Results

The results for this years National championships are now in. Richard Stapleton is the National Champion after seeing off a strong challenge from the Defence Forces Sean Baldwin in a closely fought final under the cameras of RTE's OB Sports.

Conditions were quite tricky with rapidly changing wind and light conditions as well as the odd (very odd for June) thundery downpour. The RTE crew arrived during the last detail, and caught an enthralling match between Sean Baldwin and Richard Stapleton, which finished with a single point between them. The battle continued into the final with the lead changing hands twice, Richard being the eventual winner.

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The only change to an order that promised a tight contest, but delivered only one change was in 6th and 7th places where Sandy Wilson managed to overtake Ray Reilly. Nevertheless the tension was palpable, and evry ten was applauded by the large crowd that assembled on the range to watch the event. The scores were projected onto a large screen in the clubhouse, and this proved to be a big audience puller.

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The 3 Positional competition on Saturday was won by Ray Kane of the Defence Forces Shooting Team with a score of 1109. Sean Baldwin and Richard Stapleton, in a foretaste of the following days action were separated by two points at the end of the day, Sean having put in the best score of the day in the kneeling position. Ray had a four point deficit to Richard after the Prone secton, but made up the ground comfortably in the standing and secured the title with a solid kneeling score.

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The Team of Three Shield was won by the Defence Forces Shooting Team who were clear winners over second placed Rathdrum Rifle and Pistol Club. Dublin University Rifle Club were third, only a point clear of fourth placed Dublin Rifle Club.

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The competition over the two days went very smoothly indeed with no problems other than slight delays to the start of details. I would like to thank everyone for their unstinting assistance when the hard work of mounting and dismounting of targets had to be done. In particular I would like to thank P.J. Harding, Michael Madigan, Sandy Wilson, Joe O'Donohoe, Joe Kinane, Mark Dennehy, Liam Crawford and the rest of the committee who put their shoulders to the wheel when an extra shove was needed. Indeed everyone who attended the two days were unfailingly helpful when the need arose. I especially want to thank Dave Cullen and Rathdrum Rifle and Pistol Club for the use of their targets and also Jim Griffin and all the team at MNSCI for their hospitality and assistance when we must surely have been an unbelievable disruption to their normal schedule due to our abnormally (for them) long details.

Photos courtesy of Joe Kinane

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