Sporting Review of 2010

Date Published: 31-Dec-2010

July – Hession, Thornton and Breathnach strike gold

PAUL Hession ran his fastest time on Irish soil in 2010 when cruising to another 200 metre men’s national title in the Woodie’s DIY senior track and field championship in Santry. Hession joined fellow Galway athletes Gary Thornton and Sean Breathnach on the winners’ rostrum as the Galway City Harriers duo won gold medals in the men’s 10,000 metres and shot putt disciplines respectively.

Meanwhile, World Championship silver medallist, Olive Loughnane was forced to retire from the 20km walk at the European Athletics Championship in Barcelona due to illness. The Loughrea woman was expected to challenge for the podium finish but had to retire after 5km.

HURLINGIt was not so much the result as the performance – or lack of – that was disappointing from a Galway perspective as John McIntyre’s below-par side suffered a 1-19 to 1-12 defeat to Kilkenny in the Leinster senior hurling final at Croke Park.

Although Galway submitted a much improved display against Tipperary in the All-Ireland quarter-final – an outstanding game that will live long in the memory – they were just pipped at the post by the eventual champions on a scoreline of 3-17 to 3-16.

In the All-Ireland minor hurling semifinal, Mattie Murphy’s Galway recorded a merited 1-15 to 2-8 victory over Waterford in the quarter-final, but the reigning All-Ireland champions subsequently crashed out to Kilkenny at the penultimate stage.

HORSE RACINGGalway jockey Graham Lee underlined his class when guiding Donald McCain’s UK raider Overturn to a pillar to post victory in the Guinness Hurdle at the Galway Races. Cross-channel based Lee never had a moment’s worry as the high class six-year-old set a searching gallop in coming well clear of 2009 winner, the gallant Bahrain Storm.

Among the other Galway horseracing enthusiasts to celebrate in the winners’ enclosure were Killimordaly owner John Earls, with Hoopy; Co. Galway jockey Leigh Roche, who rode Easy Mate; and EasyFix Director Tom Howley, whose horse Ask Jack stormed home in the Tote Mile.

Tony McCoy, the most prolific National Hunt jockey of all time, filled one of the few big race blanks left in his brilliant career when steering JP McManus’ Fingeronthepulse to Galway Plate victory.

ROWINGNUIG retained their senior Eights title at the National Rowing Championships in Farran Woods in Cork with an on-the-line victory over Queen’s University. Earlier in the weekend, the squad also claimed the National Fours when coasting beyond favourites UCD, who had won at Henley Royal Regatta in the leadup to the nationals.

LADIES FOOTBALLGalway minor ladies footballers captured the All-Ireland crown when defeating Donegal on a scoreline of 1-15 to 1-11 at Ballinamore, Leitrim. Corofin’s Lisa Leonard was the star as she proved lethal from frees, kicking eight over and raising the white flag nine time in total. The Galway senior ladies footballers retained their Connacht title with a comfortable 3-11 to 0-7 win over Sligo in Tubbercurry while ClareGalway U-14 girls’ football team powered their way to the national Féile title when defeating St. Laurence’s of Kildare in the decider earlier in the month.

SOCCERThe second Galway derby of the season in the League of Ireland saw Salthill Devon record a comfortable 2-0 win over Mervue United in Drom.