Galway SC step up at the Irish Age Groups!
At the second Irish National summer meet, the Irish Age-Groups held in University Arena, Limerick from Friday 6th-Sunday 8th July, Galway SC stepped up superbly to the national stage with some excellent individual & team performances.
The team of 22 GSC swimmers achieved 85 PB’s, 17 finalists & 24 top three podium finishes, including 7 National Age-Group titles!
Top girls performances came from Kate Finn who won the U14 girls 100 Freestyle & finished second in both the 100 & 200 Backstroke with team mate Kate Kavanagh finishing third in the 100 Backstroke event. In the U13 Girls age-band, Niamh Melody finished second in the 100 Backstroke & third in the 200 Backstroke. In the U14 400 IM, Emer Claffey picked up a bronze & in the last individual event of the meet, Alex McFarland battled hard for a well deserved bronze medal. The U14 girls 4X50 Freestyle relay team made up of Kate Finn, Kate Kavanagh, Niamh Melody & Alex McFarland finished in second in a very close & exciting race. In the girls U12 category there was an excellent bronze medal for the Galway team of Ciara Shaughnessy, Sinead Walsh, Sinead Carey & Roisin Finn. Other positive performance finalist & PB swims at the meet came from Molly O’Sullivan, Andraya Scully, Roisin Finn & Ciara Shaughnessy.
Top boys performances came from Andrew Moore who won the boys U14 100 & 200 Breaststroke in & finished third in the 200 & 400 Freestyle. Team mate Bryan O’Sullivan was having an equally excellent meet winning U14 National titles in the 200 Fly & 400 Freestyle, winning two silvers in the 200 Backstroke & 200 Freestyle & won two bronzes in the 100 Fly & 400IM. Andrew & Bryan were then joined by Daniel Scully & Conor Snowdon to win the boys U14 Freestyle relay & in the U14 boys Medley relay Andrew, Bryan & Conor were joined by Thomas O’Connor make it a double winning the event & making it a clean sweep in the U14 boys relays. In the U15 category, Oisin Duffy picked up a bronze medal in the 200 Fly & in the boys U12 category, there was an excellent bronze medal for the Galway team of Tim Keogh, Harry McGrogan, David O’Connor & Joseph Doorly.
This brought to an end another successfully Irish age-groups & Galway SC would like to congratulate all the competing swimmers on their fantastic achievements over a very successful weekend of swimming.
Galway SC would also like to extend sincere thanks to the team’s sponsor, Joe Cosgrove & the Kingfisher Club for supplying the team kit for the meet, the Team Managers of Maria Snowdon, Helen Finn, Therese O’Sullivan & John Keogh for performing their duties with efficiency & aplomb & lastly to Team Coach, Brendan Breathnach for his superb work not just at the Age-Groups but also throughout a very challenging but rewarding season, thanks Brendan & enjoy your summer road trip holiday!