Bad Weather disturbs Christmas Races!

The Athenry 10k was cancelled today due to the continuing icey conditions on the roads, a proposed replacement date mentioned has been the 3rd January 2010. The Westport 5k scheduled for tomorrow, 27th December, has been provisionally cancelled as well however any athletes who planned to travel should contact the relevant figures in both Athenry and Mayo AC Athletic Clubs. Details can be found by clicking on the relevant club links on this site. A large number of runners braved the freezing conditions to partake in the annual Sligo AC "Two mile" jog around Hazelwood today. Anyone with sponsorship can contact club officials at the email address above to arrange collection.

Merry Christmas!

Sligo AC wishes all it's members a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. For an easy run Christmas morning (before swim) at Rosses Point meet at 10.15am at entrance to Rosses Point Golf Club. The Annual Club Run (2miles) in Hazelwood, Calry is on 26th December at 12 noon, (bring sponsorship cards if you have one). For various races on over the festive season please view prior posts on this site or contact club officials at slyouthfootball@eircom.net for up-to-date information. Happy Running!

Sligo 5k Santa Run

Over 200 hardy souls togged out in Santa suits for the inaugural Sligo Santa 5k on Sunday 20th December, the proceeds of which were going to the Special Olympics. The Course was of a predominantly flat fast nature but athletes still had to endure the "artic" conditions which lay in store for them especially a bitter icy wind around finisklin. This didn't impede the athletes up front however with Sligo AC's Emmett Dunleavy battling it out with North Sligo's Tommy Carroll for first place. Dunleavy opened a gap as the race went on and won comfortably in 15.02 with Carroll taking second spot in a time of 15.21. Neal Higgins (Sligo AC) was third home in a time of 17.11. Michael O'Connell (Sligo AC) was the first veteran to finish whilst North Sligo's Feidhlim McGowan won the Junior mens section. Sligo AC's Eimear O'Brien, just back from the U.S, won the Senior womens section with Anna Reddin (Sligo AC) winning the Junior event.
Overall the Race was very well organised, with plenty of marshalls throughout the route, music to encourage the participants over the line and plenty to eat and drink afterwards in the Southern Hotel. Plaudits must go to Dermot McDermott & Ray Flynn primarily with other Sligo AC figures such as Terry Hayes, Ann McHugh, Michael Gilroy and Shane Hayes also helping out on the day. Hopefully this race will become an annual event allowing local experienced athletes as well as newcomers the chance to race over the festive season without the need to travel further afield. (More photos from the Santa Run can be found on www.facebook.com/legginit )

Caroline Carty wins Fit4Life league!

Tuesday night last (15th dec) saw the final race in this Winters Fit4Life series. Once again it was a 4k around the I.T at Ballinode and with so many athletes within touching distance of each other it proved to be a very competitive finale. However when all results were tallied there was one clear winner, Caroline Carty, who came in ahead of the chasing pack. Presentations were awarded to the top 20 in the Stables Bat that night where finger food and karaoke were the order of the night. It is hoped that a large amount of these athletes will now try their hand at the Santa 5k run taking place on Sunday @ 10am starting at the Southern Hotel.

Top 20 Athletes after final Race:

carty, caroline 124pts, murphy, claire 235pts, conlon, martina 258pts, anderson, patricia 260pts, smyth, neil 262pts, o connor, vincent 273pts, regan, evan 273pts, mahon, fiona 283pts, kelly, roy 291pts, mc gowan, sean 309pts, sexton, conal 315pts, sheridan, liz 332pts, mc carthy, cindy 344pts, eglington, mary 354pts, hunter, gwen 355pts, garry, ciaran 359pts, mc guinness, ceila 364pts, gorman, anna 372pts, hardiman, james 376pts, gillen, aisling 378pts

Fresh Air Holidays are still looking for runners and sponsors to join our Fresh Air Fund-Racers team for the NYC Half-Marathon this coming March 21st. It's really a great way to participate in NYC's premier summer road race while helping Fresh AirFund children. For further information please log onto http://freshairholiday.org/

Sligo Athletic Club News

Well done to Sligo AC Athletes that travelled to Waterford over the weekend for the Half Marathon. Michael O'Connell (pictured) came in at 79.47 (31st overall) whilst Lucy Brennan finished in a time of 84.40 (4th in the womens race). A special mention goes to Enda Dineen who finished in 85.59, his first competitive run for a number of years.

The last Fit4Life race, a 4k, takes place tomorrow evening @ 6.30pm at the I.T, overall prizes and karaoke take place later in the night - 8.30pm in the Stables Bar. For further information please contact Terry Hayes on 0872274622

The Santa 5k race takes place on Sunday 20th December @ 10am starting at the Southern Hotel, Sligo. The Sligo Athletic Club Christmas Party will take place that night in the Southern Hotel. Details will be provided at the Race. For further information contact Dermot McDermott on 0863593482 or Ray Flynn on 0876566215

Cullen makes Sligo proud in European Cross Country!

Mary Cullen (North Sligo AC) finished a very creditable 12th in the European Cross Country Championships that took place in Santry Demense. Cullen who 3 weeks earlier ran a superb race, demolishing the best female athletes Ireland had to offer, in the Senior Womens Cross Country race in Kilbeggan was hoping to continue this form into the European competition. Indeed her form suggested that she would be in contention for a medal. It was a difficult year for Cullen, despite her earlier medal success in Italy. She suffered with injury during the track season which meant she was unable to compete at the World Championships in Berlin but used the European Cross Country as a target for achieving further success. Family, friends and a large contingent of support travelled to Santry in the hope of Cullen achieving the ultimate goal of a podium place and altough the athlete failed in this regard she still made all of the Yeats County extremely proud. Regardless of todays result, a deeply unfortunate experience, Cullen remains a world class athlete & will bounce back much stronger, undoubtedly achieving a great deal more in the months and years ahead. Well done Mary, all of Sligo wish you the very best in future competition.

Upcoming Races and Events over the Festive Season!

10th December 09: John McDonnell, the retired head coach of Arkansas University, will speak on “ Preparing a successful Athlete” in Breaffy House Hotel on Thursday at 8pm.
15th December 09: Race 8 in the Fit4Life Series. 4k circuit around the I.T, Ballinode, Sligo.
20th December 09: Santa Run, 5k Road Race, The Southern Hotel, Sligo @ 10am.
26th December 09: Athenry 10k @ 11am; Clooncool 5k @ 11am; Finn Valley 5k, Ballybofey.
27th December 09: Westport 5k @ 2pm (Mayo League).
1st January 10: Tir Connaill 8k @ 12 noon, Bundoran.
3rd January 10: Trolley Dash 6k, Calry (to be confirmed).

Uneven ages and Novice Cross Country; Coleraine

The Uneven Age's and National Novice took place in Coleraine, Co. Derry on Sunday last, 6th December 2009. The Course was a large 2k lap which was ran at different lenghts according to the specific race underway. Conditions were good with the rain holding off and just a slight head-wind to impede athletes along the home stretch. However there seemed to be various organisational problems with the various junior races as a member of Craughwell AC noted "The U11 girls were first to go and had lined up nicely in their starting chutes before it was realised that their course was measured incorrectly. So they were told to move forward a few hundred metres. Unfortunately the forwards motion was interpreted by many as the start of the race, and off they tore only to be halted a few hundred metres further on for the actual start. With the girls out of view at this stage behind a wooded area, the boys lined up in the same chute for their race. But as with the girls, they were informed the start was further on and by the time they got to the start, it was totally congested. Then the first attempt to start, false start, let’s try again, false start, let’s try again, false start. After the 5th false start, the race was let go. Unfortunately half the competitors thought it was another false start and didn’t go – and were then told they’d have to catch up". Athletes that performed well in this chaos were the two McGeoughs, James in the U15's (8th) and Sarah in the U13's (12th). Other Juvenile athletes such as Caeloinn McGonigle, Nicola McGoldrick, Clare Conlon and Clare Stenson also had solid performances.

Killian O'Connor was next up in the U17 race where he came home well up in the field. The last race of the day was the 6k National Novice where Sligo AC's understrenght team (due to injuries) lined up. Dermot Mcdermott was first home, coming in 23rd. Neal Higgins was next through the chute faring out in 61st spot. Seamus Somers, in his first ever cross country, had a very solid run making up about 15 places in the last lap of the race to come home in 96th. Ultan McNasser and Trevor Hunter were the last of the team to finish outside the top 100 (105th and 125th). Exact results have not been posted on the AAI website, no doubt due to the mix-ups in the Juvenile races, what has been posted is the following statement, "Athletics Ireland is concerned about difficulties that arose during some of the Juvenile races at the AAI Uneven Ages Cross Country in Coleraine on Sunday. A full and thorough review of this competition will take place as a result and all processes and procedures will be examined"

Fit4Life: Results after Race Seven!

After Race Seven of the Fit4Life Series; the top ten places have changed yet again with Athletes jostling for a good position leading into the final race of the series. This takes place on Tuesday 15th December and will be followed at 8.30 pm with presentation of awards in the Stables Bar in Wine Street. Food will be provided.

Top ten athletes overall are as follows;
carty, caroline 109pts
conlon, martina 217pts
regan, evan 220pts
murphy, claire 225pts
anderson, patricia 226pts
mahon, fiona 227pts
smyth, neil 232pts
o connor, vincent 262pts
sheridan, liz 277pts
mc gowan, sean 282pts

5k Santa Run: December 20th @ 10am!

Take part in the Great Ireland Santa Fun Run.
Start & finish at Sligo Southern Hotel, 20 December 2009 at 10am. Spread the Christmas cheer: run or walk 5km and raise money for a good Clause!
Each Santa will receive: • a 5-piece Santa suit • a particpant’s medal
Make a valuable contribution charity: • The Special Olympics • Entry: adults €20, juveniles €10 (includes Santa Suit and medal)
• Wheelchairs/buggies welcome! • Entry strictly limited to 300
Registration: Sligo Southern Hotel Sat 19 Dec 3-6pm, Sun 20 Dec 7.30-9.30am. Contacts: Raymond Flynn 0876566215, Dermot McDermott 0863593482

Calry "Turkey Trot" Road Race Cancelled!

The second annual "Turkey Trot" scheduled to take place in Calry next Saturday, December 5th, at 12 noon has been cancelled due to the death of Michael Cunningham. Michael was associated with local athletics in the past and condolences are passed to his family. The Race will be re-scheduled for the beginning of 2010.For more information please contact zola flynn (071 9143046) or john elliot (0866286860)

National Novice Team Announced!

The following team will represent Sligo A.C. in the A.A.I. national novice mens championships in Colerane on Sunday December 6th 2009.
RAYMOND BYRNE
RICHARD GORMAN
SEAMUS SOMERS
ALAN KEARNS
DERMOT MC DERMOTT
ULTAN MC NASSER
NEAL HIGGINS
ROSS MC GLYNN

Team manager Ray Flynn says "With the inclusion of Raymond Byrne, Neal Higgins and Ross McGlynn the team this year is considerably strengthened and I would be confident we can win team medals."
Sligo AC head coach Tery Hayes says "Winning team bronze medals at the Senior Inter-County championships last week has given everyone a great boost and i would expect this well balanced team to challenge for medals".

Sligo Athletic Club AGM

Sligo AC held their AGM for 2009 in the Sligo City Hotel on Wednesday night last at 8.30pm. A sizable crowd of Athletes, Coaches and Parents attended the meeting. Issues discussed were Training venues, Coach availability, Club Finances, Juvenile and Junior safety, Juvenile, Junior, Senior and Masters Training. All athletes that competed in Cross Country Races in Kilbeggan were also congratulated. Club Officials decided to meet at one of the training venues in the next week to discuss possible catagorisation of Junior and Juvenile Athletes to a more workable level. Sligo AC will hold another AGM for 2010 on Wednesday 13th January 2010 at 8.30pm in the Sligo City Hotel to discuss how to implement new policies for the seasons ahead. All interested parties, athletes, coaches and parents, are urged to attend. (Picture attached is of Sligo Senior County Team that came third in the Inter-County Cross Country Championships in Kilbeggan)

Fit4Life: Overall standings after Race 6!

With two races to go in the fit4life league Caroline Carty leads from Fiona Mahon, Martina Conlon, Evan Regan, Patricia Anderson and Neil Smyth.Next tuesday the action switches to the Sligo IT for a 4k race around the College. Registration is in the Gym at 6.30pm and everybody is advised to be on time as the start is approx 5 minutes from registration on Ash Lane.The final race on Tuesday 15th December will be followed at 8.30 pm with presentation of awards in the Stables Bar in Wine Street where food will be provided. Top ten athletes overall are as follows;
carty, caroline 103pts
mahon, fiona 180pts
conlon, martina 180pts
regan, evan 181pts
anderson, patricia 195pts
smyth, neil 199pts
murphy, claire 215pts
eglington, mary 229pts
sheridan, liz 231pts
o'connor, vincent 253pts

Sligo Athletes win team bronze at Inter-County Cross Country Championships!

Athletes from Sligo AC and North Sligo combined to great effect during the Senior Inter-County Cross Country Championships to win bronze medals in the team event. Bolstered by earlier performances by various juniors, including Sligo AC's Anna Reddin (5th in the U-18 Girls race) Sarah McGeough (9th/U-14) and Caeloinn McGonigle (8th/U-12), athletes and supporters were then shown a stunning display of front running by North Sligo's Mary Cullen, who cruised to victory in the Senior Womens race. Cullen increased her lead with every lap and finished in victory with almost a minute between her and second place! It was then the turn of the Senior Men. Conditions were muddy and very windy but this didn't deter David Kelly who produced his trademark gutsy form to come home in 5th place. Next in was Emmet Dunleavy (30th) with Paddy Brennan (31st) hot on his heels. Martin Conroy came home in 45th position with Tommy Carroll crossing the line in 55th place. The last of the team to medal was Dermot McDermott who finished in 66th place. The first six athletes to finish culminated enough points to push Sligo well clear of Cork in the team event and claim 3rd place; a first for the County. Thomas Kelly (67th), Eoin Rowan (72nd) and Ultan McNasser (99th) were the remaining runners from Sligo. Well done to all who competed and also for all the travelling support that cheered on the Athletes.

Sligo Athletic Club Annual General Meeting

The Club urges all members to attend the Annual General Meeting of Sligo Athletic Club. This meeting is important to all members, athletes, coaches and parents. Topics to be discussed on the night will be training, times, coaching, club national and international competitions, along with various other topics. The meeting will be held in the Sligo City Hotel on Wednesday 25th November at 8.30 p.m.

Meehan's Masters' Irish team win Silver!

Congratulations to Sligo AC's Tom Meehan who placed fifth in the Irish Team during the recent Home Countries Masters Cross Country Championships held in Birmingham, UK. Tom was Sligo AC's first International Masters Competitor and had qualified as part of the Irish team in recent trials in Dublin. The Irish Team secured second place silver medals in the race which Meehan described as a "nice course but conditions were cold, wet and windy".Tom would be well used to such wintery conditions during his frequent training runs with Lucy Brennan and Damien McSharry on the race course in all types of weather! Well done also to Sligo AC Athletes Conal Sexton and Roy Kelly who partook in the Clarenbridge 10k on Sunday last and came in in 18th (41.05) and 21st (41.51) positions respectively. The race was won by Mayo AC's John Byrne in 33.23

Senior Inter County Cross Country Team announced!

The following team has been entered to represent Sligo in the Inter Counties Cross Country Championships in Kilbeggan, Co.Westmeath on Sunday week, 22nd November.
DERMOT MC DERMOTT
EMMETT DUNLEAVY
OWEN ROWAN
PATRICK BRENNAN
DAVID KELLY
MARTIN CONROY
ULTAN MC NASSER
THOMAS KELLY
TOMMY CARROLL
Head Coach Terry Hayes says, "This is probably the strongest in depth team we have ever had going into an Inter Counties. I very much look forward to a great performance from the Lads." Team manager Ray Flynn adds, "Realistically we are probably not strong enough to beat Dublin but we should be fighting it out with counties such as Cork, Antrim, and Donegal for the Silver medals. Good Luck to all the Lads."

Connacht Cross Country & upcoming Races

Congrats to the large Sligo contingent, both from Sligo AC and North Sligo, that travelled to Tuam, Co. Galway last Sunday for the Connacht Uneven Ages Cross Country. All our athletes fared well with Team prizes for County Under 11 Girls (3rd), County Under 13 Girls (3rd) County under 13 Boys (3rd), County Under 15 Girls (3rd) & Sligo AC Under 15 Girls (2nd) and County Under 15 Boys (3rd). A special mention goes to Sligo AC's Killian O'Connor who came first in the U17 boys 4,000m cross country (see photo)

The 5k "Santa Run" will take place on Sunday 20th December 2009 starting at the Southern Hotel on the Strandhill Road. Proceeds go to the Special Olympics. More information to follow.
Finn Valley AC are running their annual St Stephens Day 5k run /walk/ jog in Ballybofey. This is the 39th annual organisation of the popular community event which in 2008 attracted close to 800 to the start line . More information to follow.

Fit4Life: Overall Standings after Race 5.

After five races so far; Caroline Carty has moved ahead of Evan Regan, Neil Smyth, Patricia Anderson, Fiona Mahon and Gwen Hunter in the overall standings in the fit4life Autumn League.The next leg over 2 miles will be at the same venue as the three miles, adjacent to Smyths Toys on Tuesday 24th November at 6.30pm. Top ten athletes overall are as follows

94 carty, caroline 89pts
165 regan, evan 140pts
198 smyth, neil 164pts
172 anderson, patricia 170pts
196 mahon, fiona 172pts
213 hunter, gwen 187pts
197 sheridan, liz 187pts
117 murphy, claire 189pts
204 o connor, vincent 192pts
80 prior, deirbhle 197pts

Sligo AC impress at Hollymount 10k

Sligo AC had a sizable contingent travel to Hollymount, Co. Mayo on Sunday last for the Hollymount 10k, part of the Mayo Race Series. First up was 16 year old Anna Reddin, running in the Senior Womens 3k, where she finished a creditable 7th place in a time of 11.30 secs. In the Senior Mens race; the club entered two teams, such was the turnout of athletes there on the day. Gary Crossan (GCH) came home in under 30 minutes (29.59) to win the race with clubmate Gerry Ryan taking second spot. Our own Emmet Dunleavy followed Ryan in hot pursuit to take third place in a time of 31.32. Next for Sligo AC was Dermot McDermott (6th/33.48) with Neil Higgins (9th/35.02) and Ultan McNasser (14th/35.34), Michael O'Connell was the 5th member of the team. The first four home would decide our standings in the team event and it was a very close call with both GCH and Sligo AC on 32 pts and Mayo AC on 33 pts. Sligo AC won the team event on countback and so got to bring the Hollymount perpetual trophy home to Sligo. The second Sligo team consisting of Tom Meehan, Raymond Byrne, Seamus Somers, Steve Finnegan and Conal Sexton packed close together and as a result came 5th in the overall team standings. For full results, please click here

Sligo AC News: Beginners Hammer Clinic

There will be a beginners hammer clinic in Sligo town, held in the Sligo Grammar School on Saturday 7th November from 11am until 1pm. Coaches and all interested athletes are welcome to attend. The session costs 5 euro.
To contact the organiser; ring 085-7268849 or email Ailish.obrien@itcarlow.ie

Connacht Cross Country: 1st November 2009

Sligo AC's Under age groups, Seniors and Veterans all turned out in good numbers for this seasons Connacht Cross Country held in Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim. Conditions could only be described as dire as all competitors took to the muddy, waterlogged course whilst being pelted intermittently with sheets of rain. However the mud definitely suited some more than others as Caelinn McGonigle, Sarah McGeough, Nicola Mc Goldrick and Anna Reddin all performed at a high level in their respective categories. James McGeough, Killian O'Connor, Neil Higgins, Ross McLynn & Michael O'Connell also fared well individually although it should be pointed out that all athletes, male & female, junior & senior, who took part should be commended on battling through the tough circuit. (Please click on Photo link for Cross Country Images). Next up on the racing calendar is the Hollymount 10k Road Race taking place next Sunday 8th November. For more information please click on the "fixtures/events list" link or email club officials on slyouthfootball@eircom.net

Fit4Life: Overall standings after Race Four

Once again the turnout was huge for race four in this autumn's fit4life series. The one mile race was held along the "back avenue", cleveragh, with conditions very good underfoot due to the new walking surface laid down over the past 12 months. The leader board is starting to shake up now with athletes jostling for the top 10 positions. Please see below for top ten athletes after four races;
carty, caroline 76pts
regan, evan 101pts
smyth, neil 108pts
anderson, patricia 119pts
o'connor, vincent125pts
coyne, ciaran 137pts
higgins, pamela 145pts
whyte, emer 153pts
sheridan, liz 154pts
eglington, mary 154pts
Good luck to all athletes taking part in this weekends Connacht Cross Country Races in Ballinamore. For more information on this event please email slyouthfootball@eircom.net

Sligo Athletes record pb's in Dublin Marathon

Sligo AC's Mel Casserly continued his rich vein of form recently when recording a personal best in the 2009 Dublin Marathon. He completed the gruelling course in a time of 2.55.19 coming in at 184th place overall out of over 11,000 entrants. Sligo AC's Lucy Brennan ran to her usual high standard coming home in a time of 2.51.18; taking fourth place in the Irish Womens section (136th overall) whilst Gerry Higgins also recorded a personal best finishing in a time of 3.03.59. Well done to all who competed. Meanwhile Sligo AC's veteran Tom Meehan is continuing his preparations to represent Ireland after securing his place on the team in the Gerry Farnan Cross Country race held recently. All at the club wish him the very best in his endeavours. Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim is the location for Connacht Cross Country races this weekend with Sligo AC hoping to have athletes in the novice, intermediate and masters sections. For full list of athletes so far please click on the comments link below this post. For any athletes interested in entering these competitions please email slyouthfootball@eircom.net . There will be a bus leaving Sligo Garda Barracks at 10.30am on the morning of the race (Sunday 1st November) at a cost of 5 euro per head. Updated Fit4Life results will be posted shortly.

Sligo Athletic Club News

Fit4Life
The winter-time change this weekend means that it will be dark at 5.30pm from Saturday. As a result race 4 on Tuesday 27th changes to a mile road race starting at 6.30pm at Smyths Toys. Registration from 6pm at playground across from Smyths Toys Cleveragh. The course will be on the road starting at Smyths heading for the Sports Complex and turning left before the hill up to the complex and coming back along the pedestrian walkway to finish on the grass area beside the playground. Apologies to all for the inconvenience but we thought the time changed at the end of the month.
Training
Training will be at the VEC pitch across the road from the Clarion at 6.30 on Tuesdays (park in Sligo IT and enter from the back entrance. Do not park in VEC park please). Training will be at Smyths Toys at 6.30pm on Thursdays.Warm up on grass followed by hills.
Cross Country
Reminder of cross country for Connacht Masters (over 35 men and women) Novices and Intermediates on Sunday 1st nov in Ballinamore. Please let me know who is interested and we can arrange for a number of drivers rather than a lot of half empty cars travelling.The club will make a contribution to each driver to cover petrol cost. Anybody competing would need to be there at 1pm and allow an hour and a half for travelling. I suggest that all meet at the Garda Barracks at 11am. For more information you can email us at slyouthfootball@eircom.net

Fit4Life: Overall Standings after race three

regan,evan: 38pts
carty, caroline: 59pts
anderson, patricia: 63pts
eglington, mary: 71pts
conlon, martina: 72pts
smyth, neil: 78pts
o connor, vincent: 79pts
mulvihill, orla: 94pts
murphy, claire: 102pts
coyne, ciaran: 103pts

Once again the turnout was huge for race three in this autumn's fit4life series. The two mile race was held in the race course, cleveragh, with conditions good underfoot. After three races, Evan Regan has a good lead from Caroline Cary followed by Patricia Anderson and Mary Eglington. With five more events to go it is most likely that there will be changes with those outside the top fifty coming into contention. The next event over one mile will be on grass in the Racecourse at 6pm on Tues 27th October and then the rest of the events will be at 6.30 each evening on road. Please see previous posts for full details of all Races in this series.

Assistant Coaches Course

27 Coaches from Mayo/Sligo/Leitrim/Roscommon/Donegal and Fermanagh successfully completed an Assistant club course in Sligo on two successive Wednesday nights, 30th September and 7th October 2009. Sligo AC's Dermot McDermott, Michael Gilroy, Gerry Higgins, Rory Connor and Sarah Jane Boyce were amongst those present. Athletics Regional Development Officer Eamonn harvey was delighted with the turnout and thanked all the participants and their respective clubs for support.

Sligo Cross Country Season kicks off!

The County Sligo Cross Country Championships were held in Sligo Racecourse on Saturday last. Local Clubs were well represented with many good performances. It was a testing day with strong winds and some nasty showers but athletes showed their strength in all age groups. The next Cross Country meet is the Co. Sligo Primary Schools CC which takes place at Calry Community clubhouse on Saturday 17th October. All schools in the area have been notified of this event and entries should be submitted by 13th October. For more information please email slyyouthfootball@eircom.net This Competition consists of a Junior and Senior Race; Juniors third & fourth class boys and girls - Seniors fifth & sixth class boys and girls. A walking race for Boys and Girls will also be held on the day.

Ballina 4 Mile Road Race

The Vodafone C& C Cellular Mayo AC Open Road League continues on Sunday next 11th October with race 7 of the nine race series. The 'Terry Fox' 4 miler takes place at Ballina and is a one lap course starting and finishing along the autumnal splendour of Beleek Park.The 'Terry Fox' takes place annually at venues all over the world in support of the Terry Fox Foundation which raises funds for Cancer Research in memory of a brave young Canadian.The race will not have a prize fund as all money raised on the day will go towards the Terry Fox Foundation. Local man Michael Rice and his team of helpers have organised this race at Ballina for the past 17 years. Mayo AC are very happy to support the great work done by Michael in his fundraising effort.Start time 3pm. Entry €20 from 1.30pm at track clubhouse. T shirt for all finishers.- Enquiries Michael Rice - 087 6611975; Michael McGrath (Mayo AC) 086 8534729,

Race Results: October 4th 2009

Grange 10k. Well done to Martin Conroy (Sligo A.C) who set a new course record of 31.28 on the 10k course in Grange. Mary Cullen and Paddy Brennan (both North Sligo) had a titanic battle for second place with Paddy just stretching on the line to beat the Irish International athlete. Elsewhere in the field good runs by Neil Higgins, Michael O'connell, Tom Meehan, David Kearins and especially Mel Casserly ensured that the race lived up to its growing reputation. Full results to follow. Elsewhere in the Rathfarnham 5k Sligo A.C athletes did not fare as well. Dermot McDermott came home comfortably in 15.54 whilst Ultan McNasser ran 16.55 over the same distance.

Athletics Ireland Coach Education Courses

Athletics Ireland invites applications for places on the following Coach Education courses.• Level 1 course – Venues – Donegal and Sligo - 23rd/24th Oct and 6th and 7th Nov.
Level 1 Course in Donegal/Sligo
This is a qualification for coaches interested in working with children/young athletes between the ages of 11 to 15. The Level 1 course is linked to the ‘Training to train stage’ of athletics development. Level 1 Coaches focus on developing the young athletes fundamental physical skills in a fun environment. Coaching Course content includes:• Developing the techniques of running, jumping and throwing • Understanding the effects of puberty • Planning and conducting a training session incorporating running, jumping, and throwing • Developing a sense of fair play, discipline, confidence, concentration • Developing the sport specific running, jumping and throwing skills fundamental Duration: (25 hours)
Entry Requirements: Level 1 is open to those who have completed an Athletics Leader Course/Assistant Club Course/ or an Introductory level athletics course. Assessment/ Qualification: The Level 1 Coaching badge is awarded on the basis of• Attending/participating in the • Sample training session[s] • Observed Practice • Oral assessment Cost: €100 – includes L.1 Coaching Manual and support materialVenue[s] – Donegal and Sligo venues
Dates Fri 23rd/ Sat 24th Oct. Fri 6th Nov/ Sat 7th Nov
Time –Friday evenings - 6.30 -10pm and Saurdays 9.30am -4.30pm
Applications to Eamom Harvey, Athletics Ireland, Regional Development Officer, Drimark, Donegal Town email eamon@athleticsireland.ie Mob 087 2797548

Deerpark 5k & Fit4Life Race two

Deerpark 5k
Well done to Dermot McDermott who won the Deerpark 5k, hosted by Calry Athletic Club, on Thursday 24th September in a time of 17.28, in doing so setting a new course record. The hilly two lap course was not one where Athletes would record a personal best over the distance however a sizable crowd of over 50 athletes undertook the challenge. Neil Higgins took second place in 18.18 whilst Ultan McNasser claimed third in 18.42 with Damian McSharry (4th) and Seamus Somers (5th) in hot pursuit.

Fit4Life Race Two: 1 Mile
The second race in the Autumn 2009 Fit4ife series took place on Tuesday 29th September at Sligo Race course, Cleveragh. Once again organisers were very pleased with the turnout with over 120 people taking part. The top ten athletes overall so far are as follows;

1. regan, evan pts 26
2. eglington, mary pts 44
3. carty, caroline pts 45
4. sheridan, liz pts 45
5. kelly, roy pts 45
6. smyth, neil pts 50
7. conlon, martina pts 51
8. anderson, patricia pts 53
9. gillespie, sinead pts 53
10. murphy, claire pts 57

FIT4LIFE Top ten results: Race One

byrne, raymond: 10.42
higgins, neil: 10.58
mc geough, james: 11.13
o'connell, michael: 11.24
somers, seamus: 11.25
mc partland, christy: 11.43
mc gloin, kevin: 11.55
kennedy, damien: 11.55
sexton, brian: 12.03
flannery, sean: 12.04

Well done to all athletes who particpated this, the first race of the series. The next race will be one mile in the race-course on Tuesday 29th September. Coach Terry hayes will be contacting all partipants via email with more detailed information in due course.

Congratulations to Rachel Flynn, daughter of Sligo AC Coach Ray Flynn, who's getting married on Saturday 18th September. All at the club wish her and her new husband all the very best in the future.

Ballinamore and Calry 5k races

Ballinamore 5K Road Race
(Under AAI Rules)

Friday September 18th @ 7.00 p.m in Ballimamore, Co. Leitrim
PRIZES: First 3 Individuals- Men, Women, Junior Boys, Junior Girls
Valuable CARA hamper to 1st Man, 1st Woman
First 3 Vets Over 40
First Over 50,60
First three Under 16 ……… and more
3 Team awards (four count) Men, Women

Registration- Ballinamore Community Centre
from 6.00 onwards. Race begins 7 00 p.m. sharp
Entry Fee- Senior/Veteran Competitors €10 00
Juniors, Walkers, Joggers, FIT4LIFE €6 00

Deerpark 5k Forest Race

Thursday 24th September @ 6.30pm. Registration at the Deerpark, Calry, Co.Sligo from 5.30pm.
Prizes for first senior, master, junior and local runners.
€50 on offer for anyone who breaks the course record!!
Registration €10
Refreshments will be served after the race in the Marion Hall Calry.
Further Details from: John Elliott 0866286860 & Zola Flynn 0719143046
“Run in Calry, the home of athletics in Sligo”

Sligo AC Fit4Life league 2009

An event for runners and walkers of all abilities.
WHO: All fitness levels. Races are handicapped so all have an equal chance.
WHEN: Starting Tues 15th Sept 2009
TIME: 6.30 p.m start each evening
Race 1 Tues Sep 15th Sligo Racecourse 2 miles on grass
Race 2 Tues Sep 29th Sligo Racecourse 1 mile on grass
Race 3 Tues Oct 13th Sligo Racecourse 2miles on grass
Race 4 Tues Oct 27th Sligo Racecourse 1mile on grass
Race 5 Tues Nov 10th Riverside 3 miles road (out on main road and back on pedestrian path) Start at Blue Lagoon Pub.
Race 6 Tues Nov 24th Riverside 2 miles road. Start as previous week
Race 7 Tues Dec 1st Sligo IT 4K road
Race 8 Tues Dec 15th Sligo IT 4K road

Calry Deerpark 5k Race: Starting at Deerpark Carpark, Calry, Co.Sligo @ 6.30pm on Thursday 24th September 2009. Registration at 5.30pm in Deerpark Carpark. €10 per entry. For further information please contact John at 086 6286860

Warrior's Run Photos!

Sligo AC's Alan Kearins was busy snapping away last saturday during the 25th Annual Warrior's Run. Please click here to view the full gallery. We'll have the "running shoes" column posted here shortly which will describe the conditions etc on the day.

Sligo Athletic Club News

Good luck to all Sligo AC Athletes taking part in the 25th annual "Warriors Run" on Saturday 29th August. The slight change in course on the mountain section will prove to be tricky so care is advised on both the ascent and descent. Also good luck to athletes taking part in the Claremorris Road Race, which is part of the 2009 Mayo League.

Ciaran McDonagh, Irish national record holder - Long Jump, will be visiting Sligo next Wednesday 2nd September 2009 for a Sprint and Long Jump Workshop. This workshop would be an excellent opportunity for both coaches and athletes to gain valuable pointers and techniques over these two disciplines. Participants are advised to bring a notepad and pen with them. Anyone interested in this event please ring Dermot McDermott at 0863593482.

IAAF Athletic Championships, Olympic Stadium, Berlin

In this magnificent sporting arena Irish athletics made its own piece of incredible history. We never had an athlete in the final of a sprint event in the Olympic Games or outdoor world championships and yet within the space of 30minutes one evening last week we had two athletes Derval O’Rourke and David Gillick qualify for finals. Dervals 4th place finish in the 100mts hurdles should go down as one of the great Irish sporting performances of all time. David Gillicks 6th place finish in the 400mts men’s final was also unbelievable. It certainly capped a great week in Berlin for Irish athletics where all of our 14 strong team performed to their absolute maximum. For a tiny country like ours to come back with a silver medal and three other top ten finishers is incredible. It was great to see our Berlin heroes in Croke Park on Sunday to help the GAA in their 125 year celebrations. It was wonderful for the mob who follow that sport to see real international athletes grace the hollowed turf of Croke Park with their presence. However I felt a bit sad that our athletes were paid to be there while the poor players who were playing in the football match were playing for free. (Running shoes)



On the local athletics scene one of the highlights of the year takes place on Saturday with the staging of the annual Warriors Run. This year a second field of nearly 1000 runners will toe the line in Strandhill for the annual race. This year sees a new departure with the race taking place on Saturday. The course is also altered a bit with the athletes making their way to the summit of the mountain via a different route. Most Sligo interest will centre on the performance of local athlete Emmett Dunleavy who will be bidding to win the €1000 winners prize. Emmett fresh from his magnificent silver medal in the steeplechase in the AAI national championships will go into the race as one of the favourites. Good luck to all those who take part.

Sligo FIT4LIFE Autumn League 2009

An event for runners and walkers of all abilities.

WHO: All fitness levels. Races are handicapped so all have an equal chance.
WHEN: Starting Tues 15th Sept 2009
TIME: 6.30 p.m start each evening
Race 1 Tues Sep 15th Sligo Racecourse 2 miles on grass
Race 2 Tues Sep 29th Sligo Racecourse 1 mile on grass
Race 3 Tues Oct 13th Sligo Racecourse 2miles on grass
Race 4 Tues Oct 27th Sligo Racecourse 1mile on grass
Race 5 Tues Nov 10th Riverside 3 miles road (out on main road and back on pedestrian path) Start at Blue Lagoon Pub.
Race 6 Tues Nov 24th Riverside 2 miles road. Start as previous week
Race 7 Tues Dec 1st Sligo IT 4K road
Race 8 Tues Dec 15th Sligo IT 4K road

Well done to all Sligo Athletes who took part in the "Tullan for the township" 5k road race which took place on Saturday 22nd August, Bundoran. The club was well represented and most of our athletes finished well up in table. For sligo results please click on the comments link directly below...

Warriors Run 2009 Blog

For all athletes taking up the challenge of running the 25th Warriors Run in Strandhill on 29th August there is a new blog set up where you can share your experiences. Competitors can share knowledge of the course, past experiences and potential pitfalls as well as training schedules, tapering and proper diet etc. to find out more log onto http://sligowarriorqueen.wordpress.com/

4th Annual "Battle of the Champions"

For the 4th successive year, Sligo AC's "battle of the champions" will take place on Wednesday 26th August at the I.T Racetrack, Ballinode, Sligo. This competition is regarded as the main annual fundraiser for the club so all athletes are urged to try and collect what they can on the official sponsorship card. If various athletes cannot take part it would be appreciated if they could lend their support and help out on the day with registration, stewardship etc. Registration is at 6.30pm sharp and all athletes will partake in four track and field events,

• A Middle Distance Race
• A sprint Race
• The Shot Put
• The Long Jump

Each athletes (in their various groups) will gain points for their positions in each heat. The final decider will be a 800 metre race with each finalist being given a handicap. For further information please contact Sligo AC coach Dermot McDermott at 086 3593482

Sligo Athletic Club Notes 18th August 2009

The National Masters took place in Tullamore on Sunday 16th August. Although Sligo had only a reasonable numerical representation on the track we had some quality performances. Kevin Mc Glone was competing in his first Nationals and produced a sparkling effort to take gold in the 100 and 200 ms and a close fourth over 400ms, probably his best event but coming at the end of a hard day following his two victories. John Mc Dermott, fresh from his fourth in the World Masters the previous week took a silver early in the day over 200ms but ran away with the gold over 400ms. Terry Hayes repeated his 2008 bronze over 1500ms , while Karl Boyce ran his fastest ever 1500 ms of 4mins 47 secs in a high class race and Eamon Reddin also ran his fastest 1500ms in his category.


The Annual Dromahair 4 Mile Road Race also took place on Sunday 16th August on what turned out to be a beautiful sunny afternoon. As usual this race was in the capable hands of Tom Cullen and Danny Hannon and they didn't disappoint with excellent organisation throughout. Over 170 people turned out to take part in both the senior walk and run section whilst a large amount of underage athletes were evident too. Tommy Carroll - pictured -(North Sligo) breezed home as the comfortable winner with Neil Faulkner (North Leitrim) coming second. Full results to follow.


The Tullan for the Township 5k will take place on Tullan Strand Road, Bundoran, Co Donegal on Saturday 22 August 2009 at 2.00pm. The Walkers will set off at 2.00pm and the Runners at 2.30pm. Registration is at the Donegal Adventure Centre, Bundoran, (Directly opposite GAA Park) at 12 noon to 1.45pm sharp. The race start and finish area at the Tullan Strand beach car park at the top of Tullan Strand Road, turn up at KFC. Entry €15 includes Niall Mellon tee shirt. There will be cash and merchandise prizes in all categories. Contact: Paddy on 087 2376389.

Sligo AC claim 5th place in National League Final

After 2 previous weekends of competitive athletics to claim their spot in last weekends final, all team members can hold their heads high after a courageous 5th place finish behind some of the top counties and clubs in the Country. A team mixed with youth and experience it gave the perfect foundation laying tonic to mount a serious challenge for next years competition. First on the track was the youth of David Burke in the 110m hurdles that gave Sligo their first points of the day with a 6th place finish, he later received the same place finish in the 200m. As this was going on Stephen Reynolds, best known for his boxing got massive points with his 2nd place finish in the hammer throw. In the long jump pit, Glen Gannon another new addition to the sport jumped his way to a very credible 5th place position and 4 team points with a massive jump of 5.76metres.Sligo continued to pick up good points with experienced athletes Martin Conroy finishing 2nd in the 3km walk and Tommy Carroll 2nd in the 800m, running his usual gutsy race. Conroy later went on to record a further 9 points for the team with a very intelligent run in the 5,000m out kicking his rivals with a 67 second last lap. Emmett Dunleavey, fresh from his silver medal at the national Championships showed his confidence was sky high when he put Mark Kirwan to the sword early on in the 3km steeple chase for the most impressive performance of the day, this added to Dunleaveys 4th place finish in the 400m hurdles earlier. Tommy Casey also ran a very mature race and did his job for the team picking up a 4th place finish in the 1,500m. Kenneth Lipsett (high jump), Connell Boal (javelin) and Alan Reynolds (shot putt) all recorded very credible 5th place in their events. More youth in Paddy Hazelton(100m), Aaron Murtagh (triple jump) and Donal Rooney(discus) got points on the board in their events as Sligo tussled throughout the day with Ferrybank AC for 4th spot. In the final race of the day, the quintet of Conroy, Dunleavey, McDermott and Carroll produced real excitement as they mixed 8 of the best clubs in the country in the 4 by 400m relay, they finished in a very close 4th place getting more valuable points but not enough to move out of their 5th place finish. Well done to all athletes who took part throughout the 3 weekend competition and no doubt all will be back for another push at what has really been a very exciting competition for all involved.
Finally well done to Michael O’Connell who finished 3rd in the over 40 in Letterkenny 15km at the weekend in a time of 55.35 and lucy Brennan finishing 2nd in the lady’s category in a time of 58.09.

National Championships 2009

A record number of Sligo athletes will rub shoulders with the cream of Irish athletes this coming weekend at the Woodies DIY AAI National track and field athletics championships in Santry Dublin. With the world athletics championships in Berlin only three weeks away world class athletes like Paul Hession, Derval O’Rourke, Olive Loughnane, David Gillick and Robert Heffernan will be having their final races before departure for the final training camp prior to the games. Sligo athletes Martin Conroy, David Kelly, Tommy Carroll, Dermott McDermott, Emmett Dunleavy, Patrick Brennan, Darren Hough, Gary Hynes and David Burke represent the biggest Sligo entry to those championships for many years. If I was to put my neck on the line and predict if any of those athletes will win a medal for Sligo then I would have to say that Emmett Dunleavy represents our best chance. Entered in the 3000mts steeplechase, all Emmett’s training this year has been aimed towards taking a medal home here. If he can go with what is sure will be a strong early pace then he has a great chance. Of the other Sligo contingent David Kelly in the 10,000mts could be the surprise packet here. Free at last of the shackles of exams and injury Kelly has put together a couple of months of impressive training and is sure to be very competitive. Tommy Carroll is in the first year of senior athletics and with a recent personal best in the 800mts looks a good bet to reach the final of the blue ribbon event the 1500mts. His fellow North Sligo athlete Patrick Brennan will contest the same event and after a low key build up will also be hoping to reach the final. Dermott McDermott is well capable of reaching the 800mts final if he runs with the belief that he can achieve this. Martin Conroy won a medal over 3000mts at the AAI indoor championships last January and will be hoping to convert that form to 5000mts outdoors in Santry. Darren Hough is a Sligo athlete who has seen it all before and it’s great to see him return to big time athletics. The opposite is true of young lads Gary Hynes and David Burke who will contest their first senior championships and who will just be happy to be rubbing shoulders with Paul Hession and David Gillick in the 100mts and 400mts. Altogether it looks like one of the most exciting championships in a few years and wonderful that so many Sligo athletes will be taking part.

National T & F Championships; 1st and 2nd August 2009

Sligo AC are planning to have the following entries in the National Championships which take place in Morton Stadium, Santry on the 1st and 2nd August 2009.

100ms/200ms: Darren Hough,
3k Steeplechase: Emmett Dunleavy
5k: Martin Conroy
10k: David Kelly.

These athletes have had very successful seasons so far and thus should do our club proud at the top level of Athletics in Ireland. Santry Stadium is very accessible via the Airport Road and is a 2hr 30 min journey from Sligo so a great day of Athletics is there to be enjoyed by all. If any members were interested a bus could be organised by club officials. For further information please email slyouthfootball@eircom.net

Sligo AC National League News

Last Sunday week (July 5th) in Athlone was a historical day for athletics in Sligo. For the first time a team from the county qualified for the national league final. However it took a mammoth performance from the squad to pull through and qualification hung in the balance right down to the last event of the day.

After Round 1 in Antrim, Sligo laid 10th overall in Division 1 with a tally of 76 points. This left a lot of work to be done in Round 2 in order to leap-frog the two squads between ourselves and a spot in the final. The Yeats County started positively with strong performances from David Burke in the hurdles and Martin Conroy in the walk. On the infield, the youthful bunch of throwers and jumpers were performing significantly better than Round 1. The 4 x 100m quartet scorched to a 3rd place finish and Dromore West man Gary Hynes was next to get in on the Sligo scoring frenzy, as he garnered a total of 10 points from the 100m and 200m.

Sligo has traditionally been a county of strong middle distance runners. Hence the distance squad really needed to bring their A game to proceedings and they didn’t disappoint. Tommy Carroll and Martin Conroy both chalked up second place finishes in the 800m and 1500m respectively. Sligo’s first win of the day came in the 3000m steeplechase and shortly afterwards, Dermot McDermott produced a withering kick to take Sligo’s second win and the full 9 points in the 5,000m.

So it all came down to the traditional finale, the 4x400m relay. David Burke led off with a very solid opening 400. By the end of the second leg Emmett Dunleavy had squeezed into the top 5, before “player- manager” Dermot McDermott took the baton. His sizzling 52 second split pushed the team into 3rd, before handing off to Tommy Carroll for an epic anchor leg. All credit to the St Mary’s student as he dug deep to haul Sligo into second place, just 8 hundredths of a second shy of Kerry and a mere 1 second outside the county record. More importantly the final points showed Sligo on 96.5. Third position on the day, 7th place overall and securely into the final.

Thoughts now turn to the final to be held in Tullamore on Saturday August 8th. Hopefully as many sports fans as possible from the county will come down to support, what will surely be another afternoon of close competition and high drama.

SUPER 3RD PLACE FINISHES FOR BURKE AND MCGONIGLE AT ALL IRELAND JUVENILES IN TULLAMORE LAST WEEKEND

Sligo AC sent a small but very talented group of youngsters to the National finals in Tullamore last weekend and they didnt disappoint. The day got off to a flyer with David Burke running a stormer in the final of the u-17 boys 400m hurdles, drawn in lane 6 he used the athletes outside him to draw away from the inside runners, rounding the final bend he was lying in joint 2nd just fading off the final hurdle to finish in an impressive 41.2 and bronze medal position.Next on the track was Caelinn McGonigle in the u-12 600m. Caelinn being a silver medallist from the National indoors earlier in the season had high hopes of repeating this feat and medalling once more. Getting off to a fast start she was always in the front ranks as she used her big long lobbing stride to put her competitors under pressure, with 200m to go she moved into 2nd place and was chasing down the leader but unfortunately the gap didnt close and Caelinn got caught on the line and finshed an 3rd place in a remarkable time for a 10 year old of 1 minute 47 seconds dead. Watch out for this girl over the next few years as she moves up in distance. Next on the track Was Darren Kilcawley in his his All Ireland debut, this lad only running 2 months ran a brilliant race to finish 8th in his heat of the u-14 boys 800m just missing the final by a couple of seconds and again keep an eye for this talented lad over the next few years. Nicola McGoldrick stepped up next in the girls u-15 800m final with a large field there was a fair bit of bumping early on for good positions and Nicola found herself at the back of the pack, gradually picking off runners she worked hard to get up into 8th place with 300m to go and not far off the main bunch, with all athletes now hitting lactic acid Nicola worked hard all the way to the line and finished 11th in her 1st All Ireland track final and again this won't be her last.While these exciting races were taking place on the track, Colm Bourke was competing in the u-16 long jump. He had an impressive jump of 5.01 which had him in 9th place and unfortunately the top 8 went through to jump in the final. Again watch out for this lad at this event next year as he has only took up the event in May.The day ended with Jack Roberts in the u-17 boys 800m, drawn in a very tough heat this unfazed Jack as after a tactically slow opening lap Jack kicked to the front at the bell and stretched the field to the 600m where they bunched and Jacks heels were clipped and he nearly hit the deck but he dragged himself up and kicked again and scrapped all the way to the line but narrowly missed out on a place in the final. A great run from a lad so new to the sport.Well done to all athletes who took part this weekend and good luck to all participating this weekend with Sligo AC's medal hopes lying with Anna Redding in the u-18 girls 1,500m and Dylan Carty in the u-14 boys walk.

Master's Track & Field: August 16th 2009

The Masters (over 35) track and field competition this year is on August 16th. Sligo Athletic Club intend entering 4 by 100ms and 4 by 400ms relay teams plus individuals. As our club has a large amount of masters athletes we ask as many as possible to attend training on tuesday (14th July) at the I.T Racetrack to decide on possible teams. Alternativley if you cannot attend but are interested in entering this competition, please contact terry at slyouthfootball@eircom.net

"The Fresh Air Fund is looking for runners and sponsors to join our Fresh Air Fund-Racers team for the NYC Half-Marathon on August 16th. I thought you would be interested in helping out by posting a mention of this exciting news on Sligo Athletic Club's Website" Please click on comments link below for more information.

Independence Day 10k: 4th July 2009

The Independence Day 10k was held in Calry last Saturday 4th July at 12 noon. A sizable field of over 60 athletes showed up on the day to test their indurance on this tough hilly course which was ideal preparation for Sligo's Warriors Run. The weather stayed fine for the duration of the race which on this occasion went in the opposite direction to last winters "turkey trot" 10k. Once again Calry Athletic Club's organisation was second to none with adequate marshals, accurate timing and plenty of tea and cake for all afterwards!

1st: Alan Maguire 36:02 2nd: Neal Faulkner 36:20 3rd: Patrick Touhy 37:44 1st vet: Karl Boyce 43:14 (pictured)

1st Lady: Roseanne Mitchell 45:002nd Lady: Cindy McCarthy 45:373rd Lady: Edel Carty 47:19 1st vet Lady: Rose Tully 48:05

Sligo Athletic Club News: 29th June 2009

The Inaugural Ransboro 10k Road Race and Walk got off to a fine start on a scorching saturday evening last. The charity event which raised money for a local Defibrillator unit had a huge turnout with more than 100 runners and 50 walkers taking part. Many participants used the run as a tune up for Strandhill’s Warriors run in August and though the undulating course wasn’t as challenging as the trek to Queen Maeve’s tomb , most participants found the heat made it a very tough workout. The temperatures were still in the low 20s as the gun went off at 630pm but this had little effect on Sligo’s Irish International runner David Kelly who scorched around the scenic course in a time of 32 mins and 32 seconds. Equally impressive and a future star in the making was 14 year old James McGeogh running a mature and measured race to see off a host of senior athletes to come second in 37 mins and 28 secs . Alan Kearins finished 3rd followed by a solid run by Oliver McGeeghan in 38mins and 4secs . A hot duel between club mates Trevor Hunter and Steve Finnegan saw Trevor just shade it at the finish for the veterans prize. In the Women’s race Lucy Brennan shows no let up after her recent Cork marathon win coming home 8th overall in 39 mins and 10 secs. 2nd woman home was Cindy McCarthy who won the first veteran prize followed by Roseanne Mitchell, Aisling Cawley and Mary Foye. Second veteran went to Ann Hunter . First local (Strandhill/Coolera) prizes went to Tony McCaul and Aisling Cawley. Dromahairs’s Tom Cullen was first walker home. (Click on comments link below for full results)
Elsewhere two Sligo AC Athletes made the trip to the Ballybofey 5k on Friday 26th June which was part of the Donegal Race Series. David Kearins had a fine run in his first ever race over this distance recording a time of 17.49secs whilst Ultan McNasser came 6th overall in 17 minutes flat. Once again well done to all athletes who raced over the weekend & we hope to have full results posted here shortly.
The Next local road race will be the Independence Day 10k run in Calry on Saturday 4th July at 12 noon. The tough hilly course makes it an ideal race in preparation for the Warriors Run in late August. Registration is in Marian Hall, Calry from 11am onwards & its hoped that a good number of local athletes will take part.

Sligo Athletic Club Notes 22nd June 2009

Connacht Track and Field Championships
The second day of the Connaught T & F championships were held on Saturday with many members of Sligo AC taking part. Colm Burke completed in the U16 800m and long jump and qualified in the long jump. Sharon Higgins secured silver in the U17 1500m. Jack Roberts ran a solid race in the U17 800m and picked up gold with a bronze in the 100m. David Burke secured silver in both the 200m and 300mH. Rianne McHugh qualified in both the U18 200m and 300m with bronze medals. Anna Reddin showed she is back in form with a convincing win in the U18 1500m. Kenneth Lipsett performed well in his first championships in qualifying in Long Jump, Triple Jump, High jump and 100m. Rachel Kilgallon ran a solid race in the U19 800m to win gold. In the senior category Gary Hynes improved his form in the 100m and 200m with a silver in both events. Congratulations to these Athletes from all at the club.

Sligo AC National League & Club News

Sligo AC bridged a three year gap when they fielded a team in the AAI National Track & Field League in Antrim on Sunday 14th June. A fifth place finish in Division One sets them up nicely for the second day in Athlone on July 5th. Impressive runs by Tommy Casey (1500m) Gary Hynes (200m) and Emmett Dunleavy (3000m steeplechase) were some of Sligo's highlights on the track. The spirit of the team was exemplified by team captain Dermot McDermott, who ran his first ever track race over 5000m and was only beaten in a sprint finish by international athlete Sean Connolly (Tallaght). McDermott finished in an impressive 15mins 23seconds.

In Manchester meanwhile, on Saturday 13th June, Martin Conroy (pictured) continued his rich vein of form; running a fine race & recording a personal best over 5000m in a time of 14mins 43seconds. Well done to these Athletes from all at the Club.

Sligo Athletic Notes 15th June 2009

Sligo underage athletes were out in force again at the Connaught Track and Field Championships U12 – U15 in Athlone on Saturday last. This was the first outing at these championships for many of them and they had some fine performances. In the U12 category David Rutledge ran in the 60m and just missed a place in the final. Both he and Mark Connolly ran the 600m and put up strong efforts. They competed again in the Long Jump but finished outside the placings but gained valuable experience. Caolainn McGonigle (pictured far left on podium) ran a strong 600m to finish in second place and secure her place in the All Irelands. Dylan Carty had some bad luck in the U14 walk but came fourth and a place in the All Irelands in the Shot putt. Darren Kilcalwey qualified in both the 200 and 800m. In U15 800m John Bourke and Nicola McGoldrick ran sold races and finished 4th and 3rd respectively. Ciara Connolly had her first run over the 250m hurdles and finished in bronze position. All of these qualifiers now go forward to the All Irelands to be held in Tullamore on 11/12/19 July. Congratulations to all who travelled and competed. Next weekend sees the U16 to U19 and senior age groups compete in Athlone at 10.30am start.
The Maugherow 10k Road Race also took place over the weekend with a sizable field turning out for this challenging course. John Byrne (Mayo AC) took first place in a time of 33.40 with Sligo AC's Richard Gorman claiming second in a time of 35.20. Andrew Lynsky (Mayo AC) took third place in just over 36 minutes. Veteran Sligo AC athlete Trevor Hunter took first place in the vets category in 37.37 whilst the evergreen Lucy Brennan (Sligo AC) won the womans category in 38.08.

Sligo Athletic Club - Report & Results; Connacht Team and Donegal 5k

Connacht Team Results
Sligo AC U9, U10 and U11 athletes travelled to Athlone on Saturday last, 6th June 2009, for the Connaught Team Competition for this age group. The morning started sunny but cold and turned into a very winterly cold, wet and windy day. Congratulations to all athletes who braved the conditions. In the U9 competition Eva Delahunt and Andrea Burke received bronze medals. Sean Keaney and Jack Connor were unlucky just outside the bronze in fourth. U10 girls Ellen McGeough and Lillian Casey secured silver in the 500m. U10 boys Leo Doherty and Mark Kilcawley were joint third place and Leo Doherty and Conor Melvin were in silver position in the U10 500m. U11 boys Adam Lynch and James McCole received silver medals in the ball throw. U11 boys Shane Mooney and James McCole were unlucky again in just fourth place in the long jump. U11 boys 4 x 100m received bronze in the relay. All these medal winners now go forward to the National competition to be held in Templemore on 27th June. If any athletes are unable to travel please let the club know immediately. All other athletes Lisa Morrow, Ciara Mooney, Jack Walshe, Ciaran McGlone (who unfortunately received an injury), Riona Connor, Jayne McCormack, Maeve Keaney all performed well on the day.

Donegal Town 5k, 5th June 2009. Well done to all Sligo AC athletes who travelled up to Donegal town for a 5k road race, part of the ongoing "Mizuno Donegal Race Series". Ultan McNasser came eighth overall in a time of 16.47, Karl Boyce lead a tightly packed group through in 17.54 (19th) with Trevor Hunter (21st) and Mel Casserly (22nd) just behind in 17.56 and 18.03 respectively. Mark Burns ran solidly to finish Sligo AC's involvement in a time of 19.00 (34th). Congratulations to Trevor who came second in the over 45's category and also to Mel who finished third in the over 35's.

Brennan wins Cork Marathon 2009!

The 2009 Cork Marathon was held in brilliant sunshine over the Bank Holiday weekend. A hearty congratulations from all at the Club & the County to the first woman over the line, Sligo AC's Lucy Brennan (pictured with overall winner Michael Herlihy) in a time of two hours, 51 minutes and 25 seconds. “It was great to come here and regain my title for the second year,” she said. “This is marathon number 15 for me. The atmosphere was fantastic and is hard to beat.” (Irish times)

Elsewhere well done also to Sligo AC athletes Emmett Dunleavy and Martin Conroy who recorded times of 9:11 for the steeplechase and 14:50 for 5k respectively. With both of these athletes racing competitively on a frequent basis it is assured that both will achieve numerous "pb's" over the coming season.

Upcoming Events: June 2009

Donegal Town 5k Road Race, Friday 5th June @ 8pm. Registration at Abbey Voc School, Donegal Town from 6pm.

Rotary Club Enniskillen 10k, The Forum, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh. Saturday 6th June 2009 @ 2pm.

Maugherow 10k Road Race, Maugherow Parish Hall, Co.Sligo. Sunday 14th June 2009 @ 1pm. Junior race and walkers start at 12.30 sharp. All proceeds go to Defibrilator Fund.

Ransboro 10k Road Race, Saturday 27th June @ 6.15pm. Walkers start at 6pm. Registration in Ransboro Community Hall (beside the school). All proceeds to go Defibrilator fund.

Connacht Championships : Closing Date!

Please note that the closing date for entries to the Connaught championships is 31st May 2009. If you need any further information regarding these Championships please do not hesitate to contact club officials at slyouthfootball@eircom.net
Connaught U12 to U15 - 13th June Athlone IT.
Connaught U16 – U19 & Seniors – 20th June Athlone IT.

Calry 5k: 27th May 2009 : Report & Results

Conditions were wet and windy for the Calry 5k held on Wednesday night last. However a sizable turnout braved the elements including a few athletes from Mayo AC. The race began at 7pm on this "out and back" course to ensure that any interested parties got home to see at least the second half of the Champions League Final! Ultan McNasser (Sligo AC) claimed first place with Anto Devaney (Mayo AC) coming second. Alan Kearins (pictured) came through strongly over the second half of the course to push Devaney all the way and take third place. Steve Finnegan (Sligo AC) was first Vet with David Verdon taking the first Junior prize. Mary Foye claimed first female home whilst Aishling Cawley was hot on her heels to take first female Vet. All proceeds went to Edel Hough who was collecting sponsorship for the worthy cause of Tanzania Child Aid and she expressed her gratitude at the post race refreshments afterwards.

Calry 5k Results
1:Ultan McNasser, 16.39. 2: Anto Devaney, 16.46. 3: Alan Kearins, 16.57. 4: Andrew Lynskey, 17.03. 5: Seamus Somers, 17.43. 6: Steve Finnegan, 17.45 (1st Vet). 7: Mel Casserly, 17.56. 8: Raymond Byrne, 18.04. 9: Karl Boyce,18.06. 10: Trevor Hunter, 18.07. 11: Mark Burns, 18.39. 12: Jimmy Curran, 19.09. 13: Rory Connor, 19.10. 14: Damien Gilligan, 19.12. 15: Cyril Walsh, 19.22. 16: Sean McHale, 19.37. 17: Terry McGowan, 19.39. 18: David Verdon, 19.51(1st Junior)19: Terry Hayes, 19.57. 20: Paddy Croal, 20.01. 21: Paul Rooney,20.26. 22: Roy Kelly, 20.33. 23: Declan Byrne, 20.43. 24: Christy O’Mahony, 21.11. 25: Paul Higgins, 21.14. 26: Mary Foye, 21.19 (1st Female). 27: James Hardiman, 21.27. 28: Aisling Cawley, 21.47 (1st Vet Female). 29: John Walsh, 22.51. 30: John Kent, 22.57. 31: Michael Storey, 23.00. 32: Fintan Conlon, 23.01. 33: Amy Spratt, 23.21. 34: Dave Burke, 23.23. 35: Mark Fox, 23.42. 36: Lorraine Dolan, 23.44. 37: Paul Riley, 24.08. 38: Shane Farrell, 24.18. 39: Mark Jennings, 24.50. 40: Kevin Mills, 25.07. 41: Jill Connor, 25.24. 42: Gwen Hunter, 25.29. 43: Aisling Gillen, 26.05. 44: Alison Spratt, 26.29. 45: Trina Philips, 26.48. 46: Tricia Watters, 26.48. 47: Mary Henry, 27.38. 48: Jacinta Walsh, 27.56. 49: Mary O’Rourke, 29.35. 50: Maeve McCormack, 35.00. 51: Aoife Cawley, 35.00.

Irish Milers Club - Friday 22nd May 2009

It was a balmy 21 degrees, no wind and blue skies when the athletes arrived in Irishtown for the first IMC meet of 2009. A perfect night for racing and the times that followed proved that. Both Sligo AC and North Sligo had athletes involved in two events with Tommy Casey running 4.06.16 in the mens 1500m A Race. The 3000m A Race pitted Martin Conroy and Emmett Dunleavy against some of the best athletes in the Country. Both ran fast times with Dunleavy achieving a PB over the distance in 8.18.06 whilst Conroy was just behind in 8.24.56. Such performances augers well for all these athletes over the coming season.

Sligo Track & Field Championships: 20th May 2009

The County Championships for ages under 8 to Senior took place last wednesday, 20th May, when a large group of talented and enthusiastic young athletes displayed their talents over sprints, middle distance, jumps and throws . The presence of guest Athletes from South Donegal Club Tir Conaill added to the occasion and added an extra competitive edge to the strong numbers from Calry ac, Sligo ac, North Sligo and South Sligo.
Such was the strength at under ages that heats were required in some of the sprint events thus this augurs well for the future of Athletics in Sligo.
Many of the participants will go on to compete at Connacht and National level later in the year, while others will continue to improve their fitness with a view to more competitive involvement next year. Sligo Athletics board would like to thank all the athletes who took part in the various competitions and also all officials who helped out during the course of the evening. For full results please email slyouthfootball@eircom.net

Sligo Athletic Club; Latest Race Results

Carramore 10k Road Race.
Carramore hosted their annual 10k Road Race last Saturday evening. The rain held off for the duration and the race was a great success, with a number of Sligo A.C athletes making the trip down. Lucy Brennan once again ran a fine race, coming second in the senior womens section.
Sligo A.C overall positions: 19 Lucy Brennan Sligo AC F45 36.51. 27 Steve Finnegan Sligo AC M40 37.41. 37 Mark Burns Sligo AC MS 39.27. 47 Rory Connor Sligo AC M40 40.08. 103 Patsy Deegan Sligo AC M40 50.55. 106 Paul Reilly Sligo AC MS 51.53. 122 Marie Dunleavy Sligo AC F35 56.34.
AAI Games, Athlone I.T.
Emmet Dunleavy and Martin Conroy took part in the mens 1500m race on the new track in Athlone I.T. It was won by Mark Hanrahan (Leevale AC) who closely followed pacemaker Anthony Leighio for two laps before taking over the lead and then raced on strongly to win comfortably in a time of 3:49.30, Conor Healy (Clonliffe Harriers AC) was second in 3:51.57.
Emmet dunleavy took fourth place in 3.56.84 with Martin conroy taking 5th in 3.58.79.

Upcoming Events May/June 2009.

Calry 5k Road Race, Calry Community Park, Hazelwood, Co.Sligo. Wednesday 27th May 2009 @ 7pm. Register on the evening from 6p.m sharp. All proceeds go to Tanzania Child Aid.

Donegal Town 5k Road Race, Friday 5th June @ 8pm. Registration at Abbey Voc School, Donegal Town from 6pm.

Rotary Club Enniskillen 10K, The Forum, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh. Saturday 6th June 2009 @ 2pm.

Maugherow 10k Road Race, Maugherow Parish Hall, Co.Sligo. Sunday 14th June 2009 @ 1pm. Junior race and walkers start at 12.30 sharp. All proceeds go to Defibulator Fund.

Ransboro 10k Road Race, Saturday 27th June @ 6.15pm. Walkers start at 6pm. Registration in Ransboro Community Hall (beside the school). All proceeds to go Defibrillator fund.

Ballyshannon 5k, 8th May 2009. Report & Results

Sligo A.C was well represented in Ballyshannon on friday night last, 8th May, for the Ballyshannon 5k (part of the Donegal 2009 Race Series). In all, 12 athletes, 6 male and 6 female made the trip. After a very blustery & unsettled day the weather seemed to ease a bit towards evening time. By the time the race began at 7.30pm the clouds had lifted altough the stiff breeze had not abated & this proved to be troublesome especially over the middle part of the fast course. However the club still managed to pick up some prizes with Tanya McHale & Mel Casserly achieving 1st place in their respective caegories whilst Ultan McNasser got third. Rory Connor also ran a fine race achieving a personal best over the distance.
SligoAC overall positions: 4th: Ultan McNasser, 16.49. 6th: Alan Kearins, 17.11. 15th: Steve Finnegan, 18.08. 17th: Mel Casserly, 18.25. 22nd: Mark Burns, 18.46. 30th: Rory Connor, 19.19. 43rd: Cindy McCarthy, 20.12. 56th: Tanya Mchale, 21.25. 60th: Rose Tully, 21.46. 81st: Laura O'Shea, 25.16. 82nd: Jill Connor, 25.29. 84th: Mary Durcan, 25.43. For full results please visit http://www.tirchonaillac.com/

Results Co. Sligo: U9, U10, U11 age group. 6th May 2009

Co. Sligo U9, U10, U11 Team competition. Sligo I.t Track.
Girls U9 60m: 1st Sligo AC Eva Delahunt/Aedin Kinsella. 2nd: Sligo AC Katlyn Carty/Edel Burke. Girls U9 300m: 1st Sligo AC Eva Delahunt/Aedin Kinsella. 2nd: Sligo AC Edel Burke/Katlyn Carty. Boys U9 300m: 1st Sligo AC Sean Keaney/Jack Connor. Boys U9 Ball Throw: 1st Sligo AC Sean Keaney/Jack Connor. Girls U10 60m: 2nd Sligo AC Lillian Casey/Ellen McGeough. Girls U10 500m: 1st Sligo AC Ellen McGeough/Lilian Casey. Boys U10 60m: 1st Sligo AC Leo Doherty/Mark Kilcawley. Boys U10 500m: 1st Sligo AC Leo Doherty/Conor Melvin. Boys U10 Ball Throw: 1st Sligo AC Conor Melvin/Jack Walshe. Boys U10 Long Jump: 1st Sligo AC Jack Walsh/Mark Kilcawley. Girls U11 60m: 1st Sligo AC Emma Gallagher/Maeve Keaney. Girls U11 600m: 2nd Sligo AC Riona Connor/ Jayne McCormack. Girls U11 Long Jump: 2nd Sligo AC Emma Gallagher/Jayne McCormack. Boys U11 60m: 1st Sligo AC Ciaran McGlone/Adam Lynch. Boys U11 600m: 2nd Sligo AC Ciaran McGlone/James McCole. Boys U11 Ball Throw: 1st Sligo AC Adam Lynch/James McCole.

Inspire... Endure... Win. Athletics Seminar

Venue:
Southern Hotel, Sligo on Saturday May 9th at 8pm.
Speakers:
Jim Davis:• National endurance director Athletics Ireland• IAAF Elite Middle Distance Academy Coach• Coach to Irish Athletics Team Olympics 2004• Coach to Irish Athletics Team in forthcoming World Championships Berlin 2009.
Robert Heffernan:• 7th World Championships Osaka 2007• 8th Olympic Games 2008 20k Race Walk.
Jerry Kiernan:• 9th Olympic Marathon Los Angeles 1984• Former record holder Dublin City Marathon• RTE athletics analyst.
This is an event not to be missed by all athletes of all abilities and ages, coaches and mentors. Admission: Juveniles €5 Adults €10. Further details: Ray Flynn 0876566215.

May Bank Holiday Weekend Athletic Results

Carer's Association 10k
The Carer's Association 10k was held in wet and windy conditions on Monday 4th May. Mayor Cllr Veronica Cawley got the race underway shortly after 3pm from outside the Radisson Hotel and soon a breakaway group of John Byrne (Mayo A.C), Richard Gorman, Neil Walton and Ultan McNasser (all Sligo A.C) moved ahead of the remaining runners. A stiff headwind on the outward section towards Rosses Point made running conditions slightly more difficult but this was redressed by the favourable tailwind on the return leg. At the 5k mark, John Byrne Moved ahead of his pursuers and kept this position to win the race with a comfortbale margin. Richard Gorman took second place whilst Neil Walton claimed third.

First 45 over the line!
1:John Byrne, Mayo AC, 34.00. 2:Richard Gorman, Collooney, 35.10. 3:Neil Walton, Strandhill, 35.16. 4: Ultan McNasser, Calry, 35.23. 5: Thomas Kelly, Grange, 37.31. 6: Mel Casserly, Grange, 38.52. 7: Seamus Somers, Pearse Rd, 38.55. 8: John McSharry, Grange, 40.01. 9: Gerard Higgins, Hazelwood, 40.02. 10: Tom Hunt, Mayo AC, 40.22. 11: Helen Stockdale, Lisbellow, 40.25. 12: Rory Connor, Carney, 40.27. 13: Brian Sexton, Ballymote, 40.28. 14: Sean Flannery, Strandhill Rd, 40.32. 15: Shaun Graham, Letterkenny, 40.58. 16: Mary Johnson, Cloonacool, 41.41. 17: Noreen McManamon, Newport, 41.42. 18: Daniel Collins, Bray, 41.50. 19: Kevin McGlynn, Cregg, 41.59. 20: Damien Walsh, Tubbercurry, 42.10. 21: Niall McIntyre, Ballinfull, 42.16. 22: Terry Hayes, Rathanna, 42.21. 23: Damien Kennedy, Caltragh Heights, 42.27. 24: Cyril Walsh, Maugharow, 42.33. 25: Glen McCormack, Collooney, 42.52. 26: Jimmy Currid, Ballinfull, 42.53. 27: Roseanne Mitchell, Beltra, 42.55. 28: Kieran Coleman, Riverstown, 43.10. 29: Ciaran Higgins, Ballydoogan, 43.35. 30: David McDermott, Rosses Point, 43.37. 31: Conor Niland, Rosses Point, 43.55. 32: Sean McHale, Rathanna, 44.11. 33: Paddy Croal, Manorhamilton, 44.19. 34: Roy Kelly, Drumshambo, 44.33. 35: Brian Mullen, Rosses Point, 44.38. 36: Ciaran Toher, Ballinfull, 44.41. 37: Gerry Hargadon, Rosses Point, 44.45. 38: Glen Gannon, Rosses Point, 45.08. 39: Wayne McNulty, Rusheen Ard, 45.15. 40: Chris Crughan, Carraroe, 45.17. 41: Ashling Cawley, Strandhill, 45.26. 42: Noel Walsh, Cartron, 45.40. 43: Martin McMoreland, Calry, 45.42. 44: Una Ni Chumhaill, Carney, 45.44. 45: Shane O’Doherty, Cartron, 46.01

Belfast Marathon
Well done to Ray Flynn (Sligo A.C) who completed the Belfast Marathon in a time of 3hrs35 mins in similiar wet and windy conditions.