Finn Valley AC and Tir Chonaill AC teams advance to AAI National League final

The senior men and women of Finn Valley AC and Tir Chonaill AC have won through to the finals of the AAI National League.

In the preliminary round on Saturday at TUS, Athlone, the four teams all sealed their respective places in the July 28 final.

Tir Chonaill AC's men finished fifth, with Finn Valley AC men sixth and the Finn Valley AC women eighth to go into the Premier final and Tir Chonaill AC's women were 11th to advance into the Division 1 final.

Ethan Dewhirst, who is bound for the European U18 Championships in Slovakia later this month, won the 400m hurdles in 56.27 seconds.

Jamie Kennedy of Tir Chonaill AC won the triple jump, going out to 12.89m, pipping Joseph Gillespie, the Finn Valley AC man reaching 12.88m.

James Kelly won the men's shot put with a 16.52m throw.

The men's long jump was won by Oisin Thompson of Finn Valley AC, who went out to 6.86m.

Finn Valley AC's Arlene Crossan scorched home in the 400m, winning in 55.03 seconds with Lauren Callaghan, also of Finn Valley AC, claiming maximum points from the long jump when jumping to 5.56m.

Dewhirst also finished third in the 110m hurdles, clocking 16.07m, while club-mate Alex Anderson was second in the discus (31.33m) and Leon McGinty third in the high jump (1.80m).

Finn Valley AC's Bridget McDyer was third in the weight for distance (7.45m) while Jade Leeper came third in the discus (30.13m) and Sinead McConnell third in the 1500m race walk.

Tir Chonaill AC's women advanced to the Division 1 final, finishing 11^th with second-place finishes in their events by Tori Murchan, going over 1.55m in the high jump, and Siobhan Doherty in the 1500m race walk.

Emily Kelly was fourth in the 400m hurdles in 1:07.50 and Alannah Anderson fourth in the discus (29.51m) and sixth in the shot (8.96m).