McGrotty/Shields take Fireball win

26th September 2008

Simon McGrotty and Doire Shields won the 2008 Fireball Munsters over 20 / 21 September at Lough Derg Yacht Club. For the third time this year, Fireballs were cheated a day's racing because of light airs, sailing all four races on Saturday.

Accounts of Saturday's racing were positive from any competitors spoken to by your correspondent, sunshine, scenery and swift races in Force 1 - 3 are hard to fault.

McGrotty counted 1,2,1, in his second championship win of the season in the 25-boat fleet. Skerries boats won all races, including McGrotty's father - twice and reigning Mermaid National Champion Niall McGrotty, crewed by Robert Mahon. Conor Byrne and 'emergency talent' Rachel O'Brien took Race 3, making best use of the light crew / light airs combination.

Doubling the winners' score, on 8 points, was Helmsman's nominee Noel Butler, crewed by Seamus Moore. Andrew Pierce and Hugh Butler finished third.

At the AGM the committee was taken over by the younger generation of Fireballers, under the helm of continuing chairman Cormac Bradley.

More Fireball news on the Fireball Ireland website.

Published in News From the Afloat.ie Archive

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