Conroy is first Offaly Olympian into action in Tokyo

Jordan Conroy will be the first of Offaly's four Olympians to see action in Tokyo when the Ireland team begin their Rugby Sevens tournament with a game against South Afica.

Along with Conroy three other Offaly sports people will perform at the Olympics or Paralympics. Clara golfer, Shane Lowry represents Ireland in golf; Tullamore rugby player, Darragh Kenny from Belmont will be among Ireland’s performers in showjumping; while in the Paralympics, 19-year old Nicole Turner from Garryhinch will compete in four individual swimming disciplines in her second Paralympic Games.

Conroy will be the first of the Offaly Olympians into action when he and his teammates in the Ireland Rugby Sevens squad take to the field on Monday at 3am Irish time against South Africa in Tokyo.

Ireland are among twelve teams to qualify for the competition, which will be divided into three groups of four teams. Ireland face South Africa, USA (10.30am Irish time, Monday) and Kenya (3am Irish time, Tuesday).

Matches last for seven minutes per half with a two minute break between the halves.

There are seven players on the field of play at all times, and throughout the game only five substitutions can be made.

The top two teams in each group and the best two third-placed teams then qualify for the quarter finals.

All teams are guaranteed a second game on Tuesday either in the quarter finals or in placing matches for positions 9 to 12. The competition continues on Wednesday with further placing matches, semi finals, the bronze medal match and final.

Shane Lowry’s Olympics will get underway on Thursday, July 29 at the Kasumigaseki Country Club. Shane’s tee times are not yet known.

The men’s individual stroke play continues over four rounds to Sunday, August 1. There are 60 competitors, and Lowry is ranked 17. All competitors play four rounds.

Showjumper Darragh Kenny begins his Olympic adventure on Tuesday week, August 3, when the qualifier for the individual competition gets underway at 11am Irish time.

Seventy-five horse and rider combinations take part and the individual final is open to the 30 best-placed combinations from the individual qualifier.

The individual final starts at 11am on Wednesday. Kenny is ranked ninth in the world and is the seventh highest ranked rider among the 75 qualifiers.

The team qualifier commences at 11am on Friday, with the ten best placed teams reaching the final on Saturday.

Ireland is represented by Kennedy with VDL Cartello, Bertram Allen with Pacino Amiro, Cian O’Connor with Kilkenny and reserve Shane Sweetnam with Karlin Van’t Vennehof

Swimmer Nicole Turner from Garryhinch, Portarlington, will compete in the Paralympics Games which take place in Tokyo from August 24 to September 5.

Also in Tokyo will be Alan Lowry from Clara, who will caddy for his brother Shane, John Cronin from Tullamore, who has a long association with Tullamore Harriers and is current President of Athletics Ireland. John is on the Jury of Appeal for athletics and James Nolan, who will be head of the Irish athletics team at the Paralympics.