News

Cork Womens Team for National Intermediate Cross-Country Championship 2017

Youghal and East Cork Women Form Cork Intermediate Team for Nationals

Palace Grounds, Tuam, Galway

12:30am, Sunday January 22nd 2017

 Cork Intermediate Womens Team 2012

Photo: Midleton AC

The Cork Athletics Womens team for next Sunday's Athletics Ireland National Intermediate Cross-Country Championships, at the Palace Grounds, Tuam, Co. Galway comprises entirely of athletes from the East Cork Divisional clubs of East Cork AC and Youghal AC, with seven Youghal AC and two East Cork AC athletes in the team.

The strong Youghal AC team, led by Aoife Cooke, will, no doubt, have high aspirations for capturing the National Title

Registered Cork Athletics Events Week Ending Sun Jan 29th 2017

Registered Athletics Ireland Events in Cork This Week

Week Ending Sunday January 29th 2017

Fri Jan 29th, 12:30pm, Tramore Valley Park, Cork - South Munster Schools Cross-Country Championship 2017

Sat Jan 28th, 11:00am  - Athletics Ireland Indoor League - Round 2

Sat Jan 28th, 11:00am, Doneraile Park  - North Cork AC 5k Trail / Road Race

Sat Jan 28th, 12:00pm, Listowel - Munster Athletics Annual Convention

Sun Jan 29th, 11:00am, Athlone IT - Athletics Ireland Junior & Under 23 Indoor Championships

Phil Healy Runs European Indoor Standard

Bandon AC's Phil Healy Makes European Indoor Qualification Mark

Phil Healy - Photo: Southern Star

Competing in today's Round 1 of the Athletics Ireland National Leagues, in the Athlone Indoor Arena, Bandon AC's Phil Healy achieved the Qualifying mark for the European Indoor Championships, which will be held in the Kombank Arena, Belgrade, Serbia, from March 3rd to 5th next.  Phil's time of 7.40 sec, in the Heats was inside the 7.42 sec qualification standard for the women's 60m.

Phil Healy winning her opening Heat

Later on, in winning the Final, Phil lowered her time to 7.36 secs, just 0.01 off her PB.  "60m opener today, at @irishathletics League.Thrilled to run 7.40, and 7.36, both inside the standard for Euro Champs,and only .01 off my pb"

European Championship Qualification Standards

Athletics Ireland Report - Feidhlim Kelly

Healy hits Euro standard

Phil Healy (Bandon) was in flying form with two European indoor 60m qualifying standards at the Irish Life Health National Indoor League in Athlone IT today.

Healy clocked 7.40 seconds in her first 60m just edging up-and-coming star Molly Scott (SLOT) who as second in 7.42. The Bandon sprinter who is transitioning to the 400m showed she still has her full turn of speed over the shorter distances.

Gerard O’Donnell (Carrick on Shannon), competing as a guest, impressed in the 60m hurdles with a 7.97 second clocking.

Athletics Ireland National Indoor League - Round 1 Results 2017

Team Results (PDF file)

Field Results (PDF file)

Mens Track Results (PDF file)

Womens Track Results (PDF file)

Athletics Ireland Video - Phil Healy Qualifying for Europe

Atheltics Ireland Video - Women's 60m Round 1

Athletics Ireland's Video - Phil Healy Interviewed

Registered Cork Athletics Events Week Ending Sun Jan 15th 2017

Registered Athletics Ireland Events in Cork This Week

Week Ending Sunday January 15th 2017

Sat 14 Jan 2017, 11:00 - Athletics Ireland Indoor T&F League - Round 1

Sat 14 Jan 2017, 11:30 - Greenmount International Cross-Country

Sun 15 Jan 2017, 10:00 - Munster Senior & Masters Indoor Championships

Cork Winners of Munster Star Awards 2016

Munster Star Awards Banquet

Clonmel Park Hotel, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary

7.30pm Saturday February 11th 2017

The Munster Star Awards will be presented at a banquet in the Clonmel Park Hotel, on Saturday February 11th 2017

Noelle Linehan, North Cork A.C., International Award Winner

Full List of Munster Award Winners 2016

Registered Cork Athletics Events Week Ending Sun Jan 8th 2017

Registered Athletics Ireland Events in Cork This Week

Week Ending Sunday January 8th 2017

Sat 07 Jan 2017, 11:00, Nenagh - Munster Junior and Under 23 Men Indoor T&F Championships

Sat 07 Jan 2017, 11:00, Nenagh - Munster Juvenile Girls Indoor Pentathlon Chamionships

Sat 07 Jan 2017, 13:30, Edinburgh - Edinburgh International Cross-Country

Sun 08 Jan 2017, 11:00, Nenagh - Munster Junior & Under 23 Womens Indoor T&F Championships

Sun 08 Jan 2017, 11:00, Nenagh - Munster Juvenile Boys Indoor Pentathlon Championships

Registered Cork Athletics Events Week Ending Sun Jan 22nd 2017

Registered Athletics Ireland Events in Cork This Week

Week Ending Sunday January 22nd 2017

McGrath Nicholson and Madigan Feature in Antrim International Cross-Country 2017

Cork Trio To The Fore in Greenmount

Greenmount, Antrim, Northern Ireland

Saturday January 14th 2017

East Cork AC's Sean McGrath finished a fine 21st, and third scorer on the Irish team, in the High Calibre Antrim International Cross-Country, while, in the Under 17 races, two Cork athletes, Bandon AC's Laura Nicholson and North Cork AC's Damian Madigan ran on the respective Girls and Boys Ireland Development teams.

Bandon AC's Laura Nicholson, in 12th place, was third scorer on the Ireland Development Squad in the Girls Under 17 event, while, in the Boys Under 17 event, North Cork AC's Damian Madigan was fourth home, also in 12th place, for the Ireland Development Squad

Irish Mens Team: Liam Brady (11th), David Flynn (19th) and Sean McGrath (21st)

 Irish Girls Under 17 Team:
Roseanne McCullough, 15th, Abbie Taylor, 2nd, Claire Rafter, 9th, and Laura Nicholson (Bandon AC), 12th

North Cork AC's Damian Madigan

Despite losing one of her spikes, while lying in second position, in the final lap, Fionnuala McCormack (Kilcoole) finished fourth over 6km, at the IAAF Antrim International Cross Country in Greenmount, Antrim. The race was won by Kenya’s Caroline Chepkoech Kipkirui in 18:53 to McCormack’s 19:39.

The Wicklow woman was backed up by fellow Irish internationals Maria McCambridge (DSD), Shona Heaslip (An Riocht), and Laura Shaughnessy (DSD) who finished 11th, 12th and 13th respectively. There were a number of good Irish performances on the day including Jodie McCann (DSD) winning the U17 race.

Maria McCambridge, Fionnuala Britton, Shone Heaslip and Laura Shaughnessy

Senior, Master & International Women’s 5600m

Athletics Northern Ireland Report

As predicted the race was the usual frantic sprint from the gun. The high quality field did not appear to be intimated by the blustery wind and rain or the energy sapping mud. At the end of the first lap there was the usual phalanx of African athletes plus former double winner Fionnuala McCormack fighting a lone battle for European runners.

Former African Junior Champion Caroline Kipkirui of Kenya, Ethiopian Gotytom Gebreslase, team mate Birtukan Adamu plus McCormack were well clear of the field which was led by England’s Pippa Woolvan.

There is was a dramatic change in the second lap, where an inform Kipkirui seemed to glide over the mud and quickly opened a 30 metres gap over the chasing pack. Pippa Woolvan remained in 5th place closely followed by England’s Claire Duck.

In the closing stages Kipkirui extended her lead for a convincing 42 seconds winning margin ahead of Gebreslase. McCormack suffered the misfortune of losing a shoe in the final lap and had to settle for 4th place in a sprint finish behind Adamu, whose 3rd place reflected her position from 2015. England’s Woolvan and Duck were 5th and 6th.

A delighted Kipkirui said “God gave me the strength to win this race. I pushed a bit on the second lap, but nobody followed closely behind. I think my 10,000m time of 31 mins 16 secs from last year helped me a lot over this course. I normally spend 2 months training in California and will be back there again to get another fast time.“

“I am going back to Kenya now to qualify for the world cross country in Kampala, Uganda. My main plan this summer is the world 10,000m in London.”

A somewhat down beat McCormack commented “I am disappointed with my run, mostly because I lost a shoe with 1km remaining. If this hadn’t have happened I would more than likely have obtained second place. I like Greenmount, but I didn’t have a particularly good day.”

“I am aiming for the Marathon in the London World Championships and I am also hoping I might qualify for the 10,000m.”

Womens Results - Top 20

Full Results - Atheltics Northern Ireland website (XLS file)

Senior, Master & International Men’s 8200m

Athletics Northern Ireland Report

"There was yet another hectic pace from the start with the usual African favourites well to the fore. The quality line up included Rio Olympic Steeplechase Champion Conseslus Kipruto of Kenya, Rio 10,000m finalist Abraham Cheroben, Euro-Cross 5th place Andy Vernon, plus former European Silver Medallist Hassan Chahdi all of whom where in the leading bunch at the end of the first lap.

After the completion of the second lap a trio comprising of Cheroben, Kipruto and Vernon had broken clear of England’s Jonathan Taylor, who was running well some 40 metres back.

It was clear on the third lap that victory was the preserve of either Cheroben or Kipruto. They commenced a brutal sprint battle 200 metres from the line, with the Olympic Champion just gaining the verdict by 1 second from Cheroben, in 24 mins 36 secs. Vernon was an impressive 3rd some 19 seconds further back, followed by Chahdi (24.20). Taylor was 5th in 25.27 with Scotland’s Lachlan Oates, 6th in 25.54.

Kipruto said “I had a problem with my back before the race, but I got treatment and it didn’t affect me today. I liked the course and I waited to the very end before I increased my sprint.”

“Being an Olympic Champion has changed my life, I got silver in the World Championships in Beijing and I am determined to make that gold in London this summer.”

A pleased Vernon said “this was my hardest race this season. The course was just a bog and I couldn’t get a rhythm. You just have to live with it. This was much better than Edinburgh last week and I am now getting back to something like the old Andy Vernon. I will be running a cross country race in Belgium, followed by a half marathon."

Full Results - Atheltics Northern Ireland website (XLS file)

Mens Results - Top 25

 Girls Under 17 Results - Top 15

Boys Under 17 Results - Top 15

Cork Successes at Munster Juvenile Indoor Pentathlon Championships 2017

Summary of Cork Podium Places at Last Weekend's Munster Juvenile Indoor Pentathlon Championships

Nenagh

Saturday & Sunday January 7th & 8th 2017

Hannah Falvey, Belgooly AC

Pride of place, this weekend, went to Belgooly AC's Hannah Falvey, who set a new Munster Championship Best Performance, of 1506 points in the Girls Under 12 Pentathlon

Photos from Munster Indoor Championships Jan 7th & 8th 2017 - Dooneen AC Facebook page

Pentathlon

Ten Cork athletes took podium places in the Juvenile Pentathlon Championships. Hannah Falvey, Belgooly AC, was the only girls Gold medalist, doing it in style, with a Championship Best, in the Girls Under 12,  including a new Munster Record of 4.54m in the Long Jump, and equalling the Munster Record of 8.65sec, in the 60m. Leevale AC's Okwu Backari took Bronze in the same event, with 1377 points.

Niamh McCarthy, Doheny AC, took Silver in the Under 13 Girls, with 1250 points, while Ava Coyne, Riverstick-Kinsale AC, took Silver in the Girls Under 15, with 2602 points, ahead of Bandon AC's Amy O'Donoghue, with 2305 points.

Full Juvenile Girls Indoor Pentathlon Championship results (PDF file) - Munster Athletics website

In the Boys Pentathlon, there were Gold medals for Jimmy Murphy, Liscarroll AC, and Leevale trio, Kyle Ettoh, Harry Nevin and Reece Ademola.

Jimmy Murphy, Liscarroll AC, took Gold in the Boys Under 12, with 1471 points, ahead of John Cashman, Leevale AC, 1370

In the Boys Under 13, Kyle Ettoh, Leevale AC, took Gold, with 1482 points, ahead of George Alamu, Midleton AC, with 1401 points.

Harry Nevin, Leevale AC, was the Boys Under 14 winner, with a Championship Best Performance of 2462 points, with Bandon AC's Jack Cullen taking Bronze, on 1794 points.

Reece Ademola, Leevale AC, took Gold in the Boys Under 15 with a performance of 2222 points, ahead of clubmate, Hugh Collins, on 1958 points.

Boys Under 16 Silver went to St Catherine's AC's Sam Dennigan, with a score of 1627 points.

Full Juvenile Boys Indoor Pentathlon Championship results (PDF file) - Munster Athletics website

Great Edinburgh Cross-Country 2017

McCormack Continues Fine Edinburgh Record

Great Edinburgh Cross-Country
Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, Scotland
Saturday January 7th 2017

Athletics Ireland Press Release - Feidhlim Kelly

Fionnuala McCormack continued her fine record at the Great Edinburgh Cross Country with a second place finish in Holyrood Park yesterday.

Since 2012 McCormack has chalked up two victories and now five consecutive second place finishes. McCormack split the Turkish duo of Yasemin Can and Meryem Akdag with the latter fading in the closing stages of the 6km race.

McCormack took the lead from the start but looked like suffering the same fate as the European Championships when the Turks forged ahead and set a metronomic pace. Akdag was unable to sustain the pace on the picturesque and undulating course with Arthur’s Seat as the backdrop allowing McCormack to get up for second.

Can won in 20:26 with the Wicklow woman second in 20:57 with Akdag third in 21:02.

“It was tough but it was good,” said McCormack afterwards. “I definitely enjoyed that a lot more than the European Cross Country – partly because of the course and partly because I was more competitive. I love it here. I’ve ran here so many times before. Even out on the course it’s like home support it’s brilliant.”

The Irish 4x1 km team of John Travers,  Donore Harriers, Kerry O’Flaherty,  Newcastle, Raheny’s Kieran Kelly, and Ciara Mageean,  UCD, finished fourth, in a closely-fought 4x1km relay. The British team, led by Laura Muir, won in 11 mins 10 secs, with the USA second in 11:17, and Scotland A third, in 11.18. Ireland placed fourth, in 11.22, ahead of Europe, who came fifth, in 11:23.

In the men’s 8km, Mick Clohisey, running for Europe, finished 26th in 25 mins 52 secs. Leonard Korir, the Kenyan-born American, sprinted  past  Scotland’s Callum Hawkins  for a last gasp victory in a thrilling race.  Third was  the 22-year-old Kenyan-born Aras Kaya in 24:21.  In 2015, Kaya won the Russian cross-county title in 2015 while attempting to gain Russian citizenship. When that didn’t work out, he turned to Turkey, and became eligible to compete for them in June 2016.

Junior race winners were Harriett Knowles-Jones, Great Britain, and Noah Affolder, USA

Results of Great Edinburgh Cross-Country 2017

Highlights of Great Edinburgh Cross-Country 2017

Nominations Sought for Athletics Ireland National Intermediate Cross-Country Championships

Squad Nominations Sought for Cork Teams for National Intermediate Cross-Country Championships

Palace Grounds, Tuam, Co.Galway

11:00am, Sunday January 22nd 2017

The Closing date for entries is Friday January 13th. Cork teams will be selected from athletes nominated by 8pm on Wednesday January 10th. Clubs and individuals planning to run in Tuam should notify Cork Athletics Team Manager, Paddy Buckley by then.

Clubs entering teams should notify Team Manager, Paddy Buckley of their team squad compositions

Any athlete who feels that he, or she, should be included on the team should contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (085-1480725) by 8pm on Wednesday night, January 10th.

Travel details will be finalised next week, however Cork Athletics expects to arrange a bus to transport the teams.  The bus will leave from St. Patrick's Quay, early on the Sunday morning. Pick-up stops can be made en-route.

Cork Athletics Year-End Registration Figures 2016

Year-End Cork Club Athlete Registrations 2016

Cork Athletics year-end registrations total a record 7,822, up 12.774% on the 2015 figure of 6,936 and an overall increase of 18.479% on the 2014 end of year figure of 6,602.

The top two clubs are Bandon AC, with a massive 701 registered members, who top the standings, while Leevale AC, with close to 600 registered members are a clear second.  

Ballymore-Cobh AC, with 455 registered members, continue their incremental increase in membership, since the club's revival/revamp in recent years

Four clubs, Midleton AC, North Cork AC, Youghal AC, Togher AC, all have over 300 members. After them, twenty three more clubs have in excess of 100 members.

The number of Cork clubs registered with Athletics Ireland stands at forty nine.  This number is set to increase later this month, when membership applications from several applicant clubs are set to be ratified at the Cork Athletics AGM.

 Overall Club Registered Members

Overall Club Juvenile Membership

Bandon AC top the Juvenile listings with 562, with over double that of third placed North Cork AC's 268.  Leevale AC, on 406, are also significantly ahead of the rest.

Overall Club Adult Membership

Two clubs, Mallow AC and Ballymore-Cobh AC top the 200 adult members mark, while a possee of seven more clubs are within striking distance of the 200 mark.

Club Senior Membership

The Senior registration figures are quite telling.  Leevale AC, with 90 Senior members, stand a distance ahead of second placed Togher AC, on 60, while the third significant player on the National T&F stage, Bandon AC, are further back, on with 40 seniors.

Age Analysis

The age-distribution make interesting reading, with clear demarcations visible.  The strongest cohort, in terms of numbers, lies in the early juvenile years, with very strong figures in the Under 8 to Under 10 groupings.  After this there is a significant, but tapering drop-off in numbers, falling to the lowest region, between the ages of 20 and 25.  Clearly this latter grouping needs further analysis.  In terms of Internation participation and representation, one would imagine that this group would be expected to provide the greatest potential, consequently the low numbers in the grouping indicates bothe a worry and great potential.

Juvenile to Under 23

This closer look at the Juvenile cohort shows the drop-off, after age 10, even more emphatically.

Senior (23 to 34)

 As with the higher-age Juvenile figures, the Senior figures remain quite low, until age 30

Masters 35 to 49

The Masters figures are quite strong, before falling off again after age 47

Masters 50 to 60

The Masters number remain quite stable, but tapering, as might be expected

Masters 60+

The Over 60's Masters numbers are probably quite deceptive, as these include many Masters who are no longer in active competition, but continue to play a vital role in the sport, as club activists, coaches and officials...or indeed a combination of all these roles.....and more!