Tallaght Athletes Again Deliver The Goods For Local Schools
By Cecil Johnston

Tallaght juvenile athletes accumulated an additional 18 medals for local schools at the concluding two days of the West Leinster Schools Track & Field Championships at Santry on Tuesday and Thursday last. Colaiste De h-Ide was the recipient of no fewer than 7 medals through the efforts of Aisling Johnston, who took the Inter 1500m title and followed up with the gold in the javelin and bronze in the U16 200m, whilst Rebecca Game took the Inter 800m title and silver in the 300m, and Stacey O’ Connor adding to the tally with silver in the Inter 3k and bronze in the senior 800m contest.

 There was also further joy for St Marks Community School after the successes of Robert Fitzsimons and Luke Coleman on the first day of competition the previous week when Brian Gregan won gold in the Inter 400m, with Peter Fitzsimons taking silver in the same category and Bronagh O’ Hanlon doing likewise in the senior girls 3k.

 Anthony Lieghio delivered two bronze for Drimnagh Castle in the senior 800m and 1500m contests, with Brian Connolly adding a silver for the school in the junior 800m contest, as did Sean Bolger in the Inter 100m sprint, whilst Aoibheann Tierney delivered top honours for Rathcoole Community school in the Inter 3k event and silver in the 1500m.

 Jade Corcoran, the sole representative for St Pauls, Greenhills produced a great run to win the junior girls 1500m title and John Dever took the bronze podium position in the senior shot putt event for Tallaght Community School.

 The Leinster Schools Championships in a few weeks time will have no shortage of Tallaght competitors. Meanwhile some of our juveniles will be further engaged in the Dublin juvenile track & field leagues at  Santry over the next few weeks with some others competing for Dublin at the National Community Games cross country finals in Mosney.

 Elsewhere on Wednesday evening last in Lucan some of our seniors competed in the Dublin Novice Road race Championships which was combined with the Tom Byrne Memorial 5k race, and provisional team results, yet to be confirmed, had Tallaght as the winners. The four scoring members of the team were Nilton Demorez who was 1st novice home for the club in 4th (7th overall in the combined race), James Crowley, Bill Murphy and Colm Barcoe. Davey Byrne ran another superb race to take 3rd place overall in the Tom Byrne.

 At the Irish Milers Club meet in Irishtown Stadium on Saturday last, Ronan Kearns posted another good time and p.b. (1.25), when finishing a good 3rd in 600m contest.