Echo Sport in Review: January 2023
AMELIA Motz delivered 26 points as Abbey Seals Dublin Lions beat St Paul’s Killarney, 69-64 to reach the Women’s Division One National Cup final for the first time in their history.
In their maiden season at the top-tier, the Clondalkin girls then went the whole way to seize the Division One National Cup in style with a 80-68 win over Phoenix Rockets.
Meanwhile, DBS Éanna secured a berth in the Pat Duffy Cup final after recording a 77-71 victory over Emporium Cork, and Templeogue booked a spot in the Billy Coffey Under 18 Men’s National Cup decider.
Shamrock Rovers bolstered their squad with the additions of Celtic starlet Johnny Kenny, former Crumlin United man Trevor Clarke, and Markus Poom, ahead of the return of the SSE Airtricity League.
Former Peamount United manager Eileen Gleeson, a UEFA Pro Licence holder, was appointed as head of women and girls’ football in the Football Association of Ireland while Jobstown man Jim Crawford extended his deal to manage Republic of Ireland Under 21s until 2025.
Templeogue United over 35s showed all their class as they completed the cup double, adding the Amateur Football League Matt O’Leary Cup following a dramatic penalty shoot-out win over Sheriff YC to the already secured Amateur Cup.
TU Dublin, containing players and management from St Anne’s, Thomas Davis, Ballyboden St Enda’s and Ballinteer St Johns, pulled off huge upsets in the Sigerson Cup when they overcame University Limerick and UCD to book a semi-final spot – where they were ultimately downed by UCC.
It was all smiles for Tallaght’s Willie Coyne who claimed the Irish Rallycross Championship crown in Mondello Park, and he was subsequently named The Echo Sports Star of the Month for January.
The Coyne brothers, Willie and Michael, in action before Willie claimed the Irish Rallycross Modified Championship crown in Mondello Park
Tallaght Athletic Club’s Jack Kelly captured the Junior 800m title at National Junior and Under 23 Championships in a time of 1:53.96 the National Indoor Arena (NIA) in Abbotstown.
Tallaght AC athlete Jack Kelly with his proud coach Johnny Fox after winning the National Junior 800m title
DSD left the National Junior and Under 23 Indoor Championships with gold medals for Ciarán Carthy and the 4x200m team of Molly Hourihan, Charlotte Bourke, Cara Murphy and Isabelle Doyle.
St Mary’s College player Terry Kennedy was called back into the Ireland squad ahead of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series double header with Australia and New Zealand.
Lucan school St Joseph’s College edged out rivals Mount Sackville on a scoreline of 2-7 to 0-8 to win the Senior ‘A’ Dublin Post Primary Schools Camogie final.
Lucan’s St Joseph’s College players celebrate their scooping of the Senior ‘A’ Camogie trophy after edging out rivals Mount Sackville with a final score of 2-7 to 0-8
Moyle Park College in Clondalkin were crowned All-Ireland U19B Schools Cup Champions on a 58-38 scoreline after a dominant performance against Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí in the National Basketball Arena.
Tallaght AC sprinter Rhasidat Adeleke produced a stunning performance when representing the University of Texas in the Dr MLK Invitational in Albuquerque, smashing the Irish indoor 200m record with a 22.52 time.
At the AAI indoor games in Athlone, Lucan Harriers’ Eve Noctor produced a phenomenal 2:11.39 PB time to break the National Under 18 Indoor 800m record.
With the countdown to the return of the Women’s National League, Shamrock Rovers added Chloe McCarthy to their panel after already signing Republic of Ireland internationals Stephanie RocT
To read The Echo’s full Sport in Review 2023 pick up our first edition of 2024 on Thursday, January 4, or subscribe.
