Links and milestones to the fore as Finn Valley host inaugural McGonagle Champions Cup

Links and connections to past milestones have been so important in the history and development of Finn Valley AC – so it was fitting that September 30 saw the staging of the inaugural McGonagle Champions Cup.

The Millbrae venue heaved this morning with hundreds of competitors, between the ages of 9 and 18, took part in the cross-country event.

Clubs came from as far off as Galway, Leitrim and Down to take part in the event.

It was seven years to the day that in 2011, the new floodlights at Finn Valley AC were officially switched on and, on the same evening, the Patsy McGonagle track was officially opened.

And there he was this morning, in the thick of, microphone in hand with all the energy, enthusiasm and endeavour – this was Patsy McGonagle’s latest project, which came about after a conversation with European Athletics executive member Pierce O’Callaghan.

The McGonagle Champions Cup was awarded to the best club of the day and Finn Valley AC’s Adam McGranaghan took receipt of the prize from O’Callaghan, who visited with the Tuam AC he remains so actively involved in.

There were many exciting teams and individuals battling throughout. 

A tremendous last 400m by Cranford A.C member Oisin Kelly saw him get up for a thrilling win in the U16 reach that had to be the highlight beating as he beat a quality field. 

Place	Girls Under 9	Club
1	Emer Fallon	Tuam A.C
2	Niamh McGlinchey	Finn Valley A.C
3	Emily Melly	Tir CHonaill A.C
4	Lizzie Sweeney	Milford A.C
5	Jennifer Dooher	Finn Valley A.C
6	Grace McBride	Finn Valley A.C
	Team Result
1	Finn Valley A.C
2	Tir Chonaill A.C
3	Tuam A.C

Place	Boys Under 9	Club
1	Scott William	Nth Leitrim A.C
2	Cian McGinn	Tuam A.C
3	Jack Byrne	Finn Valley A.C
4	Senan Faulkner	Milford A.C
5	Oran Kee	Finn Valley A.C
6	Matthew Dowds	Finn Valley A.C
	Team Result
1	Finn Valley A.C
2	Milford A.C
3	Rosses A.C

Place	Boys Under 10	Club
1	Mark Williams	Finn Valley A.C
1	Bradley Boyle	Letterkenny A.C
3	Lynan Green	Rosses A.C
4	Isaac Costello	Tuam A.C
5	Ohran Rogan	Rosses A.C
6	Ryan Hession	Tuam A.C
	Team Result
1	Finn Valley A.C
2	Rosses A.C
3	Letterkenny A.C

Place	Girls Under 10	Club
1	Grace McGrath	Tuam A.C
2	Cliona McBride	Cranford A.C
3	Sarah Mulvaney Kell y	North Leitrim A.C
4	Holly McNulty	Finn Valley A.C
5	Aine Duffy	Letterkenny A.C
6	Leah Byrne	Finn Valley A.C
	Team Result
1	Finn Valley A.C
2	Tuam A.C
3	Letterkenny A.C

Place	Girls Under 11	Club
1	Emma Bonner	Letterkenny A.C
2	Erin Friel	Olympian
3	Aine Brannigan	Tir Chonaill A.C
4	Ita McGee	Letterkenny A.C
5	Sophie Ellis	Letterkenny A.C
6	Orla Faul	Olympian
	Team Result
1	Letterkenny A.C
2	Olympian A.C
3	Tuam A.C

Place	Boys Under 11	Club
1	Jason McCreehy	Loughview
2	Jack McGlinchey	Finn Valley A.C
3	Oran Mc Brearty	Finn Valley A.C
4	Barry Sheilds	Letterkenny A.C
5	Conor Gallen	Finn Valley A.C
6	Darren Gillespie	Finn Valley A.C
	Team Result
1	Finn Valley A.C
2	Letterkenny A.C
3	Olympian A.C

Place	Girls Under 12	Club
1	Miah Fletcher	Cranford A.C
2	Danielle Moynihan	Tuam A.C
3	Aoife Burke	Tuam A.C
4	Miah Gallagher	Tuam A.C
5	Rachel Dooher	Finn Valley A.C
6	Maria Kelly	Finn Valley A.C
	Team Result
1	Tuam A.C
2	Finn Valley A.C
3	Cranford A.C

Place	Boys Under 14	Club
1	Cathal O’Donnell	Tir Chonaill A.C
2	Philip McGee	Letterkenny A.C
3	Dara MCDevitt	Tir Chonaill A.C
4	Fionn Farne	Finn Valley A.C
5	Oisin Phelan	Tuam A.C
6	Rudy Mayne	Loughview A.C
	Team Result
1	Tir Chonaill A.C
2	Finn Valley A.C
3	Cranford A.C
Place	Girls Under 14	Club
1	Gillian Reynolds	Letterkenny A.C
2	Zara Alexandra	Finn Valley A.C
3	Ella McGlinchey	Finn Valley A.C
4	Amy Bonner	Letterkenny A.C
5	Hannah MurrAY	Finn Valley A.C
6	Jocelyn Diver	Cranford A.C
	Team Result
1	Finn Valley A.C
2	Letterkenny A.C
3	Cranford A.C

Place	Boys  Under 16	Club
1	Oisin Kelly	Cranford A.C
2	John McGinley	Olympian A.C
3	Jack Hollian	Letterkenny A.C
4	Oisin Toye	Finn Valley A.C
5	Aiden MCole	Rosses A.C
6	Dylan Traynor	Rosses A.C
	Team Result
1	Letterkenny A.C

Place

Girls Under 16

Club

1

Niamh Carlin

North Leitrim A.C

2

Sarah Brady

North Leitrim A.C

3

Chloe Shield

Letterkenny A.C

4

Nuala Bowes 

Olympian A.C

5

Emer McGee

Finn Valley A.C

6

Emer O Brien

Letterkenny A.C

Team Result

1

Tuam A.C

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