Roads
At the St Patrick’s Day Tallaght 5km, Rathfarnham WSAF made it a double with Mitchell Byrne the race winner and Laura McDonnell first woman. Byrne, who is in top form at the moment, pushed the pace from the start of the race on the Greenhills Road and crossed the line on the Tallaght track in I4 mins 44 secs. Second in 15:12 was Eoin Smyth of Tara AC in Co Meath, while third in 15:19 was Cormac Dixon of host club Tallaght AC. Laura McDonnell clocked a time of 17:28 to finish first woman. Ten seconds behind for second was Aoife O’Leary of Sportsworld AC in 17:38, with Aoife Coffey of Lucan Harriers third in 17:40. Fifth and first W40 was Caoimhe Kilroy of Metro St Brigid’s AC, while first junior was Sadhbh Mohan, also of MSB AC, in 19:06.
The race incorporated the Dublin Novice 5km Championships with Dylan Wright of Lucan Harriers and Aoife Coffey the individual winners. Winning teams were the Lucan Harriers women, ahead of Clonliffe Harriers and MSB AC (after a stewarts’ enquiry) and the Clonliffe Harriers men, who beat Rathfarnham WSAF AC and Sportsworld AC. Leading Clonliffe home in tenth place was Mahad Mohamed in 10th place (and second junior), followed by Fintan Kerins 11th, Sean Heaslip Owens 12th and Sean Carrigg 15th . In the women’s competition the Lucan Harriers quartet of Coffey, Lisa Ward, Orla McWeeney and Breda Smyth beat Clonliffe by a a single poins. Full results at www.popupraces.ie.More pictures are at Lindie Naughton's Flickr account at https://www.flickr.com/.../lindie/albums/72177720306796279
Olympic steeplechaser Michelle Finn, who is based in Dublin, was first woman in 16 mins 01 sec at the Streets of Portlaoise 5km - the opening round of this year’s Pop-Up Race Series now sponsored by Peugeot, which was also held on St Patrick’s Day. Grace Lynch, a recent recruit for Dundrum South Dublin AC, was second in 16:21.
Last year, Leevale AC and DSD AC battled it out in the unusual mixed team competition, with the results of three men and three women counting and Leevale the winners. Individual winners of the 2022 series were Paul O’Donnell of Dundrum South Dublin AC, currently on scholarship in the USA and Lizzie Lee of Leevale AC. This year, the DSD team, led by Killian Mooney in eighth place opened its account with a comfortable team victory over Leevale. Counting for the squad were Joseph Hastings 13th, Sean Quinn 16th (and second junior), Lynch 2nd woman, Eimear Maher 7th and first junior and Maria McCambridge 12th and first W45. The series consists of eight races over varied distance with the finasl race in Cork on August 19. Next race is the Streets of Kilkenny 5km on April 6. Details https://www.popupraces.ie/
In Co Westmeath, Ciara Hickey of Brothers Pearse AC was first woman at the Mullingar Half Marathon, also on St Patrick’s Day. She finished in in 77:14. Alan King of MSB AC clocked a time of 81:16 M50 while his clubmate Paul Farrell finished in 82:08
MEET AND TRAIN - AND RACE!
Fittingly, the National Cross-Country course at Abbotstown was the venue for the final cross-country race of the season - the Women’s Meet and Race League race on Sunday (March 19). Winner was Aoife Carroll with a time of 11mins 12secs for the 3km distance- her third win of the four race series. Sinead Tighe of Brothers Pearse who had finished fourth in the first race, third in the second and second in the third, was again second. Helen Maher of Blackrock AC was third. A prizegiving and fun run will take place in a few weeks time. Watch this space!
INDOORS
Metro St Bridgid’s AC took eight medals at the the Leinster Indoor Championships in the NIA, Abbotstown on Saturday March 11. In the Masters M40 1500m. Tommy Carey and Frank Hague finished first and second. Eoin Daltún and Stephen Brett line out in the 800m, with Stephen first M45 and Eoin third M40. The four later teamed up for the 4 x 200, where they were pipped for gold in the M35 race by Newbridge AC. Finally, in the senior women’s 400m, Rebecca Ward finished third.
COMING UP:
The new UCD track at Belfield will host the first graded meet of the season on Saturday April 29 (12 noon) with six more meets to follow. Details elsewhere on this site.
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* Comprehensive fixtures list at www.lindienaughton.blogspot.
