Westmeath competitors shine on home soil

The Second Weekend of the HSE Community Games National Finals which was staged at the AIT College in Athlone last weekend was a huge success.We hope this will continue into next weekend when we will have another couple of thousand children and officials taking part in Athletics (Track and Field), Basketball, Hurling, Mini Rugby, Tag Rugby, Rounders, Camogie and Futsal.The Opening Ceremony and parade last weekend was a very colourful affair and we thank all the boys and girls plus the parents who came along and marched behind the Westmeath banner. We sincerely hope that you will came along again on Sunday next for the closing ceremonies. We would also like to extend our thanks to all the Westmeath team managers, officials and volunteers who played their part in the success of these finals and best wishes to all our competitors and managers taking part this weekend.Gold for Siobhan RyanThe very talented Siobhan Ryan from Ballymore swept aside all the opposition in the Under-14 Backstroke to capture that elusive gold medal and a place in the history books.Ballymore also had another very young star in the swimming finals, Kelly Ennis took who put in a great performance to win an All-Ireland silver medal in the Under-8 Freestyle. Theres no doubt that we will be hearing a lot more from this eight year old in the future. Also doing the Area and county proud were Oisin Ryan in the Under-10 Backstroke and El McLoughlin in the Under-10 Gymnastics who were just outside of the medal placings.Hockey girls win bronzeBallymahon Road Girls Hockey team put in magnificent performances at county, Leinster and National level and all this was brought to an abrupt end when they came up against a very strong Salthill, Galway team that can boast a number of internationals on their team and were eventual National winners.Most of the Ballymahon Road team are under-age again next season and no doubt they will be a force to be reckoned with. The team members who received the bonze medals were: Alison Fagan, Emma Fagan, Ciara Devaney, Lauren Kennedy, Emily Connell, Laura McCullagh, Rebita Downes, Aisling Hurley, Mairin Ryan, Eimear McCarrick, Rachael Emrson, Emma Jackson, Eimear O'Driscoll, Anna McCullagh, Emma Kiernan, Nicole Collinson,.Two silvers in GymnasticsGymnastics is regarded as one of the toughest competitions to win a medal and Keith Harrington from Tubberclair/Glasson and Aidan Mannion from Ballymahon Road both had to produced the best performances of their lives to win silver medals in the Under-14 and Under-16 respectively.Variety take fourthInstead of the traditional certificate for fourth place, there is now a very elegant medal presented and the very young talented Variety group from Beechpark/Coosan were the proud receipients of this medal. The team members were: - Orla Mooney, Ronan Donohoe, Brendan Gibbons, Maeve Herd, Cliodhna Golden, Ciara Egan, Edel Hannon, Sarah Lough, Niamh Brady, Chloe Rowan, Sinead Reidy, Eileen Reidy, Aisling Golden, Fabian Cooke.Beechpark/Coosan also had great success in the Pool when Brendan Gibbons took a bronze medal in the Under-16 Freestyle and fourth place medals went to the Under-13 Squad of Ciaran McDermot, Bill Kelly, Shane Gibbons and Eoin Meaney.Sinead Whelan Wins MedalAfter some very tough competition in the Girls under-14 Backstroke heats and semi-final, Sinead Whelan from D.L.B.C. took the medal for fourth spot. Sinead's colleague from the same area, William Hayes was very unlucky not to be among the medal in the Under-14 Backstroke final.Grass Cycling FinalHeavy rain showers made conditions very difficult for all the cyclists on Saturday morning and despite this, the Westmeath competitors, Kate Brennan, Retreat; Ciaran Leech, Kinnegad/Coralstown; Emer Kelly, Rochfortbridge and Jack Kennedy, The Downs all performed very well to reach the finals on Sunday.With early morning rain, conditions were worse on Sunday and while our cyclists gave it their best shot, only Emer Kelly came through to win a medal for fourth place with the Kate, Ciaran and Jack all unlucky to be placed just outside the medals.Programme For WeekendFriday, 21st August - At 5.30 p.m., Boys Under-13 Basketball semi-finals in Multipurpose Hall.Saturday 22nd - 9.00 a.m. Athletics, boys and girls relays, sprint heats and walk. Girls Long Puck. Girls Under-13 Basketball.9.30 a.m. - Girls Long Jump. Boys Shot Putt. Boys and girls Under-13 Rounders in Willow Park.10.00 a.m. - Boys Futsal, All weather pitch. Hurling, AIT GAA pitch.11.00 a.m. - Basketball, Girls Under-16 semi-final. Boys and girls Under-13 Rounders, 2nd semi-final.1.30 p.m. - Long Puck, Boys Final. Girls Under-16 Basketball girls Under-16 2nd semi-final.2.00 p.m. - Athletics continue with heats in the hurdles, under-8 sprints and semi-finals in 200m.,600m., 800m., 1500m and relays. Girls Shot Putt, Boys Long Jump, Camogie, Under-16 Rounders and Tag Rugby.2.30 p.m. - Basketball, Boys Under-16 semi-finals.Sunday 23rd - 9.00 a.m. Athletics, semi-finals in boys and girls hurdle, under-8 to under-16 sprints. Finals of hurdles, Walk. Sprints, distance races and relays. Girls-16 Basketball Play-offs.9.30 a.m. - Boys High Jump. Girls Ball Throw. Girls Javelin, Mini Rugby, Girls and Boys Under-13 Rounders play-off. Boys and girls Under-13 Rounders in Willow Park.10.00 a.m. - Boys Futsal play-off and final, All weather pitch. Hurling Final. Roundrs Final..11.00 a.m. - Marathon, boys and girls Under-16.1.30 p.m. - Basketball boys Under-13 2nd final.2.00 p.m. - Athletics continue with sprints and distance plus relays. Girls High Jump, Boys Ball Throw. Camogie play-off, Under-15 Rounders play-off and finals. Tag Rugby play-off and finals.2.30 p.m. - Basketball, Girls Under-13 final.3.30 p.m. - Boys Under-16 Discus. Finals in Boys and Girls Under-16 Basketball and Camogie.5.30 p.m. - Assemble for Closing Parade. Again, we would like to see as many children as possible turn out for this parade.Qualifiers For second weekendKinnegad/Coralstown: Kevin Giles U-12 Relay, Eoin O'Brien, U-12 Relay + Ball Throw, James Maxwell, U-12 Relay, Neill Carthy U-12 Relay, Aaron Chandappan U-12 Relay, Ciaran Bracken, U-12 Relay, Aaron Glynn U-16 Relay, Dean Weymes U-16 Relay, Philip Giles U-16 Relay, Fergus Murtagh U-16 Relay, Vineog Leavy U-16 Relay, Ebhin Meara U-16 Relay, Aileen Murtagh U-14 Relay, Jane Leydon U-14 Relay + Long Jump, Aisling Bracken U-14 Relay, Danielle Kiernan U-14 Relay, Therese Walsh U-14 Relay, Edel Glennon U-14 Relay + Walk, Eanna Burke U-10 Relay, Patrick Leydon U-10 Relay + U-10 Hurdles, Jeff Umukora U-10 Relay + U-10 100m., Nicole Gorry U-10 Relay + U-10 100m., Jordyn O'Connor U-10 Relay, Aileen Brannock U-10 Relay, Ciara Fogarty U-16 Javelin, Shauna Leydon U-8 80m., Brendan Keaveney U-14 80m. Hurdles.Multyfarnham: Daniel Loughrey U-14 Relay, Padraig Moran U-14 Relay + U-14 800m., Ronan Wallace U-14 Relay, James Greene U-14 Relay, Keith Maxwell U-14 Relay, Kieran Madden U-14 Relay, Michaela Monaghan U-14 80m. Hurdles.Brownstown: Cliodhna Barrett U-16 100m.Delvin: Katie Mander U-12 Relay, Saoirse McGrath U-12 Relay, Niamh Quinn U-12 Relay, Lisa Cooke U-12 Relay + U-12 100m. Christopher Lynch U-16 High Jump, Oisin Quinn U-13 Walk, Joshua Kelly, U-16 Marathon.Killucan/Raharney: Ciara O'Looney U-10 60m. Hurdles, Meabh McNulty U-12 600m.Kilbeggan: Linda Conroy U-14 800m.Gainstown: Anna Jones U-10 200m., Cormac Dalton U-12 600m.,The Downs: Aoife Rowan , U-16 Relay, Amy Staunton U-16 Relay, Niamh Duncan U-16 Relay Fiona Flynn U-16 Relay, Shauna Gavin U-16 Relay, Laura Kelly U-16 Relay, Leanne Duncan U-14 Shot Putt.Castledaly: Oisin Foley U-15 Mixed Relay, Patrick Heffernan U-15 Mixed Relay, Declan Henson U-15 Mixed Relay, Patrice Doolan U-15 Mixed Relay, Ellen Sheerin U-15 Mixed Relay, Rebecca Farrell U-15 Mixed Relay, Adam Turley U-8 60m., Andrew Beaumont U-8 80m., Daniel Heavin U-12 100m.St. Munnas/T./T.: Peadar Scally U-12 Long Puck, Meadbh Scally U-8 60m.St. Brigids/C.W.R.: Stephen Nea U-16 MarathanCastlepollard: Mark Walker U-14 Shot Putt, Paul Collins U-16 Discus.Ballinea/Brotenstown: Robert Kelly U-14 Long Jump.Collinstown/Fore: Marie Egan U-12 Ball Throw, Tommy Gallagher U-16 100m., Anne Marie Kennedy U-14 100m.D.L.B.C.: Michelle Maloney U-14 Long Puck.Moate: Linus Sayeh U-14 100m.Streete: Adam O'Keeffe U-15 1500m.Tyrrellspass: Lorraine Daly U-16 1500m.Milltown/Empor: Thomas Lynn U-16 Marathon.Auburn/Town Centre: Mark Golden U-10 200m.IDs Wristband and FeesNote - Wristbands and I.D. cards for the next weekend, August 21/24 will be issued this week.We would like to remind all of the above competitors that only those who HAVE paid their €25.00 fee will be issued with a wristband which they must wear at all times. A competitor will not be allowed to take part if he, or she does not have this band on their wrist.If for any reason you forget to bring it with you, or if you break or loose it, it will cost you €5.00 to replace it. These I.D. Cards are valid untill 2012 and you must keep them safely for qualification during the next three years.