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15th
Aug 2010
Spartans on National League
Premier Division Podium
Despite travelling significantly below full
strength a magificient battling team effort from the squad
in Tullamore on Saturday,secured National League Premier Division
bronze medals for the City of Derry Spartans men and on Sunday
the medal haul continued with seven National Masters podium
places,highlighted by Danea Herron,s new Irish W50 Javelin
record of 25m 94cm. A similar under strength Womens squad
did well to finish sixth in their Division 1 Final on Sturday
wth Maggie Donnelly,s Hammer win their best effort on the
day.
The mens Final was a real tense affair as the battle for silver
and bronze,behind an impressively strong Clonliffe Harriers
squad,went right to the wire with the Spartans,DSD and Menaphians
of Wexford locked together for most of the day long tussle.
Jason Smyth was a major late loss for the local boys,his problem
achilles failing to clear up in time and he was,nt risked.
Pajo Hamilton and Colin Roberts would also have been first
choices if available but on the day, terrific team spirit
and determination was amply demonstrated by the lads on duty
for the red vests.
Tom Carey got the bandwaggon rolling early winning the opening
track event,the 110m Hurdles. In the field Adam McMullan took
the Long Jump and Andrew Doyle grabbed an excellent second
in the Hammer.At this early stage and with Jason Smyth,s absence
not yet common knowledge,the Spartans tag of dark horses was
worrying defending champions Clonliffe and the talk around
the Stadium was all about the strength of the the Derry club,s
challange.
Carey came out again to complete the Hurdles double with a
convincing win in the one lapper but from then on Clonliffe
were pulling away to their eventual handsome victory and the
focus shifted to the three way struggle for team silver and
bronze between City of Derry, DSD and Menapians.Simon Herron
was badly hampered by a foot injury but did well for High
Jump third and--off a very short run up--Triple Jump fourth.
Dara Furey stood in again for Steeplechaser Colin Roberts
and his fourth place was above expectations.He also went in
the Walk and Andrew Doyle chipped in with a good third in
the Shot as the intensity of the medal battle continued.
Ciaron Craig did well on a borrowed Pole but was way below
his best in the Vault and had to juggle almost similtaneous
participation in both the Discus and Sprint Relay,a problem
also experienced by Rudi Moore,shuttlin between the Javelin
and Relay.Mark McGarvey and Daniel Reid were on both Relay
squads and Daniel filled in on the 400m flat as the margin
between the three contendors remained pencil slim.
Connor Bradley made a very welcome and morale boosting return
to the track with a positive 800m run,clocking 1m 55,5s in
a blanket finish for fifth. This so easily could have been
third or fourth but it was a real shot in the arm for Connor
and the team.
JP Williamson found himself in a classy 1500m and the emerging
teenager did well for sixth againdt more experienced seniors.Aaron
Doherty ran fifth in a tough 5000m and it was then down to
the final two events of the 21 event programme,the 56lb Weight
Throw and the 400m Relay.The exact overall points totals were
uncertain,the lowest scoring four event performances could
be dropped so something special was needed to seperate the
three clubs contesting team silver and bronze.
Rudi,s Throw Secures Team Bronze
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A sixth place 400m Relay finish was,nt what the red vests
wanted with the points totals so close.Both DSD and Menapians
finishe in front of the red vests so the 56lb Weight Throw
was literally the last chance saloon for the Derry lads.A
high place finih was essential and cometh the hour,cometh
the man,as Rudi Moore rushed fromthe 100m to complete his
throws.
Technique and strength are essential to the 56lb event and
the throwers are are all very big men indeed. A big ask then
for the Spartans rugby playing multi eventer who is certainly
not small but was dwarfed by his main rivals.However his technique
was excellent and a 6m 5cm effort was good enough for third
spot and a very welcome six points and he! was ahead of his
key rivals.
A nail biting final wait for the official results followed.The
word was that Clonliffe were clear winners,retaining their
Premier Division title but the other medal placings were being
double checked. The Presentations began with still no confirnmation.The
Division 1 winners and Premier Womens medallists were presented
with their awards and then came the Premier Mens results.
The announcer began from the bottom up,eighth placer to fifth.He
paused to indicate that places four,three and two were extremely
close and then named City of Derry Spartans as bronze medallists
with 97 points,equal with Menapians,but taking the third spot
on countback with more individual wins tha the Wexford club.
DSD claimed silver on 97.5 points with Clonliffe way ahead
on 136.
A great performance by the local Spartans in their first Premier
Division season and confirmation that the red vests are right
up their with the big boys in Irish athletics across all three
athletics disciplines,Track,Road and Cross Country.
Gerry Lynch
Some Photos here
Full results here
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Irish Age Group Record for Danea at Masters Championships
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Masters Medal Haul
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Danea Herron led the Spartans medal haul just 24 hours later
at Sundays Masters Championships.Her W50 Irish Javelin record
of 25m 94cm was a terrific effort and she claimed a second
gold in the Long Jump and silver in the 400m to complete the
treble.Robert Bigger came home with a M50 double,winning the
400m and finishing runner up over 800m while Jackie McGinley
also did the double in the W40 age group claiming 1500m silver
and 3000m bronze.
Well done to all three and proof positive that the red vestss
have National class athletes at all age grades,Juvenile, Senior
and Masters.
Women Miss Out
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The female Spartans travelled seriously shy of full strength
and just about filled out the scoring 15 events as their Division
1 challange failed to ignite. Hammer thrower Maggie Donnelly
was the only winner with a 47m 1cm effort and Anna Barr was
third in the Long Jump,the only other top three placer on
the day.This pair allso posted two fourth places in the Discus
and 200m respectively as the squad finished 6th overall in
the eight team Final.
Rebecca McLaughlin,Hannah McGowan,Amy McDaid,Jackie McGinley,Grainne
Kearns,Stephanie Keys and Danea Herron completed the line
up which did well for such a depleted squad.Next season the
target will be to build numbers and quality to mount a serious
challange for Division 1 honours.
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