Dublin Clubs Roundup, 09 - 10 March 2025

EUROPEAN INDOORS

What a final day it was for Ireland at the European Indoors in Apeldoorn! Star of the show was Sarah Healy from Monkstown, who ran the perfect race for victory in the women’s 3000m. In a chaotic race with one faller, Healy was never far off the pace and sprinted past Britain’s Melissa CourtneyBryant — the pre-race favourite —with just two metres to spare. ‘I knew I had an opportunity today to win a medal, and to win gold, but I didn’t want to put too much expectation on it. I had to wait until the last 100m, but I’m so glad it worked out,’ she said afterwards. Healy, who won double gold in the 1500m and 300m at the European U18 Championships in 2018 while a member of Blackrock AC, struggled to make the transition to the senior ranks and in 2023, after finishing a law degree at UCD, made the tough decision to move to England. There she joined the M11 training group rbased in Wigan run by husband and wife team Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows. Other members of the group include Paris Olympics 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson and Georgia Bell, who took bronze in the 1500m, also at the Paris Olympics. After the race on Sunday, Meadows confirmed that Healy will be concentrating on the 1500m after this, although for the World Indoors, starting on March 21, she has qualifying times for both 1500m and 3000m. Taking double bronze in Apeldoorn were Mark English from Donegal in the 800m — his fourth bronze at European level — and multi-eventer Kate O’Connor from Co Louth in the pentathlon where her points total of 4781 broke her own national record.

INDOORS - LOCAL

Locally it was the final weekend of indoor competition with Athlone the venue for the National Junior and U23 Championships on Sunday and the National Masters a day earlier. In the U20 championship, Mathdenzel Mugri (Cabinteely AC) and Gloria Oigbochie (Tallaght AC) made it a Dublin double in the 60m sprint, with winning times of 7.08 secs and 7.80 secs respectively. There was a Dublin hat-trick in the men’s 200m, with Donal Martin (Blackrock AC) the winner in 21.67 followed by Luke Timlin (Crusaders AC) in 21.93 and Dubem Amah (Tallaght AC) in 22.19. Winning the 60m hurdles in a time of 8.05 secs was Sean Owens (Crusaders AC). Sean Cronin (Clonliffe Harriers) won the 1500m in 4:00.42, while his clubmate Emily Bolton, just a day after running in the All Ireland Schools Cross-Country in Galway, finished a close second in the women’s 1500m in 4:42.41. Other Dublin medal winners were Des O’Neill (Raheny Shamrock AC) a fighting second in the men’s 400m, Saoirse Fitzgerald (Lucan Harriers) third in the women’s 400m iand 

Lauren Healy second in the high jump.

In the U23 Championships, Aisling Kelly (UCD AC) won the women’s 60m in 7.57, Kate O’Connell (Lucan Harriers) the 400m, and Renee Crotty (UCD AC) the women’s 800m. In the men’s 800m, Finn Woodger (Metro St Brigid’s AC) finished clear of of his clubmate Traian Rebegea, with the pair timed at 1:53.71 and 1:54.86. Another Woodger — Louie this time — finished second in the men’s 1500m in 3:56.70. In the field, Sam Vines (Cabinteely AC) finished second in the men’s shot, while Molly Mullally (DSD AC) was second in the triple jump and third in the long jump.

At the All Ireland Masters, Snezana Bechtina (Clonliffe Harriers) was just one of many Dublin club winners, taking the women’s W40 sprint title. A close second was Sinead O’Connor (Metro St Brigid’s AC). Making it a double for Plant-Based AC were Rachel Murphy and Lea Fulcher in the W40 and M50 3000m races respectively. Alison Beck (Dundrum South Dublin AC) won both the W45 high jump and pole vault and was second in the triple jump. In the 60m, Dublin winners were Sarah Doyle (Tallaght) W35, Dara Carr (LSA AC) W55, Edel Maguire (Clonliffe Harriers) W65, Shane Sheridan (DSD AC) M65 and David Leech (Blackrock) M75 60m. Andrej Dmitrenko (Clonliffe Harriers) was first M55 and Kevin Byrne (DSD AC) second M50 in the 60m hurdles. Byrne was also second in the high jump. Richard Phelan (Donore Harriers) won the M60 long jump. In the men’s 3000m, Tom Cuddy (Rathfarnham WSAF) was first M65 and Mick Traynor (Raheny Shamrock) second M60. Niall Allen (Clonliffe Harriers) won both the M50 shot and weight for distance., with his clubmate Vivian Okafor second W40 in the shot.  Finally in the 4x200 relays, winning teams from Dublin were LSA W40, Lucan Harriers W60 and DSD mixed. 

ALL IRELAND SCHOOLS CROSS-COUNTRY

At the All Ireland Schools Cross-Country Championships held at Ballybrit Racecourse, Galway on Saturday (March 8), Cillian Gleeson (Colaiste Chiarain) finished second behind Noah Harris (ETSS Wicklow) — just as he had done at the Leinster Championships. In a Leinster clean sweep, Ryan O’Neill (Terenure College) finished third. Emily Bolton won the girls’ senior race comfortably and with Lorraine O’Connors fifth and Laura Nunan 34th, also took team gold with the Institute of Education. At inter level, Megan Brunt (Loreto Dalkey) was fifth and Tara Rose Smith (Sutton Park) sixth.

Leinster champion Charlie O’Neill (Belvedere) finished sixth in the boys’ inter race, helping Belvedere to third place in the team competition, with St Paul’s Raheny, led by Conrad Latham in 13th place, fourth. Santa Sabina, led by Beth Reamsbottom in fourth place, was the winning team in the girls’ junior race, where Ruby Farrelly (Our Lady’s Templeogue) was third.

LAST BHAA CROSS-COUNTRY OF THE SEASON!

Laura McDonnell was the runaway winner of the women’s two mile race at the ALSAA BHAA cross-country held at Dublin Airport on Saturday (March 8). Second was Clodagh Dunphy, while third was Sinead Tighe in 12.24. First team was Legal A. In the men’s four mile race, Sean Doran was an equally clear winner ahead of Robert Frewen and Paul Fleming. ESB were the team winners followed by Revenue and Eir. And so we say farewell to the cross-country season - until next autumn! 

ROADS

A large number of Dublin club athletes headed to Co Meath for the Bohermeen Half Marathon on Sunday (March 9) where Kate Purcell (Raheny Shamrock, W40) finished third woman in 76:50.

In Dublin city, also on Sunday, James Kelly was the winner of The Liberties RC 5km, held in the Coombe, with Giovanni Salvatore (Raheny Shamrock) second. First woman was Alison Shorten (Cherry Orchard RC). Shauna O’Callaghan (Sportsworld) finished third. First for the local Liberties Running club were Paul McGrath and Leanne Kelly who came in together. At the Great Gorey 10-Mile in Co Wexford Barry Whelan (Portmarnock AC) finished second, while at the Midleton 10-Mile in Co Cork, Sergiu Ciobanu (Clonliffe Harriers) finsihed third overall and first M40.