Not this year

[Not a valid template]After a day long arm wrestle with Crusaders North Down were 2nd at the Natinal League Premier Final in Tullamore with Crusaders on 118 points and North Down on 113. Congratulations to the Dublin club who always seemed just a place away whenever we got a good result and good luck in the Euro Club Challenge. North Down points came from 3 firsts, 7 seconds, 3 thirds plus two of the four fourths.Wins came in long jump, high jump and the 4 x 400m relay. Tom Reynolds jumped a windy 6.56m to win the long jump but his legal 6.55 in Round 1 at the same venue will do for a pb. David Robb again won the high jump in a modest 1.90m and the relay team were dominant in just over 4.20. Seconds were Brendan McConville at pole vault and 110m hurdles, the 4 x 100m relay, Richard Lockhart at hammer and weight for distance and Scott McCauley at triple jump. Thirds were Brendan at 400m hurdles, Peter Glass at javelin and the sole guest, Beechmount”s Michael Morgan at 400m.

[Not a valid template]Could we have done better?. Not from the athletes further down, a seasons best is a seasons best. Not from the holidaying Jeremy Harper. Probably from a fit Michael McConkey but that”s speculation. No the pivotal events from the North Down viewpoint, both at the time and in hindsight, were 110m hurdles and 4 x 100m. Both were line calls, both were first announced as North Down wins, both went to Crusaders. Four points off one team, four points added to the other. Ouch. A lot of work will be done on dip finishes in the next year.