President of Rowing Ireland, Eamonn Colcloughly (left) and event sponsor, Cormac Quish, presenting Enniskillen Royal Boat Club winners of the Junior Coxed fours with their trophies. Picture: Thomas Anderson Photography
Once again, Erne rowers have returned from the Irish Rowing Championships weighed down by a heavy cargo of silverware.
Across three days of competition at the National Rowing Centre in Cork, young Fermanagh rowers consistently delivered strong performances and were disproportionately rewarded with podium positions.
The action got under way on Friday and saw a fruitful day for the Fermanagh rowers get off to a great start with the Men’s Junior 14 4X+ team of Tim Murphy, Charlie Smith, Luke Paton, Tom Blake, Rory Farragher setting the pace with victory in their final.
That was followed by silver for the Women’s Junior 16 8+ as they followed Commercial home with over ten seconds to spare on third place.
Better was to come in the Women’s Junior 15 4X+ final with Enniskillen Royal breaking the line in 6:26:640, over 15 seconds ahead of the crew in silver medal position. The Erne crew was Jenny Little, Katie Donnelly, Nikki Kernaghan and Martha McBrien with Georgia Maxwell coxing.
The day finished for the Erne rowers with a time of 5:54.740 good enough to give the Men’s Junior 8 team silver.
Saturday started with an early gold as Charlie Smith stroked to first place in his Men’s Junior 14 1X final. Later Tim Murphy took silver in his final.
That was followed by a spectacular victory for Jack McDade, Jack Kennedy, Odhran Donaghy, Nathan Timoney and cox Rory Farragher in the Men’s Junior 4+ final.
In a hotly contested race they came home in a championship record time of 6:22.659 with just under seven seconds in hand on Coláiste Iognáid from Galway who fought hard to push Castleconnell Boat Club into third.
Enniskillen Royal Boat Club Women’s junior eights team of Carragh Leonard, Abby Corry, Victoria Wilson, Caoimhe Leonard, Jessica Long, Maeve Donnelly, Zoe McCutcheon, Caitlyn Fee and Sarah Dolan also retained their title as Irish champions.
They completed the course in 6:30.753 just four seconds ahead of Ulster rivals Bann. Again this was another championship record time, and, just like the boys, they were beating the record set by Enniskillen last year.
There was more gold in the Men’s Junior 15 4X+ final with the Enniskillen crew of Charlie Smith, Luke Paton, Tim Murphy, Lewis Nixon and Georgia Maxwell finishing just two seconds ahead of the Coláiste Chiaráin Rowing Club in a time of 5:13:780.
Nikki Kernaghan then added gold in the Women’s Junior 15 1X event in a time of 6:41:977. There was also silvers for Jenny Little and Martha McBrien in this event.
That brought the curtain down on a breath-taking second day of action in Cork.
Sunday’s rowing commenced with Enniskillen’s Women’s Junior 15 8+ B crew rowing to bronze in their final. That was followed by a sparkling success in the Women’s Junior 15 8+ A grade where Enniskillen saw off Shandon and Galway to take the title in a time of 5:23:577.
The winning Erne crew was Rachel Cullinan, Chloe Thompson, Keeva Corry, Aine McCaffrey, Niamh Campbell, Cristiona McCaffrey, Kerry Blake, Laura Turner and Georgia Maxwell.
The golds kept coming on a glorious Sunday for Fermanagh rowing with the Men’s Junior 14 8X+ team of Luke Paton, Kyle Abraham, Tom Blake, Tim Murphy, Charlie Smith, William Carrothers, Joshua Martin, Calum Timoney and Sarah Dolan taking the honours ahead of Fermoy.
Not long after that Clodagh O’Donnell, Keeva Corry, Enya Steward, Rosie Pendry and Georgia Maxwell rowed to victory in the Women’s Junior 14 4X+ class.
The deluge of gold was concluded with victory in the Men’s Junior 2- Final for Nathan Timoney and Odhran Donaghy as they blitzed the field to cross the line in a time of 6:56.199.
There was veterans success too with Gerry Murphy bringing home bronze in the Men’s Masters 1X category.
Another Irish Rowing Championships to remember for Enniskillen Royal Boat Club as they continue to set the standard for others to follow.
Posted: 7:46 pm July 19, 2018