The new National 50m Prone Champion is Tony Cogan of DRC. On what was a very good day for shooting, some extremely strange results were recorded, Tony Cogan was one of the few who were able to handle the changing light conditions and blitzed both the qualification and the final with a great display of composed shooting. Tony scored a 587 in the qualifying round and then followed up three hours later with a 102.9 in the final, never being challenged at any stage by runner up and last years champion Richard Stapleton.

Tony Cogan receiving his medal from NTSA Vice-Chairman Kealan Symes

Colonel Joshua Kearney “Jerry” Millner was born in Smithfield, Dublin on July 5^th 1847 to a wealthy family of wool merchants. At the age of 24 in 1871 he joined the Dublin Shooting Club and two years later was chosen for the Irish rifle team to shoot for the Elcho Challenge Shield.

Joshua Millner photographed at Bisley with his Gold Medal

The NTSA regrets to announce that the National Prone Championships scheduled for today were cacelled because of the severe weather conditions. This decision was made this morning in view of the high winds and the danger represented to those assembling the targets as well as to the targets themselves.

A provisional date of 20th July 2008 has been set for the rescheduled match at the same venue. Please check back here for further updates.

This date has been fixed and booking is now open on www.rathdrumrpc.org All details are as per the cancelled match of 22nd June 2008.

DURC 50m Open

We would like to announce the DURC 50m open 2008 to be held this coming Sunday (8th June) in the DRC range. The detail lengths will be 25 minutes each, the first one to begin at 10.00 a.m. and all others to follow accordingly. Pre-booking is not essential, but if there is a particular time you would like please email rifle@tcd.ie. The entry fee for this match will be 15 euro, all welcome.

See you Sunday!

Mike Dunne

The new National 25 yard prone rifle champion is Ray Reilly of Rathdrum Rifle and Pistol Club and DURC. Ray went into the final in second place; two points behind Sandy Wilson of East Coast Shooting Club and overtook him on his seventh shot. Conor McDermottroe of DURC who started in fifth position overall was equally impressive in overcoming a two point deficit to take third place.

Turnout for the championship was the highest in recent years and scores were very good indeed with only eleven points separating the seven finalists. Special mention must be made of Richard Stapleton of Wilkinstown who couldn't be present for the final and had tied with Sandy Wilson in first place in the qualifying round.

The team of three shield was won by the Rathdrum team of Ray Reilly, Michael Madigan and Nick West who just pipped the DURC team by three points.