CúChulainn Archers Shine at National Target Championships Despite Challenging Conditions
Ardee News and Sport — The Archery Ireland National Target Championships, one of the final major competitions of the Irish archery calendar, took place on September 14th and 15th, hosted by Wolfshead Company of Archers in Granard, Co. Longford. Senior archers competed on Saturday, while Sunday was reserved for the Junior and Master categories. The event followed the WA720 format with a qualifying round and knockout head-to-head matches.
Saturday’s Senior Competition Marred by High Winds
Saturday saw Senior archers battling extreme winds, making for a challenging day of competition. In the Senior Male Compound category, CúChulainn Archers’ Darrel Wilson secured a Silver Medal. Alan Convery narrowly missed out on the Bronze by just one point, while Éamonn Rogers and Paul McClelland were knocked out in the 1/8th finals.
In Senior Compound Women, CúChulainn faced further difficulties. Lenka Halouzkova experienced an unfortunate equipment failure and was knocked out in the Quarter Finals alongside teammates Adria Quinn and Emma Crosbie. Crosbie faced Paralympian Kerrie Leonard, who had recently returned from the Paris Paralympics. Leonard went on to win the Gold, defeating CúChulainn’s JoAnn Bell, who claimed Silver.
In Senior Men Barebow, Neil Keeble fought his way to the Gold Medal match, only to be defeated in a one-arrow shoot-off, taking home a Silver Medal. Michael Mullolly, a newcomer to the sport, reached the Quarter Finals before being knocked out.
The Senior Male Recurve category saw tough competition, but the wind continued to disrupt performances, with CúChulainn’s Brendan Forde, Paul McCooey, and Kevin Flynn all being knocked out in the 1/8th finals.
Improved Conditions on Sunday Lead to Success for CúChulainn
Sunday brought better weather, and CúChulainn Archers saw improved results. In Compound Master Women, JoAnn Bell secured a Gold Medal, adding to her Silver from the previous day. Paul McClelland also bounced back, earning a Silver Medal in the Compound Master Men’s category. Pádraic Barry, competing in his first-ever National Target Championships, took home the Gold in the Recurve Under 18 Men.
CúChulainn’s Successes Continue in Northern Ireland and Wicklow
Meanwhile, some of the Senior archers traveled to the Archery NI National and Open Target Championships in Lisburn, where Darrel Wilson claimed the title of Northern Ireland Outdoor Target National Champion and a Gold Medal in the Senior Men Compound. Éamonn Rogers won the Bronze Open Medal, and Alan Convery reached the Quarter Finals. Brendan Forde secured a Bronze Open Medal in Senior Men Recurve, and Peter Gilmore took Bronze in the Barebow 50+ Men category.
Further south, Neil Keeble competed in Wicklow Archers’ Summer Series 3D competition, winning Silver in the Mixed 3D Round. Keeble is preparing to represent Ireland at the World Archery 3D Championships in Slovakia at the end of September. We wish him and his fellow CúChulainn club members the best of luck on the international stage.
