Results

National Air Rifle Championships 2004

Details
Category: Results
Phew! Well, it was a long weekend and we're all a little exhausted from it, but here it is folks, the report from the Irish Air Rifle National Championships!

Well, first of all, thanks are due to Geoff Cooney, Matt Fox, and the dozen or so volunteers from WTSC who showed up on a balmy friday evening to put up the range in the Wilkinstown Community Hall. This isn't easy - it's at least four hours of solid, hard, physical work - but the results were worth it. And thanks are equally due to those who stayed behind after the prizegiving to help take down the range and tidy up the hall!



The first day of the Championship was Saturday, and we had a full detail booked to begin with, with all of the WTSC Junior shooters taking part, many of them in their first competition, and some not even that long shooting standing. An Irish Pony Club tetrathlon junior, Susan Cunningham, took part in what we hope will become a regular sight at NTSA competitions, and for her first sixty-shot match ever, shot an impressive 399.

The second detail was half-empty, which we thought would be a blessing in disguise because we had received word - about twelve hours prior to the competition - that some disabled shooters were to be entered to that detail by the NRPAI, but unfortunately, they did not arrive. This was a disappointment, as Wilkinstown Target Shooting Club had secured several thousand euro's worth of equipment to facilitate their participation. WTSC has been working with disabled shooters over the past year, and with the construction of a new range nearer to Kells over the coming two or three years, will be able to cater to them in a better manner than at present. Hopefully, we will see far more disabled people entering the sport in the near future, thanks to the efforts of Matt Fox and Geoff Cooney in Wilkinstown, as well as the local councillors who are helping them to secure the faciliities needed.

The third detail on Sunday was again quite full, though not as much as the first - overall that day saw between twenty and twenty-six shooters. The Army team took part in this detail, displaying once again their standard professionalism. Sean Baldwin also made a very welcome return after some horriffic injuries earlier this year, and shocked everyone by proceeding to shoot the full course of fire and posting a 530, an accomplishement no-one would have predicted, and inspirational to have seen.



Problems with the computer setup caused some grief at the start of the day, and only the arrival of Nicola Murphy saved the day. Alas, the dedicated software on trial with the scoring machine decided it didn't like anyone there, and refused to work! Falling back to the tried-and-true spreadsheet option solved the problem, but for next year we'll get the fancy stuff to work!



The second day of the championships was even more packed than the first, surpassing our expectations of how the competition would go. The first detail was deceptively quiet, with only six shooters, but the second and third details made up for it. Sadly, our RTE coverage fell through at the last moment (literally!), but we'll keep trying! Lindie Naughton, who's regualar Minority Sports page in thursday's Evening Herald has given us so much good coverage over the past years, made a very welcome visit to the competition just after the start of the final detail. After observing for a short while, we gave Lindie a tour of the smaller WTSC club range, then returned to observe the finals and interview several shooters and organisers, for a feature article hopefully to be published in July in the Independent's magazine. Keep your eyes peeled for that one! Lindie was also presented with some flowers as a token of thanks for all of her work over the years by NTSA air rifle coordinator Geoff Cooney.




The finals themselves saw little surprise in the top three, with Nicola Murphy and Rhona Barry fighting it out for the gold medal as usual. They swapped places several times during the qualifying round, but Nicola took a three-point lead into the finals and refused to waiver, and so took this year's National Championship by six points in total. Rhona, however, took the first place in the Irish Open Championship.

The men were relegated to fighting it out for third place in the National championship, with Richard Stapleton besting rivals Ryan Lynn, Declan Kelly and Liam Spillane for the bronze medal. In the Open, however, Richard managed to take second place, and while Ryan Lynn beat his personal nemesis, Liam Spillane to become the Junior National Champion, Liam had his revenge by beating Ryan out of the third place slot in the Open championship.

The final results are available for download here and there are a hundred photos from the weekend in our photo gallery here (and there are more on the way in a week or so when I get the film stills back!).

The NTSA would like to extend thanks to all who attended, participated, helped out behind the scenes with catering, range setup, stats office work, and the thousand and one jobs that never get the limelight but are overwhelmingly important to the smooth running of a competition like this.

National Air Rifle Championship 2004
National Air Rifle Championship 2004

Name Start Number Ten shot series


Total 10 Shot Final Overall



1 2 3 4 5 6
1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 Total
1 Nicola Murphy 4025 96 99 96 97 98 94 580 9.2 10.7 10.2 10.6 9.1 10.6 9.9 10.5 9.8 9.7 100.3 680.3
2 Rhona Barry 4031 97 97 95 97 94 97 577 9.7 9.1 9.7 9.9 10.1 9.2 9.0 10.4 10.6 9.3 97.0 674.0
3 Richard Stapleton 4026 94 94 97 98 93 97 573 9.1 10.0 8.9 9.8 10.7 9.7 9.5 10.6 10.6 8.9 97.8 670.8
4 Ryan Lynn 4033 95 94 96 97 96 92 570 10.2 8.5 10.6 7.7 10.2 8.9 10.8 9.1 10.4 10.4 96.8 666.8
5 Declan Kelly 4032 95 94 97 97 92 93 568 10.0 9.1 9.0 10.9 9.3 10.7 9.6 10.4 9.7 10.0 98.7 666.7
6 Liam Spillane 4028 98 95 93 95 92 94 567 9.9 10.4 9.6 10.3 10.1 9.5 8.0 10.4 9.2 9.4 96.8 663.8
7 Ray Kane 4045 95 95 94 91 95 91 561 9.9 10.0 10.0 9.3 9.7 7.3 10.6 10.7 9.6 9.3 96.4 657.4
8 Mark Dennehy 4056 92 92 92 96 93 90 555









0.0 555.0
9 Alan Lewis 4041 92 90 95 92 89 93 551











10 Paul O'Boyle 4051 91 90 93 91 95 91 551











11 Helene Meade 4029 92 89 94 90 93 90 548











12 Emma Lyons 4055 91 90 91 93 91 90 546











12 Kevin Smith 4027 91 90 91 89 91 91 543











13 Daniel Fleming 4035 87 90 89 87 88 93 534











14 Sean Baldwin 4047 92 89 85 90 87 87 530











15 Gerry Shanahan 4036 89 86 89 88 84 93 529











16 Joe O'Donohoe 4046 89 83 87 91 86 90 526











17 Larry O'Reilly 4061 92 88 88 84 86 80 518











=18 Cathal McKenna 4054 79 80 84 83 74 81 481











=18 Anthony Corballis 4053 76 84 78 86 82 75 481











19 Jimmy Byrne 4038 81 74 83 78 84 69 469











20 Damien Fagan 4030 75 80 71 75 82 82 465











21 Alan Smith 4044 68 73 77 67 76 77 438











22 Dick Stapleton 4052 71 71 67 67 71 80 427











23 Elaine Brennan 4040 70 77 69 68 71 69 424











24 Marc Lynn 4034 69 65 65 62 69 71 401











25 Susan Cunnigham 4057 78 56 62 69 66 68 399











26 Leah Cooney 4042 85 90 89 89 0 0 353











27 Cian Murray 4058 44 32 53 55 42 35 261











28 Nicolai Brennan 4049 53 0 0 0 0 0 53











Comp 2
Irish Open Championship 2004

Name Class Start Number Ten-shot strings Ten-shot strings Overall Total
Ten-shot Final
Final Total




1 2 3 4 5 6 Total 7 8 9 10 11 12 Total
5th Prov 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Total
1 Rhona Barry A 4031 97 97 95 97 94 97 577 97 96 97 95 95 97 577 1154 287 9.5 10.1 10.2 9.0 9.8 9.3 9.6 10.8 10.4 8.9 97.6 1251.6
2 Richard Stapleton A 4026 94 94 97 98 93 97 573 96 96 91 91 96 98 568 1141 285 9.5 9.7 10.0 10.2 10.1 8.9 9.0 9.9 9.4 10.3 97.0 1238.0
3 Liam Spillane A 4028 98 95 93 95 92 94 567 98 98 90 91 95 96 568 1135 282 10.3 10.4 9.8 9.6 9.3 10.0 10.0 10.3 10.0 10.7 100.4 1235.4
4 Ryan Lynn A 4033 95 94 96 97 96 92 570 96 95 93 96 95 93 568 1138 284 9.2 9.7 10.1 9.1 9.6 8.0 10.2 9.6 9.3 9.2 94.0 1232.0
5 Ray Kane A 4045 95 95 94 91 95 91 561 90 96 97 93 96 93 565 1126 282 9.5 8.8 9.9 10.3 9.6 10.7 9.6 9.4 9.8 10.7 98.3 1224.3
6 Paul O'Boyle A 4051 91 90 93 91 95 91 551 92 96 96 94 98 94 570 1121 286 10.2 8.4 10.5 10.2 10.0 10.2 10.1 10.0 9.9 10.3 99.8 1220.8
7 Alan Lewis A 4041 92 90 95 92 89 93 551 91 94 94 92 94 92 557 1108 278 7.0 9.0 9.7 10.4 9.7 9.4 10.3 7.6 9.3 8.0 90.4 1198.4
8 Emma Lyons B 4055 91 90 91 93 91 90 546 96 96 95 91 90 89 557 1103 270 9.4 9.5 9.7 6.8 9.7 10.3 10.3 9.2 9.5 10.6 95.0 1198.0
9 Mark Dennehy A 4056 92 92 92 96 93 90 555 91 95 92 94 90 85 547 1102 269











10 Kevin Smith B 4027 91 90 91 89 91 91 543 93 90 91 92 93 89 548 1091 274











11 Helene Meade B 4029 92 89 94 90 93 90 548 89 90 94 92 86 91 542 1090 269











12 Daniel Fleming B 4035 87 90 89 87 88 93 534 91 93 90 90 92 90 546 1080 272











13 Jimmy Byrne C 4038 81 74 83 78 84 69 469 78 87 82 91 80 76 494 963 247











14 Damien Fagan D 4030 75 80 71 75 82 82 465 83 91 76 82 83 81 496 961 246











15 Anthony Corballis D 4053 76 84 78 86 82 75 481 82 80 80 79 78 77 476 957 234











16 Alan Smith D 4044 68 73 77 67 76 77 438 77 80 78 78 81 81 475 913 240











17 Dick Stapleton C 4052 71 71 67 67 71 80 427 76 71 77 74 79 68 445 872 221











18 Marc Lynn D 4034 69 65 65 62 69 71 401 69 63 63 65 75 64 399 800 204




































































































National Ladies
Ladies National Championships
Name Start Number Ten-shot strings Total


1 2 3 4
Nicola Murphy 4025 96 99 96 97 388
Rhona Barry 4031 97 97 95 97 386
Helene Meade 4029 92 89 94 90 365
Emma Lyons 4055 91 90 91 93 365
Leah Cooney 4042 85 90 89 89 353
Elaine Brennan 4040 70 77 69 68 284
Susan Cunnigham 4057 78 56 62 69 265

National Class A


Class A




name shooter number string 1 string 2 String3 String 4 String 5 string 6 Total
Nicola Murphy 4025 96 99 96 97 98 94 580
Rhona Barry 4031 97 97 95 97 94 97 577
Richard Stapleton 4026 94 94 97 98 93 97 573
Ryan Lynn 4033 95 94 96 97 96 92 570
Declan Kelly 4032 95 94 97 97 92 93 568
Liam Spillane 4028 98 95 93 95 92 94 567
Ray Kane 4045 95 95 94 91 95 91 561
Mark Dennehy 4056 92 92 92 96 93 90 555
Alan Lewis 4041 92 90 95 92 89 93 551
Paul O'Boyle 4051 91 90 93 91 95 91 551
Sean Baldwin 4047 92 89 85 90 87 87 530

National Class B


Class B





name shooter number string 1 string 2 String3 String 4 String 5 string 6 Total
Helene Meade 4029 92 89 94 90 93 90 548
Emma Lyons 4055 91 90 91 93 91 90 546
Kevin Smith 4027 91 90 91 89 91 91 543
Daniel Fleming 4035 87 90 89 87 88 93 534
Gerry Shannahan 4036 89 86 89 88 84 93 529
Joe O'Donohoe 4046 89 83 87 91 86 90 526
Leah Cooney 4042 85 90 89 89 0 0 353

National Class C


Class C





name shooter number string 1 string 2 String3 String 4 String 5 string 6 Total
Larry O'Reilly 4061 92 88 88 84 86 80 518
Cathal McKenna 4054 79 80 84 83 74 81 481
Jimmy Byrne 4038 81 74 83 78 84 69 469
Dick Stapleton 4052 71 71 67 67 71 80 427

National Class D


Class D





name shooter number string 1 string 2 String3 String 4 String 5 string 6 Total
Anthony Corballis 4053 76 84 78 86 82 75 481
Damien Fagan 4030 75 80 71 75 82 82 465
Alan Smith 4044 68 73 77 67 76 77 438
Elaine Brennan 4040 70 77 69 68 71 69 424
Marc Lynn 4034 69 65 65 62 69 71 401
Susan Cunnigham 4057 78 56 62 69 66 68 399
Cian Murray 4058 44 32 53 55 42 35 261
Nicolai Brennan 4049 53 0 0 0 0 0 53

National U16 Juniors


Juniors (u16)


name shooter number string 1 string 2 String3 String 4 Total
Leah Cooney 4042 85 90 89 89 353
Damien Fagan 4030 75 80 71 75 301
Alan Smith 4044 68 73 77 67 285
Elaine Brennan 4040 70 77 69 68 284
Susan Cunnigham 4057 78 56 62 69 265
Marc Lynn 4034 69 65 65 62 261
Cian Murray 4058 44 32 53 55 184
Nicolai Brennan 4049 53 0 0 0 53

National U21 Juniors


Juniors (u21)


name shooter number string 1 string 2 String3 String 4 Total
Ryan Lynn 4033 95 94 96 97 382
Liam Spillane 4028 98 95 93 95 381
Damien Fagan 4030 75 80 71 75 301
Elaine Brennan 4040 70 77 69 68 284
Marc Lynn 4034 69 65 65 62 261
Susan Cunnigham 4057 78 56 62 69 265
Leah Cooney 4042 85 90 89 89 353
Cian Murray 4058 44 32 53 55 184
Nicolai Brennan 4049 53 0 0 0 53
Alan Smith 4044 68 73 77 67 285

National Class A - D



Class A





name shooter number string 1 string 2 String3 String 4 String 5 string 6 Total
1 Nicola Murphy 4025 96 99 96 97 98 94 580
2 Rhona Barry 4031 97 97 95 97 94 97 577
3 Richard Stapleton 4026 94 94 97 98 93 97 573
4 Ryan Lynn 4033 95 94 96 97 96 92 570
5 Declan Kelly 4032 95 94 97 97 92 93 568
6 Liam Spillane 4028 98 95 93 95 92 94 567
7 Ray Kane 4045 95 95 94 91 95 91 561
8 Mark Dennehy 4056 92 92 92 96 93 90 555
=9 Alan Lewis 4041 92 90 95 92 89 93 551
=9 Paul O'Boyle 4051 91 90 93 91 95 91 551
11 Sean Baldwin 4047 92 89 85 90 87 87 530























Class B





name shooter number string 1 string 2 String3 String 4 String 5 string 6 Total
1 Helene Meade 4029 92 89 94 90 93 90 548
2 Emma Lyons 4055 91 90 91 93 91 90 546
3 Kevin Smith 4027 91 90 91 89 91 91 543
4 Daniel Fleming 4035 87 90 89 87 88 93 534
5 Gerry Shannahan 4036 89 86 89 88 84 93 529
6 Joe O'Donohoe 4046 89 83 87 91 86 90 526
7 Leah Cooney 4042 85 90 89 89 0 0 353























Class C





name shooter number string 1 string 2 String3 String 4 String 5 string 6 Total
1 Larry O'Reilly 4061 92 88 88 84 86 80 518
2 Cathal McKenna 4054 79 80 84 83 74 81 481
3 Jimmy Byrne 4038 81 74 83 78 84 69 469
4 Dick Stapleton 4052 71 71 67 67 71 80 427























Class D





name shooter number string 1 string 2 String3 String 4 String 5 string 6 Total
1 Anthony Corballis 4053 76 84 78 86 82 75 481
2 Damien Fagan 4030 75 80 71 75 82 82 465
3 Alan Smith 4044 68 73 77 67 76 77 438
4 Elaine Brennan 4040 70 77 69 68 71 69 424
5 Marc Lynn 4034 69 65 65 62 69 71 401
6 Susan Cunnigham 4057 78 56 62 69 66 68 399
7 Cian Murray 4058 44 32 53 55 42 35 261
8 Nicolai Brennan 4049 53 0 0 0 0 0 53

Open Juniors and Ladies

Irish Junior (u16) Open















Name Start Number Ten Shot strings Overall






1 2 3 4 Total 5 6 7 8 Total




1 Damien Fagan 4030 75 80 71 75 301 91 93 90 90 364 665



2 Alan Smith 4044 68 73 77 67 285 77 80 78 78 313 598



3 Marc Lynn 4034 69 65 65 62 261 69 63 63 65 260 521






















Irish Junior (u21) Open















Name Start Number Ten Shot strings Overall



1 2 3 4 5 6 Total 7 8 9 10 11 12 Total
1 Ryan Lynn 4033 95 94 96 97 96 92 570 96 95 93 96 95 93 568 1138
2 Liam Spillane 4028 98 95 93 95 92 94 567 98 98 90 91 95 96 568 1135
3 Damien Fagan 4030 75 80 71 75 82 82 465 83 91 76 82 83 81 496 961



















Irish Ladies Open
















Name Start Number Ten Shot strings Overall






1 2 3 4 Total 5 6 7 8 Total




1 Rhona Barry 4031 97 97 95 97 386 97 96 97 95 385 771



2 Emma Lyons 4055 91 90 91 93 365 96 96 95 91 378 743



3 Helene Meade 4029 92 89 94 90 365 89 90 94 92 365 730



5 Leah Cooney 4042 85 90 89 89 353









6 Elaine Brennan 4040 70 77 69 68 284









7 Susan Cunnigham 4057 78 56 62 69 265