Nick Davis Reports

Good 1500 Metres and 10000 Metres Races at Dublin Graded

On a balmy night at Irishtown there was some fine running with very competitive races. Proceedings began with the 10000 Open Dublin Championship which unfortunately only attracted four runners which was very disappointing given that it is one of the few opportunities to run 10000 metres on the track. Lack of numbers did not however detract from a fine race where Mick Clohisey and Brian Maher made their intentions known from the start by sharing pace making duties as they reeled of laps of 73/74 seconds.

The Kilkenny man was anxious to beat 31 minutes for the first time and reaching the half way mark in 15m12 that target was likely. Clohisey was running with his usual gusto anxious to ensure that strength and stamina told and it nearly did as he was only outrun by the narrowest of margins with Brain Maher just proving best by two tenths of a second to knock some 54 seconds off his previous best and the Raheny man very happy with his new p.b. some 20 seconds faster than before.

The first of the Development Race series also was a fine race where Donore’s Eric Keogh dipped inside four minutes for the first time with a good home straight finish. The first lap was covered in 60 seconds as Gearoid O’Connor and Dermot McDermott took the field along helped by the aggressive running of the Monaghan twins from Lagan Valley who generally display a willingness to get involved in races from the start.

800 metres was reached in 2m03 and Sligo’s Dermot McDermott took over at the front with Keogh, Finn Valley’s Padraig McLoughlin, Simon Ryan of Raheny and Andrew Monaghan involved in a very competitive battle. Over the last 150 it was Keogh who proved best with the long striding McLoughlin next ahead of Raheny’s Simon Ryan who made progress throughout the race all three recording personal bests along with some ten others.

Celtic’s Claire Brennan was an impressive winner of the womens 1500 ahead of Beth Walsh of Ferrybank. In the Graded 1500 races there were some very competitive races with Clonliffe’s Stephen Harkness winning for the second time having won the 800 at the first meeting. Liam Cooney of Drogheda & District won in a blanket finish from Philip 0’Doherty and Diarmuid O’Sullivan.

Craig Lynch was the fastest 200 metre runner in action clocking 22.43. Stuart Greene made a return to competition winning the Pole Vault with a 4.20 clearance. Mary McCloone made the long journey from Donegal with her coach Sharon Foley to win the Triple Jump. Proving yet again the popularity of these meetings which cater for track and field in the widest sense of the sport.

Nick Davis