St Senan’s AC X-Country Success!

Kilmacow order the good weather and crowds again

A beautiful Indian Summers day greeted athletic enthusiasts as they flocked to Kilmacow on Sunday for their 40^th annual Open Cross Country. This event is ubiquitous on any athletic clubs calendar, as is evident by the plethora of athletes from as far as Kerry, Cork, Tullamore (Offaly), Dublin and Limerick, along with our South Eastern neighbours who lined up for their respective events. With a well laid out course and newly mulched hills, it was the perfect cross country course on the perfect day. Parents of children, who themselves flocked to Kilmacow in the 1980s and 1990s could be forgiven for thinking they were taken back in time – the voice of Ed Williams the starter droned through the air with the same resonance it did 40 years ago.

St Senan’s AC retained the Fintan O’Sullivan Cup for the best Juvenile Cross Country Club, followed by Waterford AC and West Waterford – putting athleticism firmly on the map in this corner of Ireland.

County Kilkenny Clubs do very well in the sunshine

With the parish under starting orders, the girls under 8 proved to be the first of a double for the Daly sisters of KCH, with mother Lorna and Grand-Dad Robbie Norwood looking on with pride. Ellen won the u/8 and Molly the u/10s. St Senans AC were very prominent today with Ben Wallis a fantastic winner in the boys u/12, Tara Ramasawmy 2^nd under 16 and little brother Anil 3^rd u/10. Newcomer Ehtan Butler took 3^rd u/14 with a steady strategic run. Fast finishing Eve Dunphy overtook club-mate Caoimhe Phelan in the home straight to finish 3^rd. St Senans gained several team medals.

Brothers Darragh Carroll and Thomas Carroll both finished second in their respective age groups u/8 and u/9 – a band of brothers etching away at the silver lining. Orla Brennan was 3^rd u/10 but the race of the day went to Hannah Kehoe whose strong and steadfast run saw her clinch the gold. It was lovely to see Hannah embrace long-time rival Fiona Dillion at the end of the race, an expression of true comradery.

And another swift Kirwan lady from Thomastown has blossomed through the ranks to claim the gold crown. Orla Kirwan, emulating her big sisters Aine’s path in Kilmacow, secured gold in the girls u/12. Zoe Beck was 3^rd in the girls u/8 and it was lovely to see Fiona Dillion return to racing after a long battle with injury to take 2^nd in the girls u/14.

St Joesph’s came to Kilmacow with the entire population of 8 to 12 year olds, with several of the top ten finishers in the 8 to 10 year old races, to finally come up to trumps with Grace Glennon’s silver in the girls u/12. Not even fast finishing Eve Dunphy of St Senans could catch her to the post. Jos O’Connor showing his usual talent was 1st u/10 boys.

St Senans and KCH in the senior races

In the senior ladies race, St Senans clinched the team victory from neighbouring club St Joesphs. Kilmacow had a 1,2 with Adele Walsh leading home from Michelle McDonald. There were plenty of Kilkenny female athletic talent in this race – which augers well for the up and coming County Seniors in Kilmacow on the 8^th October.

The Senior Mens race was won by Tom O’Keffee of KCH with Conor Bolger also of KCH getting the top vets prize.  KCH won the team prize in the senior men.

County Championships next Sunday

With such intense competition evident in Kilmacow things are looking good for the county Championships next Sunday. All clubs are reminded that the county championships are in Ballycurran cross – (the usual spot for the first stage) next Sunday at 11am. The whistle will be blown on time, so arrive in plenty of time to complete your warm up. Club singlets should be worn. These races are qualifiers for the county team for the Leinster Championships. It’s important to show some respect to your coaches and turn up for these races. The respective club coaches put a lot of work into your children, and it’s only fitting that your child should run for their team.

Results

Girls u/8
1. Ellen Daly KCH
2 Saoirse Flanagan DMP
3. Zoe Beck Thomastown
4 Jessie Aspell Tagmon
5. Becky P’ Hara KCK
6. Kayleigh Butler Taghmon
7. Arewn Mulligan Waterford AC
8 Emma Aird Clonmen
9. Saorbith Mullally St Josephs
10. Molly Allen St Senans

Boys u/8
1. Shane Laffan Bree
2. Sara Carroll Gowran
3. Daniel Power Tramore
4. Ted Lynch Finnisk Valley
5. Sam Corr Gowran
6. RoryMcCardy Waterford AC
7. MJ Walsh Ballymore Cobh
8. Aiden Walsh Carrick AC
9. Zack Fenton St Senans
10. Sam McDonald St Josephs

Girls u/9
1. Ruby Gallagher North Cork AC
2. Leah Bolger Bree
3. Lucy Giltin Waterford AC
4. Niamh McGrath KCK
5. Martha Bergin KCH
6. Mary Kate Ryan Thomastown
7. Molly Byrne KCK
8. Abbey Ryan KCK
9. Aishling Mullally St Josephs
10. Grace Gilmartin St Senans

Boys u/9
1. Jayden Kenny Bree
2. Thomas Carroll Gowran
3. Eoin Prendergast West Waterford
4. Paul Miller KCH
5. Kayden Scanlon Finnisk
6. Kyle Bolger St Josephs
7. Sam McGrath Tramore
8. Odhran Plandorst Gowran
9. Paddy O’Neill SBR
10. David Phelan St Senans

Girls u/10
1. Molly Daly KCH
2. Cassandra Obulla Waterford AC
3. Orla Brennan Gowran
4. Lily Ryan St Josephs
5. Erin O’Keeffe Clonmel
6. Ashling Coverdale Thomastown
7. Ciara Wilson Bree
8. Ciara Laffan Bree
9. Stephanie O’Connor Enniscorthy
10. Ceelin Byrne St Josephs

Boys u/10
1. Joseph O’Connor St Josephs
2. Fionn Phelan Ferrybank AC
3. Anil Ramasawmy St Senans AC
4. Finlay McCardy Waterford AC
5. Conor Farrell Hugginstown
6. Senan Devine KCK
7. Sam Croke Carrick AC
8. Daniel Charles Clonmel
9. Ciaran Cummins St Josephs
10. Tom Keogh Gowran

Girls u/12
1. Orla Kirwan Thomastown
2. Grace Glennon St Josephs
3. Eve Dunphy St Senans

Teams
1. St Senans A
2. St Josephs
3. Waterford AC

Boys u/12
1. Ben Wallis St Senans
2. Cian Flaherty Clonmel
3. Ian Holmes West Waterford

Teams
1. St Senans
2. Clonmel
3. United Striders

Girls u/14
1. Hannah Keogh Gowran
2. Fiona Dillon Thomastown
3. Caoimhe Prendergast West Waterford

Teams
1. West Waterford
2. St Josephs
3. St Senans and Gowran

Boys u/14
1. Aiden Burke Waterford
1. Myles Hewlett United Striders
3. Ethan Butler St Senans

Teams
1. Waterford AC
2. St Senans
3. United Striders

Girls u/16
1. Una O’Brien Tramore
2. Tara Ramasawmy St Senans
3. Siobhan Whelan Clonmel

Teams
1. Thomastown
2. West Waterford
3. Waterford AC

Boys u/16
1. Matteo Mary Waterford AC
2. Conor Mullally West Waterford
3. Ben Keane Waterford AC

Girls u/18
1. Orla O’Connor Waterford AC
2. Ruth Heery Waterford AC
3. Anna O’Connor Waterford AC

Teams
1. Waterford AC

Boys u/18
1. Luke Brennan Waterford AC
2. Aaron Donnelly Dundrum South Dublin
3. Fergus O’Brien Waterford AC

Senior Ladies
1. Adele Walsh St Senans
2. Michelle McDonald St Senans
3. Catriona Muldowney KCH

Teams
1. St Senans
2. St Josephs

Ladies o/35
1. Jennifer Goggin Walsh Ballymore Cobh
2. Barbara Rossiter KCH
3. Maria Griffin St Josephs

Senior Men
1. Tom O’Keefe KCH
2. Patrick Hogan Ferrybank
3. Hugo Blair Waterford

Teams
1. KCH

Junior 
1. Bjorn Downes MoreAbbey Milers Limerick
2. Shane O’Riordan West Waterford

Vets
1. Ger Moloney St Pauls Wexford
2. Mossey Keogh West Waterford
3. Derek Keogh Gowran