County Tipperary Athletic Notes by Niall O’Sullivan County Senior PRO

Fethard Town Park is the venue next Saturday night, 18^th April, for the County Novice B and Junior Road Championships. These Championships are being hosted by Fethard AC.

The Junior Race 3k will get proceedings underway at 6.45pm. Eligibility for these Championships are that athletes must be over 16 years of age and under 20 years of age as of the 31^st December 2026. In the team event for both women and men it is three to score. The County Board would encourage Clubs to support these Championships as they are a pathway to the senior ranks.

The Novice B women’s 3k will start at 7pm. Followed immediately by the men’s 6k race. To be eligible athletes must have competed in the County Novice Road race in Lisvernane last month and must have finished outside the top eight for men and top three for women. All previous winners of this event are also ineligible. In the team events it is three to score in both the women’s and men’s races. Both races should be competitive as there were exceptionally good entries in the County Novice in Lisvernane.

In the women’s race, the likely contenders going on the Novice race are Nikki Kenneally Moycarkey Coolcroo AC, Elaine Morrissey Clonmel AC, Karen Coughlan Dundrum AC and Carol Molloy Fethard AC. In the team event, with three athletes to score, Fethard AC look strong as they can also call upon Paula Hendriksen and Jessica Kennedy. Other clubs vying for a podium pace include Moycarkey Coolcroo AC, Clonmel AC, Dundrum AC, Mooreabbey Milers AC, Moyne AC and Thurles Crokes AC.

The Men’s race over 6k should also be very competitive, if everyone that is eligible competes. Here the likely contenders include Donie Bergin Moycarkey Coolcroo AC, the Fethard AC duo of Eoghan Ryan and James Maher, Eugene O’Keeffe Carrick on Suir AC, Michael Gleeson Templemore AC and Wayne Bargary Dundrum AC. In the team event it is three to score. Here Mooreabbey Milers AC look strong but they can expect good competition from clubs like Templemore AC, Dundrum AC and Fethard AC. Spectators can expect some great competitive races in Fethard Town Park on next Saturday night.