Offaly Rowing Club prepares for National Championships

In the run-up to the National Championships at the National Rowing Centre in Inniscarra, Co. Cork, Offaly Rowing Club had mixed success at a number of regattas during the months of May and June. The month of May saw the junior members compete in the Limerick Regatta on the River Shannon, while Dublin Metropolitan Regatta was the focus for the senior members. Carlow Regatta, on the June Bank Holiday weekend, was attended by Offaly rowers not sitting exams, and the maiden row for the Offaly women's masters crew. Last weekend, Offaly senior rowers travelled to Cork for the Cork City Regatta at the National Rowing Centre in an effort to qualify for the national squad, while the Junior members travelled to the Fermoy Sprints as final preparation for the National Championships. Competing in Limerick Regatta were the men's junior 14 coxed quad of Diarmuid Mangan, Killian Keenan, Billy Mulhall, Tadhg Phelan with cox Andrew Walsh. In their first regatta race, the quad finished in third place. Also competing for Offaly Rowing Club were Adam O'Donohue, in the men's senior single scull, and Marie Piggott, competing in both the women's novice and intermediate single sculls. There was a win for O'Donohue over Commercial Rowing Club, Dublin, and a win for Marie in the intermediate single sculls. For the senior club members, Adam O'Donohue, Marie Piggott and Vincent Hussey, the unfavourable weather conditions at Metropolitan Regatta, Blessington, Co. Wicklow, forced race organisers to cancel the regatta. Offaly Rowing Club only managed to take home one win at Carlow Regatta, namely Vincent Hussey in the men's masters category. In his first race of the season, Vincent Hussey comfortably beat Three Castles Rowing Club, Blessington. Adam O'Donohue represented Offaly in the men's senior single scull and qualified comfortably from his heat to the semi-final, but narrowly missed out on a place in the finals to Carlow. At junior level, Alison Mooney competed in the women's junior 14 single scull and came second to Carlow. Áine Murphy, racing in the junior 15 women's single scull, comfortably won her heats but could only manage to take second place to Carlow. In the women's junior 15 double scull, Alison and Áine were unfortunate to come second. Competing in the men's junior 18 B single scull category were Patrick Grogan and Patrick Walsh. Grogan was beaten in the semi-finals, while Walsh qualified for the finals. Unfortunately, going wide on the large sweeping bend at 600m lost Patrick some ground, resulting in him coming second. Carlow Regatta was the first competition for the Offaly/Graiguenamanagh composite invitational women's masters quadruple scull, with a win for the women of New Ross Rowing Club. The Offaly/Graiguenamanagh crew consisted of Brenda Colgan, Deirdre Gannon and Niamh Ní Bhroin with cox Patrick Walsh. In the last racing weekend before the National Championships, Offaly travelled to the Cork City Regatta at the National Rowing Centre in Inniscarra and the Fermoy Sprint Regatta. Division 1 of Cork City Regatta was for selection of the Irish squad for the Home Countries Regatta, which will be held in Cardiff in July. Offaly members competing for a squad place were Adam O'Donohue and Anthony Gannon. Adam was placed 16th while Anthony who came seventh. Other local rowers competing at the regatta included Eimear Moran, Joanne Moran, David Neale, Sean O'Connor and Amy Bulham. In the men's masters, Vincent Hussey finished second behind Clonmel Rowing Club. Competing in the Fermoy Sprints over 500m were Patrick Walsh in the men's junior 18 single sculls, who qualified for the semi-finals, while Vincent Hussey competed in the men's masters but failed to progress. The men's junior 14 coxed quad of James Fallon, Andrew Walsh, Killian Keenan, Billy Mulhall and cox Ellie Mulhall finished second in their heat.