Shauna Murphy, Dolphin led the way for Cork swimmers at the Irish Youth and Senior Summer Championships

THE new-look 2023 Irish Youth and Senior Summer Championships were held at the NAC, Dublin recently. 

The meet attracted a huge entry with 1,125 athletes from 118 clubs participating. This included a large entry from visiting nations.

The first individual medal for the Cork contingent went to Shauna Murphy, Dolphin. 

The Cork supporters witnessed the emergence of a new star over the five day meet. The 15-year-old took on a challenging toll of 10 individual events and was also a member of two relays for her club. 

On the opening night, she claimed bronze in the 200m backstroke 2:30.21 and followed that up later in the evening with a win in the ‘B’ final at 100m breaststroke 1:23.14.

On day 2, she ground out an impressive victory in the ‘B’ final of 50m breaststroke. In a blanket finish, she touched the wall first on 29.06 marginally ahead of Grace Quinn, Trident in 2nd 29.09 and Erin Robinson, Westport completing the podium on 29.24. 

Murphy closed out her second day with silver at 200m IM 2:33.13. She added first in the ‘B’ final of 200m breaststroke on day 3, 2:58.95 and bronze in the ‘B’ final of 100m freestyle on day 4, 1:03.99.

One would expect that she would tire by the final day, but instead, Murphy returned for what was her best of the meet. She claimed the National Title at 100m backstroke 1:09.55 and returned later in the session to win silver at 400m IM 5:42.22.

Another to shine for the Dolphin club was Noah Switzer. He claimed three National Titles in the freestyle events posting 4:16.42. 1:58.33 and 53.57 in the 400m, 200m & 100m respectively. He placed 5th in the sprint 50m 25.09.

The first National Title of the meet went to the SWSC quartet Isabel Kidney, Ellen Lee, Beth Nolan and Sharon Semchiy who combined to win the 400m freestyle relay 4:03.18. 

The girls completely dominated the 400m freestyle relay, touching the wall on 4:03.18. They were joined on the podium by the Dublin teams, NAC in 2nd on 4:05.51 and Trojan in 3rd on 4:06.00. The team from Dolphin placed 6th overall on 4:09.24. 

They doubled up on the final evening with a second National Title in the 400m medley relay 4:29.92. Once again, they dominated the field, with the team from New Ross in 2nd 4:35.41 and the team from Czech Republic in 3rd 4:35.43.

Sean Bugler (17) SWSC, was very impressive in the 800m freestyle final. 

He produced a personal best to claim the National Title on 8:52.54. He was joined on the podium by his teammate, Liam O’Driscoll in 3rd 9:26.79. Tristan Egan, Aer Lingus split the boys from the Well to claim silver on 9:23.17. 

Bugler was the silver medallist at 1,500m free, 17:08.59 with O’Driscoll in 4th 18:01.15. He collected a second silver at 400m free 4:17.14. O’Driscoll won the ‘B’ final at 200m freestyle 2:04.17. Bugler placed 5th in the 200m IM final on the final evening 2:17.28.

Isabel Kidney (17), winner of the Echo Women in Sport Award for June, began her campaign with a silver medal in the 100m breaststroke final, touching on 1:13.82, agonisingly just 0.17 seconds shy of the gold medal which went to Keira Aiken, Ards. 

Eva Harrington won the ‘B’ final 1:19.73. Kidney was the bronze medallist in the Open 50m freestyle final 27.47. Clubmate Izzy McGrath was 3rd in the ‘B’ final 28.03. Kidney placed 4th over 200m breaststroke on day 3, 2:47.57. 

Michelle O’Shea, Dolphin was 2nd in the ‘B’ final 2:53.27.

Antonia Sech (16) SWSC, claimed the National Title at 200m backstroke 2:25.81. There was a real battle behind her for the remaining places with Eva Bayley, New Ross, clinching the silver 2:27.27 ahead of Katie Kelly, Shark, Galway in 3rd on 2:27.67. 

Michelle O’Shea (17), Dolphin, was 3rd in the ‘B’ final 2:35.24. Sech won silver on the final evening at 100m backstroke 1:08.83.

The Dolphin boys were dominant in the 200m backstroke finals on the opening evening, with Charlie Cassidy and Neddie Irwin claiming National titles in their respective age groups. Ben Merrigan was 2nd in the ‘B’ final.

Alex Barrett (16) Blackrock, won bronze at 400m IM 5:00.13 with Ricky Fane, Dolphin just behind in 4th on 5:00.85. Eanna Garvey (17), Mallow won the bronze in the 17 year old final 5:05.76.