To start the week Lindie Naughton brings us all the Irish endurance action and news from the weekend just gone (Tuesday 8th October).
With the Dublin Marathon now just three weeks away, large numbers turned out for three races over the three-quarter marathon distance this weekend, with the Longwood 3/4 race, the original of the species although now under new management, producing the most eye-catching results.
Winner by a margin of over eleven minutes in 1 hrs 41 mins 15 secs was William Maunsell of Clonmel AC, while finishing first woman was Barbara Cleary (Donore Harriers) who now competes in the over 50 age group and finished in 2:03.50. Second woman in 2:05.22 was Nichola Sheridan (Bohermeen AC) while third was Ciara Wilson (DMP AC) in 2:10.14.
At the Tarmonbarry 3/4 Marathon in Co Roscommon, Michael Bagnell (Fr Murphy’s AC) was first home in 2:03:54 and Sarah Flanagan (Tullamore Harriers) sixth overall and first woman in 2:17.39. Both winners are over 40. Winning the half marathon in 80:39 was Tadhg Hanrahan (Mayo AC, M40) while first woman was Miriam McElvaney in 93:56.
A day earlier, at the Bear Races Fastlane 3/4 Marathon at the 10th Lock, Grand Canal, Dublin on Saturday (October 5), Ben Brunton (St Brigid’s AC) in 1:51.50 and Sarah Flanagan (Tullamore Harriers, W40) in 2:18.55 were the winners. Former mountain running international Edel Mooney (Longford AC) was second woman in 2:21.32. And yes it would appear that Flanagan ran two 3/4 marathons in two days — unless someone else ran uner her number !
In the 10km, Colm Turner (Brothers Pearse AC) had almost four minutes to spare when winning the 10km in a time of 33 mins 50 sec. First woman was Lorraine Manning (Ballymore Cobh AC, W40) in 40:14. Winners of the half marathon were Jack Adams (RCSI) in75:18 and Zuzana Picmanova in 85:22.
Top three women Galway Bay 10km.
Beyond the world of 3/4 marathons
In other races, John Travers (Donore Harriers) was the winner of the Run Galway Bay 10km, held in challenging weather conditions on Saturday (October 5). Carl Fitzmorris (Shannon AC) was second and James Egan third. Clare Fagan (Mullingar Harriers) was first woman followed by Lizzie Lee (Leevale, W40) and Catherine Thornton (Galway City Harriers).
Jake Regan (St John’s AC) was the winner of the Half Marathon. Luke Flynn (Derg AC) was second and Sergiu Ciobanu (Clonliffe Harriers, M40) third. Winning the marathon were Alan Ritchie and Maeve Carville. Among the finishers was Collette O’Hagan from Dundalk completing her 999th marathon. O’Hagan will run her 1,000th Marathon at the Dublin Marathon.
Also on Saturday, over a thousand finishers at the 41st Simon Fun Run, over the 5km in Dublin’s Phoenix Park were led home by Leon Baker in 17 mins 38 secs and Leia Ryan fifth overall and first woman in 18:42.
Newcastle AC junior athlete Ethan McMullan was the winner of the Mill Hill Mile at Upper Square, Castlewellan on Thursday evening (October 3), finishing in a time of 5 mins 40.4 secs. His club mate Patrick McDaid, also a junior, was second in 5:58 and Neil Beattie third in 6:01.2.
First woman was Joanne Mills (Newcastle AC) in 7:00.8. Junior athlete Abigail Elliott (East Down AC) was second in 8:02.0.
Cross-country
Both men and women’s senior races at the Cork Athletics Senior and Junior Cross-Country Championships hosted by St Catherine’s AC at Garrycaheragh, Ballynoe, attracted quality fields, although numbers were low.
Sinead O’Connor (Leevale AC, W35), a previous winner of the British and Irish Masters International title who’s back racing after a few years break, was a worthy winner of the women’s titleclocking 29 mins 42 secs. For the 7.5km distance. Her Leevale clubmate Sharon Rynne was second in 30:19, with Aoibheann Lawton (Durrus AC) third and first U23 in 30:31. Leevale was the winning team from St Finbarr’s with only two teams entered.
In the men’s race, also over 7.5km, Paul Hartnett of East Cork AC had a good win over his clubmate Michael Harty who, like Sinead O’Connor, has a formidable record in the masters ranks. Hartnett, also first U23, finished in 25:28, with Harty clocking 24:26. Third was pre-race favourite Charlie O’Donovan (Leevale AC) in I24:46. With four finishers in the top five, East Cork were runaway winners of the team title. Leevale was second and St Finbarr’s third.
Winning the men’s junior 4.5km race was Robert Troy (Liscarroll AC, U20) in 14:23. William Verling (St Nicholas AC) was second in 14:40 and Eoghan O’Connor (Belgooly AC) third in 14:56. Carraig-na-bhFear was the winning team.
In the women’s junior race, Katie Hennessy (Midleton AC, U18) came home first in 17:41, followed closely by Saoirse Twomey (West Muskerry AC, U18) in 17:43, with Lucy O’Flynn (Bandon AC, U20) third in 17.50. West Muskerry AC was first team.
Amy Greene (Finn Valley) was the winner of the women’s title at the Donegal Senior Cross-Country Championships, held at Naomh Mhuire GAA Grounds, The Banks, Mulladerg. Finishing second was Nakita Burke (Letterkenny AC) while third was Helen McCready (Rosses AC).
Making it a mFinn Valley double was Sean McGinley winner of the men’s race ahead of Donal Farren (Letterkenny AC) and Oisin Toye (Finn Valley AC). In the U18 races, Caolan McFadden (Cranford AC) won the boy’s race with Emma Bonnar (Letterkenny AC) best of the girls.
Aaron Donnelly (Dundrum South Dublin AC) out kicks nthony O’Brien (Raheny Shamrock AC) to win the men’s title at the Dublin Novice Cross-Country Championships in the Phoenix Park. Picture Lindie Naughton
Exciting racing in Phoenix Park
After a dramatic sprint to the finish line, Aaron Donnelly (Dundrum South Dublin AC) was the winner of the men’s 6000m race at the Dublin Novice Cross-Country Championships, held in the Phoenix Park after an absense of a few years.
Donnelly was part of a group of five athletes that broke away early on the four-lap race around the legendary ‘Munich Hill’ loop at the Magazine Fort where Irish athletics legend Eamonn Coghlan and others honed their skills.
With a lap to go that group was reduced to four with Anthony O’Brien (Raheny Shamrock AC) pushing the pace upfront. Only with the line in sight did Donnelly make his move, kicking past O’Brien for victory in 18 mins 9 secs. O’Brien was second in 18:13, Benjamin Caullier (Lucan Harriers) third in 18:18 and Patrick Elliott (Dundrum South Dublin AC) fourth in 18:41.
With four placers in the top fourteen and a squad of nineteen, Raheny Shamrock were clear winners of the team title. Donore Harriers lead by Kevin O’Boyle in twelfth place packed well to finish second, while third was Clonliffe Harriers, with lead by comeback kid Daragh Carter in fifteenth place; Clonliffe had entered an impressive squad of twenty-two. DSD was fourth, Lucan Harriers fifth and Liffey Valley sixth with eleven teams entered.
In the women’s 4000m race, Doireann Hughes (Crusaders AC) pushed the pace from the start and despite the best efforts of Kate Crowley (Raheny Shamrock AC) never lost her grip on the lead winning in 14 min 8 secs.
Crowley finished second in 14:14 and Lorna Sheehan (Sportsworld AC) third in 14:37. Crusaders with four in the top fifteen was the winning team, ahead of Sportsworld AC and Liffey Valley AC.
Top three in the senior race at Brother Schools Cross-Country at the Trinity Grounds, Santry. Picture: Clonliffe Harriers.
Schools
Finn Diver of St Malachy’s College Belfast was a worthy winner of the senior boys race over 5000m at the Brother Schools Cross-Country hosted by Clonliffe Harriers at the Trinity Grounds, Santry on Wednesday (October 2)
Diver was part of a leading group of five, which soon whittled down to three. With 800m to go, he pulled away for a fine win, also leading his team to victory. Lorcan Benjacar of Ard Scoil Ris , Griffith Avenue finished second and Jamie Rankin Whelan of Ardgillan Community College third. Ardgillan and Ard Scoil Ris finished second and third teams.
In the senior girls race, over 2000m, Goda Buivydyte of St Dominic’s Cabra, proved the class of the field finishing well clear of Kate O’Sullivan from Loreto Stephen’s Green and Ava Rose Clarke of Muckross Park. St Dominic’s were the team winners ahead of Loreto Dalkey and Sion Hill.
Belvedere’s Charlie O’Neill won the inter boys’ 3000m, with Conrad Latham of St Paul’s Raheny second and Jack Mahon of Pres Carlow third. Belvedere proved best of the teams ahead of St Colman’s Newry and St Mary’s Drogheda
Winner of the inter girls’ race was Sutton Park’s Tara Rose Smith, followed by Megan Brunt of Loreto Dalkey in second place. In third place Sara Mari was leading St Dominic’s to team victory over Holy Faith Clontarf and Sutton Park.
Best overall secondary school was St Dominic’s Cabra with three team wins. Some 1,700 young athletes had come to Santry, more than double the number that took part in the first Brother schools cross-country fifteen years ago.
Photo: WMRA/Marco Gulberti
Mountains
Ian Conroy (Rahney Shamrock AC) finished 25th and first M40 at the 45th Smarna Gora Classic mountain race in Ljubljana, Slovenia on Saturday (October 5). Conroy completed the tough 10km race in 32 mins 28.7 secs.
Winning the women’s night challenge at Wicklow’s Superloaf Mountain on Friday evening (October 4) was Aideen Burke (Donore Harriers) clocking 38 mins 2 secs for the 7km distance. Clare Sullivan (Crusaders AC was second in 38:17 and Aoife McKernan (Kilcoole AC) third in 38:22.
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Source: fastrunning.com