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At the recent Bree AC AGM, another successful year for 98 registered Bree AC athletes in Wexford and beyond was reviewed.

The 2006 athletics season began with the Leinster Indoor Championships in Nenagh where 10 Gold, 13 Silver and 9 Bronze medals were won. At the National Indoor Championships in April, Adrian Jackman won Gold in the 60m Hurdles, Brendan Culleton won Silver in the 60m Hurdles and Bronze medals were won by Amy Flanagan (High Jump), Catriona Corcoran (Long Jump), Sinead Moloney (60m Hurdles) and Brendan Culleton (400m). At the Leinster Indoor Relays, club teams won 2 Gold, 4 Silver and 3 Bronze medals. These teams competed at the National Indoor Relays where the U18 team of Brendan Culleton, William Butler, William Spratt Murphy and Richard Dunne won Bronze medals.

In May, at the Wexford Creamery Co Track & Field Championships in Bree, the club won 67 Gold, 58 Silver and 47 Bronze medals as well as 15 relay teams winning Gold, 3 winning Silver and 1 winning the Bronze medal. Many of these athletes then competed at the Leinster Championships in Tullamore where 12 Gold, 15 Silver and 18 Bronze individual medals were won. In Kilkenny at the Leinster Relay Championships, Bree AC teams won 3 Gold, 7 Silver and 1 Bronze medal. At the National Track & Field Championships, Mary Tyrrell won Gold in the Ball Throw. Annie Stafford (60m), Paddy Devereux (Ball Throw), Brendan Culleton (400m Hurdles) and John Egan (10,000m Walk) all won Silver medals. Bronze medals were won by Eleanor Nolan (Ball Throw and Shot Putt), Ann Marie Kane (Javelin), Amy Flanagan (High Jump), Catriona Corcoran (High Jump and Long Jump), Sinead Moloney (100m Hurdles) and William Spratt Murphy (300m Hurdles). The U17 team of William Spratt Murphy, Brian Byrne, Shane Murphy, Liam Kelly, Oisin Dunbar and Darren Morrissey won the Bronze medals in the National Relays Championships.

During the year four National medals were won by Bree AC athletes in Combined Event Championships. Catriona Corcoran won the Bronze medal in both the U14 Indoor and Outdoor Final, Sinead Moloney won the Gold medal at the U18 Indoors and Aine Doyle won the Bronze medal in the same event. At the Leinster Team Event, which was held in Kilkenny in June, the club entered three teams and each team returned with the Gold medal. At the Leinster Award Scheme for U9-11 athletes, 5 Gold, 4 Silver and 3 Bronze certificates were won.

Many Bree AC athletes were involved with Wexford teams at the National Intercounty Relay Competition and Gold medals were won by Paddy Devereux (U11), Dylan Walsh, Conor Devereux and Tony Stafford (U13), Anna Nolan and Sinead Moloney (U17), Silver medals for Sophie McCabe, Kasey Doyle and Shannon Carr (U9) and Bronze medals for Naoise Dunbar and Kieron McCabe (U15), Sean O'Neill, Brendan Culleton and William Butler (U19).

Finally, to Cross Country where Bree AC won 1 Gold and 4 Bronze medals at the Wexford Creamery Co Championships. Kieron McCabe went on to win two Silver medals with Co Teams in the Leinster Cross Country Championships in October. At the National Cross Country Championships in Athlone in December, Kieron won a silver medal as the fourth athlete home with the Leinster team.

As well as Championships medals, Bree AC club and its members were the recipient of a number of awards during the year. In January, at the Leinster Prizegiving Evening in Carlow, Ben Hunt was awarded a Leinster All Star Award for 2005. At the same event the club received three of the six Leinster Awards for 2005 namely the Leinster Shield (Best Club U9 - 11), the Quinn Cup (Best Club U12 - 15) and the Hehir Trophy (Inter Club Relays). Later in January, Ben received a National Athletic All Star Award. Club member, Sinead Moloney was the January recipient of the Wexford Creamery Athlete of the Month. Sinead along with Aine Doyle, Anna Nolan and Meave Horan received this award for August as members of the Co Wexford Ladies Team which won the silver medals in the National Hibernian League.

In his address at the club's recent AGM, the Chairman, Pat O'Leary, congratulated all the athletes and their coaches on the wonderful achievements of so many athletes in the club. Pat stated that this success is due to each athlete's dedication to training and is also due to their parents for supporting their children. He thanked all coaches involved with the club and all parents who were willing to lend a hand at training when the need arose. During the summer Track & Field season, Bree AC hosted the Wexford Creamery 'A' Championships (Days 1 & 2) as well as some county training sessions. The Chairman thanked everyone who helped in any way with these events. Bree AC is very fortunate to have the use of facilities in Ballyhogue and Glynn GAA Grounds, Crossabeg, Bree, Galbally & Camross Halls as well as Loreto Secondary School for its training sessions and many thanks to all of these committees for their continued support. Ml O'Leary & Co received a special thanks for sponsoring both a storage trailer in Ballyhogue GAA Grounds and a college grant for established athletes in the club. Nicholas Doyle was also thanked for making sets of low hu rdles for the younger members.

At the Bree AC presentation night and disco, which was held in Bree Hall in October, the following athletes were announced winners of the Annual Club Awards for 2006.

Bree AC Athlete of the Year - Catriona Corcoran (U14)
Co. Track & Field 1st 75mH, 100m, 200m, HJ, Dis, 2nd LJ, 3rd SP, Jav; Leinster Track & Field 1st 200m, High Jump, Long Jump and Combined Event, 2nd 80m; National Track & Field 3rd High Jump, Long Jump and Combined Event; Leinster Indoors 1st High Jump, 1st Long Jump; National Indoors 3rd Long Jump and Combined Event; Co Community Games 1st Long Jump; National Community Games 3rd Long Jump; Relays Co Cross Country 1st (U14); Co Track 1st (U14), 1st (U15); Leinster Track 2nd (U14), 1st (U15); Leinster Indoors 3rd (U14), 2nd (U15); Leinster Intercounty 1st (U15); Leinster Team Event 1st (U15)

Peter Byrne Merit Award - Aine Doyle (U18)
Co. Track & Field 1st 300mH, 100mH, 100m, 200m, 800m, SP, HJ, LJ, Jav, and Hammer; Senior 2nd 100m, 200m, HJ, 3rd SP, Hammer; Leinster Track & Field 1st Combined Event, 2nd 100mH, 3rd 100m, 300mH, 4th 200m, Junior 3rd 100mH; Leinster Indoors 1st 60m Hurdles, 2nd 300m; National Indoors 3rd Combined Event; Teams; Leinster Indoors Relay 1st (Junior); Hibernian National Ladies League 2nd (Senior)

John Godkin Award (Best U13) - Eleanor Nolan
Co. Track & Field 1st 65mH, BT, Jav; 2nd 100m, LJ, 3rd SP; Leinster Track & Field 1st Long Jump; 2nd Ball Throw; 3rd Shot Put; National Track & Field 3rd Ball Throw, 3rd Shot Put; Leinster Indoors 2nd Shot Put; Co Primary Schools 1st Long Jump. Relays; Co Track 1st (U13), 1st (U14); Leinster Track 2nd (U13), 2nd (U14); Leinster Indoors 3rd (U13); Leinster Intercounty 1st(U13); Leinster Team Event 1st (U13)

Pat O'Leary Distance Award - John Egan (Senior)
National AAI Indoor Games 2nd 3000m Walk; National Senior Track & Field 2nd 10,000m Walk

Paul Kinsella Merit Award - Sinead Moloney (U17)
Co Track & Field 1st 300mH, 100mH, HJ, 800m, 2nd 1500m, 3rd 200m, SP, Jav; Senior 1st HJ, 3rd 100m, 200m; Leinster Track & Field 2nd 300mH, 3rd 100mH: National Track & Field 3rd 100m Hurdles; Leinster Indoors 1st 60m Hurdles, 2nd High Jump; National Indoors 1st Combined Event, 3rd 60m Hurdles; Co Community Games 1st High Jump; Teams Co Community Games Relay 1st (U16); Leinster Indoors Relay 1st (Junior); Leinster Intercounty Relay 1st (U17); National Intercounty Relay 1st (U17); Hibernian National Ladies League 2nd(Senior)

Bree ICA Award (Parish Athlete) - Amy Flanagan (U13)
Co Track & Field 2nd 200m, HJ; Leinster Track & Field; Joint 2nd High Jump; 3rd 60m Hurdles; National Track & Field 3rd High Jump; Leinster Indoors 2nd 60m Hurdles, 2nd High Jump; National Indoors 3rd High Jump; Co Primary Schools 2nd High Jump; Co Community Games 2nd 100m; Relays Co Track 1st(U13), 1st (U14); Co Primary y Schools 1st (U12); Co Cross Country 1st(U13); Co Community Games 1st (U12); Leinster Track 2nd (U13), 2nd (U14); Leinster Indoors 3rd (U13), 3rd (U14); Leinster Intercounty 1st (U13); Leinster Team Event 1st (U13).

Two other athletes who had a wonderful year and who deserve a special mention are William Spratt Murphy and Brendan Culleton. (Neither were recipients of a Bree AC Award as athletes may only win each award once. Brendan was the club athlete of the year winner in 2003 and Willam won the overall award in 2005)

William Spratt Murphy (U17)
Co. Track & Field 1st 300mH, 100m, 200m, 800m, HJ, 3rd SP, Jav, Senior; 1st HJ, 2nd 200m, 3rd 100m; Leinster Track & Field 1st 400m, 2nd 200m, 300mH, 4th TJ; National Track & Field 3rd 300mH; Leinster Indoors 1st 200m, 3rd HJ, 60mH Relays; Co Track 1st (U17), 1st (U18), 2nd (Senior); Co Community Games 1st (U16); National Track 3rd (U17); Leinster Indoors 2nd (U18), 1st (Junior); National Indoors 3rd (U18); Leinster Intercounty 2nd (U17); National Community Games 2nd (U17).

Brendan Culleton (U18)
Co. Track & Field 1st 300mH, 100m, 200m, 800m, Jav, 2nd SP. Senior 3rd 400m Leinster Track & Field 1st 200m and Combined Event, 2nd 400mH, 3rd 100mH, 400m; National Track & Field 2nd 400mH; Leinster Indoors 1st 200m, 400m, 2nd 60mH; National Indoors 2nd 60mH, 3rd 400m; Relays Co Track 1st (U18), 2nd (Senior); Leinster Indoors 2nd (U18), 1st (Junior); National Indoors 3rd(U18); Leinster Intercounty 3rd (U19); National Intercounty 3rd (U19).

The 2007 athletic season has begun with enthusiasm in both the coaches and in the athletes involved. Some major changes have taken place in recent weeks following the formation of a new athletic club within the county. Bree AC officials wish all of their athletes who may choose to join this new club well and look forward to meeting everyone on the many athletic arenas.

During 2006 newly qualified coaches came on stream and most are now putting their training skills into practice with the club, namely Peter Nolan, Mary Murphy, Marcella Morrissey, Mary Stafford, Aine Doyle, William Spratt Murphy and Brendan Culleton.

Training for Bree AC takes place in Glynn GAA Grounds on Monday and Thursday evenings from 6.30 for hurdlers, stamina training and shot putt, on Friday evenings in Galbally Hall for High Jump and Indoor Training and in Bree for Long Jump on Saturdays at noon. Sunday sessions continue in Curracloe at 10.45pm. Officers for the coming year are Chairman; Pat O'Leary, Secretary & PRO; Clare Doyle, Assistant Secretary; Una McDonald and Treasurer; Peter Byrne.

Report compiled by Clare Doyle