BRILLIANT BRONZE IN ATHLONE

Just like keeping the best wine till last, the last day of the Irish Life Health Athletics Ireland Juvenile Indoors provided the biggest highlights with our U15 Boys relay team of Gerard Murtagh, Shane Finn, Cian Mollohan and Toyosi Fagbo claiming a brilliant bronze in the relay.

In a final full of drama, thrills and spills, the four lads kept their heads and showed brilliant battling spirit to claim the bronze medal with a superb run.

It was also the first All-Ireland medal that any of the four have won so they join the Club's All-Ireland winners roll of honour and for Shane Finn and Gerard Murtagh, they join their mothers Mary Finn and Siobhan Murtagh on that list so a fantastic day all round.

The drama started early in the heats with Carrick up against a very good Nenagh Olympic team in the first heat. A strong opening leg from Gerard and strong performances from Shane and Cian in the middle left us a little adrift of the Munster men but a dropped baton at the changeover saw Toyosi produce some quick footwork to sidestep the two Nenagh runners and charge into the lead.

Toyosi was never going to be caught and could even ease up a little over the last 100m to win the heat with a place in the Final. Their time of 1.44.87 saw them qualify third fastest overall behind Cabinteely and Belgooley with GCH fourth.

The final saw a few switches and additions to our rivals and GCH got a huge start and soon they and Cabinteely detached themselves from the rest. Gerard, who is still U14, ran a really strong opening leg but improved performances from the other teams meant we were in sixth when Shane thundered round the top bend.

Shane ran a superb leg and kept us in contention with the medal places. The drama got even higher on the third leg when Cian was chasing a trio of runners ahead of him.

Disaster struck the Belgooley runner as he stumbled on the back straight but Cian spotted it and surged brilliantly over the final 100m, going from fifth into a clear third at the changeover.

Toyosi had a reasonable lead but was being chased by Belgooley's Glory Wenegiene who had beaten him for fourth in the 60m Final and the Cork runner made huge inroads into the Carrick lead, catching up to Toyosi with about 120m to go.

But Toyosi, who had run himself into exhaustion in the Connacht Finals, had run a clever race and had plenty left in the tank and despite a lot of looks over his shoulder, he held off the Cork runner going up the home straight until, 20 metres from the line, the Cork runner trod on Toyosi's heel.

Toyosi's shoes was ripped off but that didn't stop him as the Belgooley lad hit the deck, Toyosi keeping on his feet to claim the bronze medal.

Subject to correction, and I'm only going on memory here, it is our first relay medal since the days of Gerard O'Donnell's own relay team and Gerard celebrates the big 30 this year.

In terms of Indoor relays, a team of Siobhan McWeeney, Rachel Carr, Dearbhaile Doran and Michelle Clancy won medals in Nenagh while another girls team made up of Rachel Flynn, Orna Tiernan, Eadaoin McLoughlin, Gina Wimsey, Aisling Dolan and Deirdre Martin won several indoor medals.

And of course, not forgetting the team of John Feely, Ray Mulvey, Gerard Crossan, Liam McTiernan and Gerard O'Donnell who set a national record one year and won countless relays medals, indoors and out.

Many thanks to Siobhan Murtagh, Siobhan Whelan, Mary Finn and Linda Mollohan for getting the gang down to Nenagh and providing the cheering section and it was great to see Michael O'Brien there cheering on his grandson Shane to a medal.

Special mention for Mary O'Donnell recuperating at the moment after an operation, I'm sure she was dancing around with delight and everyone in Athlone sends get well wishes.

On to the outdoors now but congratulations once again lads.

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