Donore impress in National League Premier Final debut
IN WHAT was the club’s first time contesting a Premier Division Final in the National Track and Field League, Donore Harriers finished in a very respectable fifth place in Tullamore on Sunday.
First into action for the club was Lara O’Byrne (16.04) who placed third in the 100m Hurdles before club veteran Anne Gormley (9.51.54) came home fourth in the 1500m Walk and Caoimhe Mackey (1.09.68) finished third in the 400m Hurdles.
Ailbhe Healy, Aoife Lynch, Clodagh Martin, Caoimhe Mackey and Lucy Kirwan
Lucy Hurley (1.50m) and Lara O’Byrne (9.11m) both finished fifth in the High Jump and Shot Putt respectively, leaving Donore in fourth position after five events.
In the 4x100m Relay, Lucy Kirwan, Lara O’Byrne, Emily Geoghegan and Andie Maguire (52.15) combined to finish fourth after which the youngest member of the team, 17-year-old Roisin Brady (5.30.57) came home sixth in the 1500m. Lauren Flaherty then placed eighth in a competitive 400m race.
In the field events Orlaith Read (26.88m) and Andie Maguire (9.91m) both finished up fourth in the Hammer and the Triple Jump.
Ailbhe Healy recorded a season’s best jump when she cleared 3m in the Pole Vault for second place and seven team points
Meanwhile, multi-eventer Lara O’Byrne (25.23m) placed fifth in the Javelin, while back on the track Audrey Gahan (12.03.49) crossed the line sixth in the 3000m and Aoife Lynch (25,70) came home third in the 200m.
Roisin Brady (2.51.11) was eighth in the 800m, Suzanne Masterson (13.58.93) sixth in the 3,000m Steeplechase and Aoife Lynch (12.68) runner-up in the 100m.
Throwing novice Clodagh Martin (11.99m), managed seventh place in the Discus, while Lucy Kirwan (4.46m) did likewise in the Long Jump.
Heading into the final event- the 4x400m relay- the Donore team was level in fourth position with Kildare County, but despite a solid performance, the quartet of Clodagh Martin, Caoimhe Mackey, Aoife Lynch and Lucy Kirwan (4.29.50) had to settle for seventh place while the Lilywhites took third.
With 11 out of the 15 team members aged 20 years or less, this was an excellent result for a developing Donore team.
Club stalwart Anne Gormley said afterwards “today was a stepping stone and we will be back next year with a realistic chance of getting among the medals”.
Acting team manager on the day, John Geoghehan, added “The track season for juveniles finished in July, so it was a big ask to expect young athletes to compete in a national senior event during their break period. Every one of them did the club and themselves proud.”
TAGS Sport
