Galley men defend All-Ireland title

South West clubs blaze trail of glory

GALLYFLASH won the senior men's race at the All-Ireland coastal rowing finals held in Ballyshannon, Co Donegal, last weekend.  

The Galley men led from the outset and, much to the delight of their large following, crossed the line in first place to claim back-to-back All-Ireland titles. 

One of the features of this year's finals was the growing dominance and strength of west Cork clubs. In the senior men's category, all three podium positions came south with Kilmacsimon taking silver and Courtmacsherry bringing home the bronze.

In the senior ladies, GalleyFlash took silver, Kilmacabea bronze, both finishing behind the outstanding young crew from the Workmen's club in Killarney.

The pattern of dominance continued into the senior mixed category, where Kilmacsimon took gold after a huge tussle with Ring, who won silver. The ongoing battles between these two competitive clubs continued into the junior men's category where, after another titanic encounter, the medal order was reversed, Ring took gold, Kilmacsimon silver.

It was not all about the adults, either. The U12 category is where the youngest competitors are found and here again West Cork did well, as Rosscarbery won the boys with Kilmacsimon second. Courtmacsherry were the top U12 girls' crew from West Cork, taking bronze.

Ring continued their superb form shown all season, winning five gold, two silver and two bronze. 

The gold were in U21, pre vet mixed, pre vet ladies, U16 boys, junior men; silver in the Cork yawl men and senior mixed; bronze in Cork yawl ladies and U14 ladies.

Kilmacsimon stepped it up a gear from their SWCYRA form to win five gold, four silver and one bronze, the gold in senior mixed, junior ladies, masters men, Cork yawl men, Cork yawl ladies; silver in senior men, junior men, masters mixed, U12 boys; bronze in U18 ladies.

GalleyFlash won two gold, two silver and three bronze. Their senior men obviously know how to time their run to win the All-Ireland title, their fourth in nine years. Their senior ladies were also the top Cork crew in that category, taking silver as did their pre vet men. Galley youth are also coming on strong with gold in U14, their U21 ladies took bronze as did their Cork yawl men and open classic crews.

Castletownbere took home four golds and two silver. Their senior ladies won the open classic and the open sprint events. Their senior men replicated the feat in the same male categories. The silvers were in pre vet ladies and pre vet mixed.

Courtmacsherry won one gold, two silver and two bronze; the gold in pre-vet men, and this same crew doubled up to win bronze in the senior men's race.  Their master's men won silver. Their youth development programme is also paying dividends with silver in U14 boys and bronze for U12 girls.

Rosscarbery are all about youth, taking gold in both U12 boys and U14 girls.

Kilmacabea veteran ladies finished the season unbeaten, taking gold, their mixed vet crew took silver and their senior ladies won bronze.