Michael Cullinan | Rifle Correspondent
Dublin University Rifle Club had a very successful weekend on the 12th and 13th of October, taking the majority of the prizes at both the 2012 and 2013 50m smallbore nationals. This Olympic format competition is an individual sport where competitors must take sixty competition shots from the prone position. It is a test of both physical but especially mental control as the shooter must remain completely relaxed while focusing on making the shot as perfect as possible. The outdoor nature of the discipline means that changing wind conditions as well as light will affect the shot. All this, while under the pressure that comes with a highly competitive sport.
The competitions are held on electronic targets, which allow the shooter to see where their shot has landed almost instantly on monitors placed beside them. Due to a major target malfunction, the 2012 competition was repeatedly postponed until it was decided to hold it on the same weekend as the 2013 Nationals. This gave some of our shooters the opportunity to compete in a competition that was scheduled to take place before they even started shooting.
Both competitions were held in Midlands National Shooting Centre of Ireland near Tullamore. Trinity was well represented, making up over half of the competitors in the 2012 nationals. All the competitors were relatively experienced members, as this years’ new intake were not yet readied for competition. DURC shooters did very well in the sixty shot competition with five of the eight shooters who made it to the final representing the club. Special praise goes to Stephen Murphy, who despite only starting shooting this time last year, had the highest sixty shot score.
Conor McDermottroe won both 2012 and 2013 Nationals. Photos: Ray Reilly
The final is composed of twenty shots, each scored out of a maximum of 10.9 per shot, as with the match. All eight finalists take the first six shots. Every two shots thereafter results in the elimination of another shooter. In the final the Trinity competitors did even better, taking the top four places. Conor McDermottroe, who represented Ireland at the ISSF world cups in Munich and Granada over the summer, was victorious, becoming the 2012 champion. David Franklin came second, Aisling Miller was third with Stephen Murphy pushed into fourth place. Class medals were also awarded to Ciara Deevy and Keith Flanagan.
These titles were short lived however as the 2013 nationals took place the following day. Again DURC were well represented. The sixty shot competition was won by Conor McDermettroe with five Trinity shooters making it to the final. Stephen Murphy showed that his performance the previous day wasn’t a once off, finishing with a very similar score, which put him in fourth place.
The final was a very exciting affair with virtually all competitors facing the possibility of elimination at one point or another. The last two athletes on the firing line were Trinity’s own McDermottroe and Murphy. Only 0.1 of a point, the smallest possible margin, separated them going into the final two shots. In the end McDermottroe just edged out Murphy, but it was a great performance by both shooters. Class prizes were also won by Aisling Miller, David Franklin, Stephen Ennis and Keith Flanagan.
In addition to the individual success, DURC also won the team of three competition in both nationals, further highlighting the high standards which are strived for in the club.
