17/06/2026
Omega National League July 1980
Mardyke Track, Cork, Sunday July 20th 1980
Leevale, Limerick to represent Munster
Report by Barry Coughlan, Cork Examiner Monday July 21st 1980
Leevale and Limerick will be two of Munster’s challengers in the Omega league finals to be held in Belfield on August 31 next, and there is a distinct possibility that Midleton will also be competing in the ‘A’ section finals.
At the Mardyke, Cork, yesterday both Leevale and Limerick ensured their advancement to the final proper by finishing with good totals. The preliminary rounds are headed overall by Crusaders, who also topped the list of clubs in yesterday’s event in Cork, but Leevale go to Belfield as the second best club, with Limerick barely behind them in third.
And Midleton, who have done so superbly in the ‘B’ section must now be likely candidates for a place in the ‘A’ final and promotion next season.
The top six clubs in the premier section will be joined by the best two from section ‘B’, the finals of which will be run off on August 24 in Dublin.
Annadalle go into the finals with the best record, but Midleton, after topping yesterday’s field are on 236 points - 32 behind Annadalle, and their prospects ot gaining promotion must be good.
In the ladies Tissot league, the Munster representatives in the final will be Nenagh, who go into that stage with the sixth best record. Limerick were unlucky not to have gained a place, just being edged out by Raheny. The Dublin side finished with a total of 131 points while Limerick had to settle for 129.
At the Mardyke yesterday, Barbara Johnson of West Limerick was in scintillating form, completing a treble for herself, including a win in an event which she had never competed in before.
The 17-year-old athlete who has been in great form of late, won the 400 metres hurdles at her first attempt and then came home to record another victory in the 100 metres hurdles before completing her tally with a long jump victory over her rival Bernadette Quilty of Waterford.
In the Omega ‘B’ section, both Liam O’Brien and John Hartnett of Midleton, completed fine doubles. O’Brien took the honours in the 800 metres and 400 metres hurdles events, while Hartnett came home first in the 110 metres hurdles and he then went on to fashion another victory - this time in the high jump.
The only double in the ‘A’ section was that recorded by Kieran Finn of Limerick who came home first in both the 100 and 200 metres hurdles.
Photo: Barbara Johnson, West Limerick AC. Barbara later joined North Cork AC, and represented Ireland, in the 400mH, at the 1988 Seoul Olympics
OMEGA A’
100m.—1, K. Finn (Limerick) 10.7; 2, B. Sweeney (Crusaders); 3, P. Flanagan (Waterford).
200m.—1, K. Finn (Limerick) 22.00; 2, P. Flanagan (Waterford); 3, P. Opperman (Crusaders).
400m.—1, J. Hunter (Leevale) 51.4; 2, B. Donnelly (Crusaders); 3, P. Cooney (Raheny).
8 00m — 1, J. Hanrahan (Crusaders) 1.56.7; 2, M. O’Shea (Limerick); 3, A. Buckley (Leevale).
1500m.—1, M. O’Shea (Limerick) 3.51.2; 2. M. O’Sullivan (Leevale); 3, K. O’Dwyer (Crusaders).
5000m.—1. N. Cusack (Limerick) 14.21.4; 2, J Hartnett (Grange); 3, T. O’Leary (Leevale).
110m. (h) —1, R. Millar
(Crusaders) 14.8; 2, S. Berkely (Raheny); 3, S Power (Leevale).
400m. ( h ) — 1, J. Fortune
(Crusaders) 55.3; 2, J. Hunter (Leevale); 3, D. MacMathuna (Raheny).
Steeplechase 1, S. Ryan (Limerick) 9.51.2; 2, J. Murphy (Grange); 3, M. Maher (Raheny).
4 x 100m. relay— I. Crusaders 43.3; 2. Leevale; 3, Raheny
4 x 400m. relay—1, Crusaders 3.24.0; 2, Leevale; 3, Raheny.
FIELD EVENTS
Long jump—1, B. Whiston (Crusaders) 6.10m.; 2, J. Murray (Raheny); 3, F. O’Shea (Leevale).
Shot—1, M. Devine (Crusaders) 15.96m.; 2, L. Kennedy (Raheny); 3, Hartigan (Limerick).
Pole vault—1, L. Hennessy (Limerick) 4.20m.; 2, P. McDunphy (Raheny); 3, B. Cartin (Crusaders).
Triple jump—1, S. Power (Grange) 14.44m.; 2, M. O’Flynn (Leevale); 3, N. McCarthy (Limerick).
High jump—1, D. Murray (Leevale) 1.95m.; 2, J. Battles (Limerick); 3, S. Berkley (Raheny).
Javelin—1, P. Ruffe (Crusaders) 57.66; 2, P. Moore (Leevale); 3. M. O’Connor (Raheny).
Discus — 1, B. Hartigan (Limerick) 45.74; 2, E. Diveney (Crusaders); 3, P O’Reilly (Raheny).
OMEGA “B”
100m. — 1, D. Aherne (St. Finbarrs) 11.5; 2, D. Coleman (Midleton); 3, M. Fitzgerald (Limerick).
200m. — 1, K. O’Callaghan (Togher) 22.4; 2, J O’Kelly-Lynch (St. Finbarrs); 3, P. O’Halloran (Midleton).
400m. — 1, J. O’Kelly-Lynch (St. Finbarrs) 51.5; 2, C. O’Connor (West Limerick); 3, J. Tolan (Grange).
800m. — 1, L. O’Brien (Midleton) 1:58.4; 2, T. Gilbert (St. Finbarrs); 3, M. Fitzgerald.
1,500m. — 1, B. Hogan (St.Finbarrs) 4:06.00; 2, E. O’Brien (Limerick); 3, 0. Fitzgerald (Togher).
5,000m. — 1, P. White (Midleton) 15:01.6; 2, R. Crowley (St. Finbarrs); 3, M. Casey (Togher).
110m. H. — 1, J.Hartnett (Midleton) 18.7.
400m. H. — 1, L. O’Brien (Midleton) 61.5; 2, O Fitzgerald (Togher)
4x100m. Relay — 1, St. Finbarrs 44.5; 2, Togher; 3, Grange.
4x400m. Relay — 1, Midleton 3;42.9; 2, Togher.
Long Jump — 1, P. O’Halloran (Midleton) 6.34; 2, B. Oakes (Kilkenny); 3, M. Noonan (Togher).
Shot — 1, J. Brice (Midleton) 12.46; 2, K. Mullan (Limerick “B”).
Discus — 1, J. Brice (Midleton) 50.04; 2, K. Mullan; 3, T. Galvin.
High Jump — 1, J. Hartnett (Midleton) 1.90m.; 2, R. Scott (Togher).
Triple Jump — 1, B. Oakes (Kilkenny) 13.89; 2, M. Noonan (Togher); 3, J. Hartnett (Midleton).
Javelin — 1, T. Galvin (Limerick West); 2, N. O’Brien (Limerick “B”); 3, O. Fitzgerald (Togher).
TISSOT
100m 1. N. O’Grady (Nenagh) 11.9. 2, C. Sorenson (West Limerick). 3, A. Bolton (Waterford).
200m. 1, A. O’Leary (Leevale) 25.0. 2, B. Quilty (Waterford). 3, F. White (Nenagh).
400m. 1, N. Walsh (Leevale) 57.5. 2, F. White (Nenagh). 3, B. Quilty (Waterford).
800m. 1, M. Lyons (St. Finbarrs) 2.16.6. 2, J. Barrett (Waterford). 3, C. Leahy (Leevale).
1500m. 1, F. Morrish (Leevale) 4.26.1. 2, M. Lyons (St. Finbarrs). 3,; j S. Malone (Waterford).
3,000m. 1, F. Morrish 9.35.00. 2, R. Quelly (Waterford). 3, N. Logan (Limerick).
100m. (h) 1, B. Johnson (West Limerick) 15.5. 2. C. Maher (Nenagh). 3. N. O'Callaghan (Waterford).
400m (h) 1. B. Johnson (West Limerick) 63.4. 2, S. Cobbe (Limerick). 3, C. Maher (Nenagh).
4 x 100 relay: 1, Nenagh 50.3. 2, Leevale. 3, Waterford.
FIELD EVENTS
High Jump: 1, A Nevin) (Limerick) 1.65m. 2, B. Tierney (Nenagh). 3, S. Hartigan (Waterford).
Discus: 1, P. Walsh (Waterford) 46.74. 2, M. Burke (Nenagh). 3, P Barrett (Limerick).
Long Jump: 1, B. Johnson 5.27. 2, B. Quilty (Waterford). 3, A McKenna (Nenagh).
Shot: 1, P. Walsh (Waterford), 12.61. 2, P. Barrett (Limerick). 3, D. Murphy (St. Finbarrs).
Javelin: l, M. Crosse (Limerick)- 35.22. 2, M. Burke (Nenagh). 3, P Power (Waterford).
QUALIFIERS FOR FINALS
Omega “A”:
1, Crusaders 207.5pts. 2, Leevale 187.5 pts. 3, Limerick 184.5 pts. 4, South Dublin 180pts. 5, D.C.H. 168ts, 6, Raheny 166.5pts
Omega “B”:
1, Annadale 268 pts. 2, Midleton 236 pts, 3, Lifford 226pts. 4, Dundrum 221pts. 5, Finn Valley 220pts. 6, Slaneyside 201pts. 7, Mullingar 195 pts, 8, Tullamore 193 pts.
Tissot:
1, Crusaders 187 pts; 2, Ballymena 186 p*s, 3, Finn Valley 176 pts, 4. D.C.H 173 pts. 5, South Dublin 165 pts; 6, Nenagh 150 pts; 7, Dundrum 148 pts. 8, Raheny 131 pts.