No weather worries as Harriers storm to indoors Shield title

While Storm Hermina raged the Kilkenny athletics fraternity was oblivious to its actions as hundreds of athletes ran, jumped and threw in their first indoor competition of the season, tucked away in the safety of Nenagh’s indoor arena recently.

It was a day to savour for Kilkenny City Harriers (KCH), who retained the Fr Nicholas Flavin shield for the best overall club.

The city club dominated the sprint and hurdle events and won all the boys’ 4x200m relays and half the girls.

There were some fantastic performances, such as those from Isabella Quaglia in the girls’ under-13 shot-put. Quaglia was hitting just below nine metres and managed to surpass that mark on her final throw with a 9.01m put to take the victory. She followed this up with a victory in the 60m, giving her an unusual double.

Athletes from Nuenna who attended the County Indoors

Aisling Phelan has emerged from her winter training looking stronger and more powerful. Her improved start gave her the edge she needed over long time rival and club mate Ellen Daly. Phelan won the 200m with Daly picking up gold in the hurdles.

Kate Kelly looked very comfortable in the girls’ under-13 600m. Kelly led from the start and had a lead of over 20m by the end of the first 200m, an advantage she steadily increased on her way to a convincing win.

Clodagh O’Callaghan was a class apart in the girls’ under-18/19 1,500m while Ellen Ryan jumped 4.25m to win the girls’ under-13 long jump.

Caoimhe Malone displayed some serious race-walking skills. The third generation of a family of racewalkers, Malone shows promise as her technique hints at a bright future at the event, possibly emulating the international feats of previous generations of her family, including grandad John.

There was a triple victory for Patrick Wall. Starting out with the 200m, he outsprinted clubmate Danny Direen to take the overall victory. His hurdling was perfect, bringing him his second gold medal, before a leap of 4.93m secured a third.

Triple Gold

Thomastown AC had an incredible team of younger athletes. Sarah Collins left her competitors in her wake as she strode to a strong victory in the girls’ under-12 60m. Collins had won her heat earlier in the morning from her clubmate Jessica Mackey, who finished fourth in the final.

In the hurdles it was Alisha Farrell who emerged as the winner. Her 5.97m finish in the shot-put saw her top of the podium again before she added a third gold medal with a win in the long jump. Zoe McKenna and Zoe Beck won the high jump at under-15 and under-16 levels respectively, while Mia Brennan and Beck took the under-15 and under-16 long jump titles.

Brennan also went on to win the under-15 hurdles.

If Sunday’s proceedings can predict the future then Luke Hanlon has a bright one in store. Hanlon won the 60m, 400m and the long jump. And there was probably a lot more he could have won too, if the event participation had not been capped at three events. His clubmate Kyle Dunne had a double win, in the 60m and hurdles.

Throwing force

Brow Rangers are a club who seem to be able to mass-produce a collection of throwers with ease. Almost all of the 76 points they amassed from the day’s activities came from the throwing events.

Ben Kelly (Brow Rangers) competing in the shot-put at the Kilkenny indoor championships

It was, however, their masters and seniors that amassed the most points. Oisin Kelly won the senior long jump and shot. Kieran Kelly won the masters 60m and weight for distance. Emma Kelly took the senior women’s weight for distance and shot-put titles.

Joey Holden tackled the high jump with ease as he took gold. His clubmate Aidan Banville finished runner-up. Katie Murphy outsprinted Jane Byrne (KCH) in the girls’ under-11 400m to take the gold medal. These young athletes and their clubmates had many fourth-place finishes, setting them up nicely for the summer season. Barrow Harriers’ Faith Williams did very well in the under-15 shot-put to take bronze.

Shot-putt champions

The Mullally sisters, Aisling and Saorlaith of St Joseph’s, won their under-16 and under-17 shot-put competitions with throws that should see them as national qualifiers in two months’ time. Evan Walsh won his walk, with a few decent medals from the walks for St Joseph’s. Caoimhe Barry was super concentrated as she focused on each and every one of her high jump efforts, navigating the bar in her mind before each jump.

Barry finished up as the under-18/19 champion jumping 1.52m and narrowly missing 1.54m. This competition brought a lot of attention as the younger boys and girls became fascinated with the level the bar was raised. Tom Doherty, who has both speed and endurance, made light work of the under-13 600m as he blitzed the field from the first lap. His clubmate Elvis Urbstas also scored a convincing win as he won the boys’ under-13 60m.

Malone takes gold over 600m

Castlecomer AC emerged in the latter half of 2024 with the strongest contingent of athletes they have had for years. This strength has definitely rolled over to 2025 where some of their athletes are leading the way in their respective events. Where once they struggled to field relay teams, they now have many, giving the teams the opportunity to run together and enjoy the team aspect the sport brings. Their girls’ under-12 4x200m relay team secured a bronze medal.

Kate Malone ran a very tactical 600m at under-12 level. Content to let others do the faster pace early on in the competition, Malone made her move after 300m, passing Siofra Croke O’Neill (Thomastown) and then Sarah Collins. Malone crossed the line first and probably had more in the tank too - this Castlecomer athlete is not finished yet.

Emma Mulhall was not too far off the gold in the girls’ under-12 long jump. Daniel Bourne came up trumps as he collected silver and bronze in the under-16 long jump and shot.

Walsh dominates shot-put

St Senan’s athlete Aaron Walsh emerged from the winter much stronger, and this was evident in his shot-put. Walsh threw 7.31m in the boys’ u12, the only athlete to throw above the 7m mark. Putting her cross-country season behind her, Ava Hogan finished first in the girls’ under-14 800m. Hogan also went on to win the high jump, clearing 1.25m.

Caoimhe Barry (St Joseph’s) won the under-18/19 high jump in Nenagh

Morgan’s younger brother Huw was third in both the 60m and 400m under-11. Meabh Mackey won the under-16 shot.

However, it was the St Senan’s masters athletes that secured them the 16 additional points that they needed to climb the club rankings.

Joao Horda sealed a double victory in the 200m and 1500m. The tall figure of Lucy Aylward stood out in the walks as she won the girls’ under-15.

Family affair

The Gardiner siblings from Gowran had a family day of gold medals. Rachel won the under-18/19 weight for distance and shot-put. Competing in National Championships since she was 12,

Gardiner has, in her final year of juvenile competition, set her sights firmly on a podium placing. Her brother Jack seems to be emulating his elder sister’s path as he took gold in the under-17 shot-put.

Swapping cross-country for high jump, Abigail Hunt won the girls’ under-13 competition. She also finished second to her longtime rival Kate Kelly (KCH) in the 600m. Lucy Cunningham and Kate Hayden won the under-16 and under-17 800m with Hayden also winning the under-17 triple jump. Odhran Prendergast was an impressive winner of the under-17 200m from clubmate Darragh O’Dwyer. Prendergast completed the double when he later won the long jump.

With a long programme to get through the officials made light work of the arduous task of sorting heats and finals and ensuring the events went smoothly.

KCH were the strongest club but there is ample talent among all the clubs to set the county up nicely for a healthy 2025 indoor season.