Farrell in different league after jumping her way to third National Indoor title

Date Published: {J}

LAST weekend saw a full schedule of athletics action at all levels. Following the Galway Indoor Championships last week, the stadium in Nenagh hosted the National Junior Indoors on Saturday and there were some excellent performances from Galway athletes.

Pride of place has to go Craughwell AC’s Cathriona Farrell who competed here for the last time as a Junior and won her third national indoor title in-a-row at the event. Cathriona managed to win it with a jump of 1.70, 10cm clear of second placed Mark-Kate Lannigan of K.C.H.

Cathriona’s clubmate Maria McNamara was 7th in the same event, just 5cm away from a medal. Maria also finished 7th in the Long Jump, just behind clubmate Mairead McCann. Maeve Curley, also of Craughwell, had a tough battle in the 3k walk, but claimed a bronze medal in 15.02.

Galway City Harriers’ rising star Keith Fallon blazed his way to a bronze in the 1500m in 4.14.72, five seconds behind the winner and ahead of Craughwell AC’s Peadar O’h-Airmhi in 4th place.

Simon Callaghan of Galway City Harriers also had a great run to come 4th in the Men’s 60m Hurdles in 9.29. Rachael Finnegan finished 6th in the Women’s 60m Hurdles in 10.28 and also came fourth in the Triple Jump.

On Sunday the action moved outdoors, firstly to the Cross Country in Tullamore. It was a mixed affair for the Galway athletes, with some good performances, but no silverware. Despite the heavy rain of late, the course was perfect and led to some fast paced racing.

Best race for Galway was the girls U15 3500m. Allanah Lally of G.C.H. ran her heart out but had to settle for 4th on this occasion. Maeve Brannigan, also of G.C.H., finished 7th in the same race – Galway’s second highest placed finsher of the day in any event!

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.