbridge St Conleth’s (U15 Relay Mixed); Grace O’Toole, Kilcullen (U12 600m); Jack McWey, Kildare town (U14 Javelin); Lisa Aspell, Kilcullen (U14 80m hurdles); Jack Morrin, Eadestown (U8 80m)
Silver: Newbridge St Brigid’s (U13 Futsol); Leixlip (U13 Basketball); John Fitzsimons, Kildare Town (U16 1500m); Ruth Sargent, Eadestown (U10 60m hurdles); Nikki O’Neill, Newbridge St Brigid’s (U14 Javelin); Sallins (U11 Hurling); Gavin Keane, Straffan/Ardclough (U8 60m); Eadestown (U13 mixed relay)
Bronze: Newbridge St Brigid’s (U14 Culture Corner); Dara Oke, Newbridge St Conleth’s (U12 100m); Heidi Muirs, Newbridge St Brigid’s (U10 200m); Leon Sweeney, Sallins (U10 200m); Sarah Larkin, Eadestown (U8 80m)
Fourth: Aimee McGrath, Newbridge St Conleth’s (U14 800m); Kilcullen (U14 Girls Relay)
