Sharlene Mawdsley will represent Tipperary before going to Munich next week to compete for Ireland in the 4x400 Relay at the European Championships.

Tipperary Ladies in National Track & Field League Final

On Sunday next, the Tipperary Senior women’s athletics team will head to Tullamore to take part in the Premier Division of the National Track & Field League Final.

Over the last couple of months the earlier rounds have been run in Belfast, Athlone, Carlow and Templemore with Tipperary have topped their group in rounds 1 & 2.

Eight teams will contest the final with Tipperary joining, Galway, Meath, Sligo, Louth, and the strong Dublin clubs of Clonliffe Harriers, Dundrum South Dublin, and Raheny Shamrocks.

Tipperary will have athletes competing in all 21 events, with the fifteen best scores from those twenty-one events count. To date Tipperary have used 26 athletes in the various disciplines and have by far the youngest team competing in Tullamore on Sunday, seventeen are under 23 years of age and have seven current national champions in the squad.

In the sprints, Katie Bergin (Moyne AC), 100m, 200m, 4x100m and 4x400m, is having her best season so far with many personal bests in 100m and 200m.

Teenager Grace Brennan (Nenagh Olympic) will be on duty for the 100m Hurdles. Miriam Daly (Carrick-on-Suir AC) 400m, 400m Hurdles possibly and 4x400m. Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport AC) runs in 200m and 4x400m before going onto Munich to represent Ireland in the European Championships in the 4x400m relay.

The 4x100m squad consists of Kellie Bester (Carrick-on-Suir), Emily Davidson (Nenagh Olympic), Leona Maher (Moyne AC), Ellen O’Dwyer (Nenagh Olympic), Emma O’Neill (Carrick-on-Suir AC), Grace & Lucy Fitzgerald (Tipperary Town AC), and Katie Bergin (Moyne AC).

The 4x400m squad is made up of Miriam Daly (Carrick-on-Suir), Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport AC), Margaret Mary Grace (Nenagh Olympic), Eimear Lynch (Newport AC), Sandra Tijanic (Carrick-on-Suir) and Katie Bergin (Moyne AC). Miriam Daly is also returning to form at the right time, improving with every outing and reducing her time for the 400m to the mid 56sec. range.

Middle distance is well represented with the Cunneen girls from Nenagh Olympic, Ellen 800m, & Niamh 3k. Dympna Ryan (Dundrum AC) 1500m has produced a couple of fine performances in the previous rounds, we will be hoping for another big performance on Sunday. Sharon Cantwell (Moyne AC) 3K Steeplechase has taken to this event like a duck to water pardon the expression and collected invaluable points last day out.

The High Jump sees Ellen O’Dwyer (Nenagh Olympic) take on the best seniors in the country, under the watchful eye of coach Martin O’Grady this young lady always delivers.

Tipperary Town AC as always are well represented by the Fitzgerald sisters, Grace & Lucy, in the Long Jump and Triple Jump. Both in their teens have won many National titles both indoor and outdoor in the last twelve months.

Another of the teenage group is Jodie McGrath (Nenagh Olympic) in the Pole Vault, reaching new heights again this year, though this is not an event for the faint hearted.

Maeve Gaffney (Newport AC) 1500m walk will be chasing more points for the Tipp cause on Sunday.

Tipperary are blessed with so many good throwers in Jade Barry (Carrick-on-Suir) Javelin, while John Dwyer has had a big influence on the following athletes from Templemore AC in Fiona Hennessy - Hammer & Shot Putt, Katie Cozens - Discus, Kaley Cozens - Hammer & Shot Putt, and the evergreen Genevieve Rowland - Weight for Distance, Shot Putt, & Discus.

A medal of any colour would be great reward for the athletes hard work and commitment.

Quite a bit of work goes on behind the scenes to pull together all the different disciplines. Team Manager: Martin Flynn (Moyne AC); Assistant Manager: Eamon Fitzgerald (Tipperary Town AC); Selectors: Martin O’Grady & Sean Finn (Nenagh Olympic), Geraldine Hickey & John Flynn (Moyne AC), Fiona Walker & Eimear Lynch (Newport AC).