Newly crowned Irish heptathlon champion, Kelly Proper will lead a strong Ferrybank women’s team at Sunday’s Woodies DIY National League Finals in Tullamore. With Proper on the team, Ferrybank last won the title in 2011, but the Waterford club has struggled to field a full team since then. DSD were the winners in the two years since and Leevale a strong second last season.
Proper was only 24 points off her own national record when winning her fourth outdoor title this season in fourth outdoor title this season. In only her third ever heptathlon, she scored 5418, with improved performances in the 100m hurdles, 200m and 800m on her record breaking effort last May. She will compete in the javelin, 100m hurdles and long jump for Ferrybank on Sunday.
DSD’s Sinead Denny
Others pencilled in for the squad include Olympian Jessie Barr in the 400m hurdles, sprinter Niamh Whelan, and the versatile Mairead Murphy.
DSD can call on a good roster of sprinters including Jennifer Carey, who is just home from the world championships, along with Sinead Denny, Jade Leahy and club captain Claire Bergin. One certain winner is javelin thrower Anita Fitzgibbon, while hurdler Emma Peters, all rounders Grainne Moggan and Claire McGlynn, and middle distance athletes Niamh Devlin and Fiona Clinton will all pick up points.
With Lizzie Lee their trump card, Leevale look strong in the middle distances and if they get out their best team out, could well go one better than last year when they were only narrowly beaten by DSD.
In the men’s competition, Clonliffe are the defending champions after a thrilling victory last year when Brian Gregan’s run in the 4x400m gave them the title.
Gregan hopefully will again be their trump card, with other certain winners are Tomas Rauktys in the discus and 56lb and Dave Donegan in the pole vault. With back-up from Paul Whelan in the sprints, Kris Valters and Aaron Hanlon in the middle distances, Andrew Heaney in the high jump, and Ryan Whelan in the javelin, Clonliffe look favourites to retain the title.
Leevale will again have a strong team with throwers Dave Tierney and Paul Hazler, jumpers David Quilligan and Denis Finnegan, and distance man Mark Hanrahan their stars. Crusaders with a team including sprinter Steven Colvert, hurdler Jason Harvey, middle distance men Ray Hynes and Rob Cross, jumpers Adam McMullan and Ruairi O Briain, and a number of decent throwers must also fancy their chances.
In Division 1 men, Donore Harriers, Kildare County and Limerick AC were the top three after the qualifying rounds. Wexford County and Portlaoise lead the women’s list.
* Master athletes take over Tullamore on Saturday with all the big names expected – among them Joe Gough of West Waterford, Mary Sweeney of St Finbarr’s, Liffey Valley’s Tom O’Connell, Raheny’s Mick Traynor, Dannea Herron of City of Derry, and Mary Jennings of Waterford. Behind them come many younger pretenders only now coming into the veteran ranks.
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