November '25 Round-Up

2nd November 2025; Uneven age Munster Championships 

Luke Combs sings a song “Days like these” with Lyrics such as “Days like these are worth more than Gold” and “When the sky is blue and the grass is green; how much better can it be”.

The song is a story about celebrating the little moments, and happiness. It emphasises that money can't buy moments like these.

Moments like Youghal Athletic Clubs Young Athletes celebrated at the Uneven age Munster Championships on the First Sunday of November certainly can't be bought. Bringing Joy, Happiness, Camaraderie, Teamwork, Celebration and a fantastic haul of Bling. This was a Sunday that will live long in the memory of those in attendance.

Youghal had no fewer than 34 Young and not so Young Athletes competing over the same Course as 3 weeks earlier, out of a Total of 1237 finishers across 14 races, and managed to take home 13 Munster Medals. We are competing with the best in the Country and punching way above our weight for a small club.

Leading out the charge were the U9 Girls. A very small starting area seen carnage when the whistle went, with many fallers from the off. Reidin Walsh, fresh from her East Cork victory lead her team home with an 18th place finish. Reidin was the 5th girl from Cork across the line helping Cork secure second place. Isabelle Walsh followed seconds behind as did Lucy O’Brien, Annelise Kelleher, Aoife Murphy, Elise O’Leary and performer of the day Eala Culleton. Eala was involved in the melee at the start, managing to get spiked in both legs as she hit the deck. True to the girl she is, blood streaming down her legs, Eala completed the race before being bandaged up by the medics. A real strong team in the making, grouping together well.

Disappointingly, the U9 boys had only 3 runners and can duly feel aggrieved not having a 4th to secure a chance of a team medal. Hunter O’Rourke, like Reidin coming off an East Cork victory, was full of confidence and duly delivered with a 7th place finish, securing an individual medal and Gold Cork medal. Oisin McNulty smiled his way around to his best ever race and can gain great confidence with a 28th place finish. Cullie Rochford completed the lineup finishing strongly.

One of our Jewel in the Crown Teams were next up. A different start line but still narrow. Our 3 U11 Girls, always full of life and maybe an odd question or two hit the line. Siun Rochford, Addison D’ardis and Shannon O’Shea were exceptional on the day. Not content with running their own race, the 3 girls chased and cheered all day for all of our athletes.

The U11 Boys had a strong team of 8 and can be quietly confident of having a big future. Brian Kelleher led the team home and secured qualification for the National Championships in Abbotstown as a scorer for Cork. Darragh Curran, Jake Hickey, Brendan Shanahan, Tiernan Parker, Darragh McGrath- O’Mahony, Cillian Hogan and Lee Walsh completed the lineup.

Our ever-present U13 young lady, Freya Keating had a day to forget and just scratch it off as one of those things that can affect the best of athletes even at the highest of levels. Illness took its toll midway through the second lap with Freya having to pull out of the race.

It was a case of can they or can't they for the U13 Boys team. 3rd at this Championships 12 months ago and 3rd at the recent Even age Munster Championships, expectancy was high.

Sent off simply with the words “Just do your job”, the lads lined up side by side eager for the off.  An intriguing race unfolded, with Diarmuid Murphy leading the field for most of the race only to concede it with 200metres to go. A battle up the hill to the line saw Diarmuid take Silver by just 0.5 of a second.  Another magnificent performance from Olan Rochford seen him hit the gantry just 2 seconds later, with 3rd scorer and probably the strongest finishing James Kelleher a further second behind. All eyes on 4th finisher to stop the points tally for Youghal. Brogan McCarthy duly delivered a very strong finish taking those honours. The count was done as only the first four score, but that's not the end, because it's down to the rest of the lads to add as many points as possible to the competing teams. Brilliant performance from Shay Walsh, just getting his groove back, Ernie Sharkey getting stronger and stronger with every race. Conal McNulty who smiles all day and the comeback man Jeffrey Nicholson all took vital placings ensuring the team were crowned Munster Champions for 2025.

Next on Course for Youghal was the always enthusiastic Aine Collins. Roared on by the Youghal crew, Aine had her best performance of the year. Really hampered by a respiratory injury over the last few years, Aine can take great pride from how she is performing and look forward to being back at the top in the near future.

The rising talent of Ruby Devereaux was next up. Calmness personified, warm up done Ruby was just hanging with his now biggest fans from the underage teams before being called to the start of the U17 race. To the sound of Ruby, Ruby, Ruby off he went. Content to just sit at the front of the pack for the first 400 metres, he looked very relaxed. In the two-man breakaway after lap one, there was a sizeable gap back to the now strung-out pack.

Once Ruby strode 10, then 20, then 30 metres ahead, the result was inevitable. A cruising Devereaux had the luxury of slowing into the finish, hitting the tape 20 seconds ahead of his nearest rival.

Another returning athlete after a nightmare few years of Injury, Emma Landers ran strongly throughout and secured 3rd in the U23 race. A dual All Ireland Winner at underage level, let's hope this is the start of something big for Emma.

Our Chairperson, not returning or nearing retiring was in the same race as Emma, but in a slightly different Category. Deirdre Ansbro leads by example, and the kids love it. Nobody was leaving the field until Dee was over the finish line giving the thumbs up to her young fans coming up the hill.

An extraordinary day of sport done and dusted. Job done, lots of athletes now preparing for the assault on the All-Ireland Finals in Derry and Dublin. Tent covered and back in the boot. The Circus will keep on rolling for another few weeks.