The first weekend of this year’s Woodies age group track and field finals were held in Tullamore on July 3rd – 4th.
Conditions were very testing over the two days particularly on Sunday when the wind was at its strongest.
Medals are very hard to come by but five athletes from St. Laurence O’Toole’s club managed to do so last weekend. The most impressive performance was surely Conor Brennan who removed a 21 year old record when winning the U12 long Jump with a winning jump of 4.83m.
This was Conor’s first taste of this level of competition and after last Saturday’s performance he is surely a name to watch out for in the future.
Molly Scott, making her first appearance in the blue and white colours, also had a very productive weekend bringing home two silver medals. She as a very close second in the 60m sprint in a time of 8.49 seconds on Saturday and jumped a new PB of 4.47m for second in the long jump having led most of the way.
Paul Byrne took two medals, gold in the pole vault and silver in the 400m hurdles behind Paul Gill, an athlete he had beaten on the last two outings.
Clair Murphy continued her fine season taking silver in the 300m hurdles.
Adam Dowling is improving as the season progresses and took a fine bronze in the U18 100m in a time of 11.1 seconds.
Three athletes who put in impressive performances just outside the medals were Laura Ward U12 600m, Keith Noctor U16 250m hurdles and Danny Lawler U16 800m.

All-Ireland Combined Events Clubs 2010.

Four athletes from St. Laurence O’Toole club had a very busy week-end at this years All-Ireland multi-events at Tullamore. Each athlete made a significant contribution to the excitement over the weekend with all returning with a medals, three silver and one gold.

Owen Scully who is completely new to most of the events put in an excellent performance to take the silver medal at u15 just 50 points of the Cork athlete who took gold. The five events for Owen were 80m hurdles shot high jump long jump and 800m.
With a little more experience he should dominate this age group in the future.

At u18 there was a great battle between two Carlow boys Simon Doyle and Paul Byrne for the gold. Last year it was the same for the u-17 title with Paul coming out on top but Simon reversed the placing this year with Paul settling for second. The gap was something similar last year about 100 points between them. The competition was over eight events with Simon’s 11.2 100m and 51s 400 the pick of his efforts while Paul’s 1.77m high jump his highlight in a solid performance.

In the u17 girls Clare Murphy was never in contention last year at u16 level but what a difference a year makes. This year Clare was leading going into the last event the 800m and it took a huge effort from Megan Kiely from Waterford to snatch gold running 2.22 to Clare’s 2.28. It was a very impressive two days by Clare in the seven events 100m hurdles shot long jump high jump 200m javelin and 800m.

In the All-Ireland second division competitions two athletes put in incredible performances to win medals. Ella Hyland won silver in the high jump and Leah Hutton won gold in the long jump both at U13 level. Megan Fitzpatrick was unlucky in the girl’s u 13 600m not to get among the medals.

The second weekend was held in ideal conditions last weekend at Tullamore. It again proved a very fruitful for the St Laurence O’Toole club picking up a number of medals in some of the most completive events. Middle distance was once the main stay of the club but in the last few years it has being the sprinters and jumpers that are most prominent as was the case last weekend.
To take an All-Ireland in your first season in the sport is a huge achievement but that is exactly what Owen Scully did in the u-15 200m. He was on holidays for the first weekend and if present he surely would have added to his medal count. He is one to watch for the future. Another gold medal went to Simon Doyle who continues to dominate the u18 long jump this time winning with a leap of 6.79m. He was pushed all the way by club mate Paul Byrne who finished second with a new p.b. of 6.54m. absence Grace Lawler representing the Lawler household did so in style taking silver in the u14 200m. Adam Dowling added a second bronze in the u18 200m to the one he won the first weekend in the 100m.
Seven relay teams had qualified from the Leinster but with injury and holidays taking it’s toil one team that made it to the start line last Sunday. They certainly made the trip worth while winning gold in the u18 4x100 in time of 45.0s beating very fancied Dundrum and Clonliffe teams. Earlier in the day they were forth in the 4x400. The four who took the baton around were Paul Byrne Adam Dowling Gavin Curran and Simon Doyle.
On Saturday Carlow had more success with Mary Ann O’Sullivan Tinryland winning the u18 1500m in a time of 4m 47s. Danny Lawler 1500m, Emma O’Toole long jump and Mark Furey shot and discus, Rosanna and Mary Flood Ballon/Rathoe in the Javelin and Discus also competed last weekend finishing outside the medals.

Saturday 18th July 2010
Athletes from the local schools made it onto this year's schools international team which put in a great performance at a very windy Glasgow last Saturday.
First into action last Saturday was Paul Byrne Pres College who made a hugh effort to take home a medal. He battled all the way around with two very talented English boys in the 400m hurdles and was still holding third place with 10 meters to go despite hitting the eight hurdles hard. Two athletes passed him in the last few meters depriving him of a medal. Next into action was Clair Murphy Gael Colaiste who was getting her first taste of international competition in the 300m hurdles. She gave a very good account of herself finishing in forth place just .4 of a second off a medal. She can compete at this level again next year where she should be a medal contender.
Stephen Attride Knockbeg got involved in a four way battle with two English boys and his team mate Andrew Monaghan for the three medals in the 3000m. He got caught for finishing pace in the last 50m and had to settle for fourth place.