Proud day for rejuvenated Tipperary club with staging of cross country championships

The final event of the Tipperary County Cross Country Championships took place on Sunday last. Fethard AC are grateful to landowners Fintan, Louis and the extended Rice family for the use of their land for this event.

An open invitation to the clubs to try out this cross country course a few weeks beforehand exemplifies the goodwill, respect and commitment from Fethard AC members and committee to our extended running community and running friends.
Fintan and Louis were delighted to give something in return for all the support and encouragement Fethard AC have received from various clubs and the Tipperary County Board since the club was revived.

Great credit must also go to club chairman John Hurley for the trojan work that went on behind the scenes.

Louis Rice was our race director for the event and he did sterling work, which made this a truly club community event, with all hands on deck from mapping out the course to the preparations for the day.

Our club members and volunteers were not lacking in providing refreshments after the event.

It was great to see so many of our younger and newer members who came along to support, volunteer and have the chat, which really made for a terrific atmosphere.

With Storm Isha looming, the cup of tea and various treats afterwards went down very well and this was very much appreciated by the competitors, supporters and volunteers of the Tipperary County Board.

Fethard AC had 21 athletes going to the line. They braved Storm Isha’s winds and with an excellently-contested race of over 90 athletes, athletics was the real winner.

Our Under 23 Women’s team of Alison Connolly, Carrie Davey and Isobel Maher, all making their club debuts did not disappoint us. They brought an infectious energy to the field, enough to wipe out any storm. This trio won their first county team medals on their club debuts, making it a very proud day for their families.

Our Master Women’s Over 45 Team of Aine Doocey, Siobhan Maher and Mary Hurley ran fantastically and finished in the bronze medal positions, making more club history.

Siobhan Maher, not to be outdone by her daughter Isobel, was placed second Over 55, securing her first individual and team county medals.

James Maher was our first man home in 7th place, Fintan Rice 9th , John Hurley 32nd, Liam O’Sullivan 33rd, MJ Croke 35th, Kevin O’Meara 37th, Billy Prout 38th and Victor Direen in 40th place.

Our team standings:
O/35 men James Maher, Liam O’Sullivan, MJ Croke and Kevin O’Meara combined to win bronze medals.

O/50 men Fintan Rice, John Hurley and Billy Prout combined to secure silver medals.

Individual medals were won by James Maher, who powered home to take third in the Over 40 and Fintan Rice had a fantastic bronze medal in a highly competitive Over 55 race.

Huge thanks is extended to our coaches John, Lorraine and Fintan for truly making it a team effort.

It was a super day for the club and here’s to many more wonderful days in 2024.

To all our club members who represented us at the event thank you, you made us very proud.

U/23 Team: Alison Connolly, Carrie Davey and Isobel Maher.

Masters Women’s Team: Aileen Power, Aine Doocey, Edel Roche, Lorrainne Kennedy, Marie Power, Mary Hurley, Siobhan Maher and Paula Hendriksen.

Masters Men’s Team: Billy Prout, Fintan Rice, John Hurley, James Maher, Liam O’Sullivan, Kevin O’Meara, MJ Croke, PJ O’Halloran and Victor Direen.

Thanks to the volunteers of the Tipperary County Board and it was another proud day for Fethard AC member Owen Fanning, Chairman of the Tipperary Country Board and all the volunteers from the board who helped out.

We are always grateful as well to our first responders and Tipperary Water for the donation of water for the athletes.