Tír Chonaill Athletics Club Open Invitational Meeting Sunday, 21 March 2010

Sunday, 21 March 2010

Over two hundred athletes from fifteen clubs across the North West enjoyed the sunshine, the competition and the new facility at Donegal Town on Sunday last when Tír Chonill Athletics Club hosted a very successful open track and field meeting.

When the results sheets are examined many National Champions from a variety of disciplines and age groups can be found. Most used the very welcome option of a good competition prior to the upcoming 'All Ireland Indoors' in Nenagh.

In the field events, throughout the three hours programme, we find numerous notable bests. In the Under 15 girls high jump 14 year old Blaithin Patton, Finn Valley, was very impressive when clearing 1.51m. She was pushed all the way by local lass Kelly McGrory (Tir Chonaill) with a best 1.48m. Later in the day McGrory won both the 60m and 60m Hurdles by a margin.

Sliabh Liag pair Daire O’Donnell, 1.80m and Barry Quigg 1.75m kept the spectators happy with an enthralling U19 competition later in the day. The Long jump officials had large fields to contend with in all age groups. Ciaran Dolan, St Michaels Enniskillen, who represented Ireland in the 2009 European Youth Olympics was a winner of the Under 19 Long Jump 6.14m. Emma Brady, Tir Chonaill, 4.59m, was the top female performer when winning the U15 competition.

Andrew Doyle, Mid Ulster led a number of excellent shot putt performances when winning the U19 event while Sarah Donovan, U15 Sl Liag and Thomas McGowan, U13 Tír Chonaill were also of national standard when winning their respective disciplines.

A fast surface, electronic timing [first time to be used at a track and field meeting in Donegal] and summerlike conditions attracted large field to all the track events. One of the sprint events had six qualifying heats. Garvin McKenna, Glaslough, a recent winner at the 'Scottish Indoors' was impressive in winning the U15 60m/60m Hurdles. Gerard Maguire from Beeleek and St Michaels ran the fastest time of the day 7.41secs, when winning the U19 60m. Louise Harvey, Tir Chonaill, fresh from her trip to the 'Athletics Ireland Awards' in Arklow, was the fastest hurdler in action.

The 600m events were all very competitive. Natasha McArdle, LAC U15, 1min 47.9secs; Arlene Crossan, LAC U13 1mins 51.4secs and Louise Mulvanney North Leitrim Girls U17 were most impressive in winning their respective races. However the closest finish of the day was reserved for the final the Boys U17 race where Mark McGuiness, Tír Chonaill fresh from his 3rd place finish a the 'Irish Schools Cross Country' and Glaslough’s National Champion, Ciaran McCafferty dead heated on time, 1min 32.5 with the Monaghan lad getting the nudge from the finish judges.

The new facility used last Sunday will be officially opened on Friday evening next at 7pm. By an Tanaiste Mary Coughlan T.D. The club extends a welcome to all to come and celebrate the occasion.