IRELAND’S OLDEST RACE BACK ON THE ROADS!
Cathal Doyle and Carla Sweeney were the winners at the 132nd Clonliffe 2-Mile - the oldest continuous road race in Ireland - and maybe even in the world. The race was back on the roads of Glasnevin for a second year on a course which from the start outside Met Éireann at Old Finglas Road, looped around the Botanical Gardens before finishing outside Kavanagh’s Gravediggers pub in Prospect Square, race sponsors since 1986. Doyle, the current Irish 5000m champion, made it a home win for Clonliffe Harriers finishing in 8 min 46 secs. Behind him, Mitchell Byrne of Rathfarnham WSAF AC and Shane Bracken of Swinford AC ran elbow-to-elbow for much of the race, with Byrne only breaking away in the finals stages of the race to finish second in 8:55. Bracken was two seconds behind for third place in 8:57. Sweeney, a comfortable winner of women’s race in 10:34, was followed home by Áine Cotter of North East Runners in 10:45 and Emma Mitchell of Clonliffe Harriers in 11:03. Other good runs came from Sean Cronin fifth and first junior in 9:26 and Shane Healy of Metro St Brigid’s AC, who is now in the M55 class, but still finished eighth and first master overall in 9:31. First master woman was Michelle Cox of Newbridge AC in 11:25. First junior woman was Mya O’Reilly of Clonliffe Harriers. Full gallery at https://www.flickr.com/photos/
New club Ballymun AC, made its first major outing with around fifty finishers. Leading them home was Eoin Hayes. Watch out for them at the Dublin Marathon and also the Dublin Cross-Country Championships over the next few weeks!
Abroad, Emmett Jennings of DSD AC clocked a personal best time of 64 mins 52 secs at the Valencia Marathon in Spain.
Good luck to all Dublin athletes in Sunday’s Dublin Marathon, which incorporates the Dublin – and national – championships!
CROSS-COUNTRY
Eanna Ó Bradaigh of Dundrum South Dublin AC finished third in the men’s novice 6km race at the Leinster Junior and Novice Cross-Country Championships held in Ballyhale, Co Kilkenny, on Saturday.In a closely fought team competition, Dublin City Harriers finished second behind Mullingar Harriers. Leading the DCH team was Óran O’Hare in sixth place. Crusaders AC, led by Colm Parnell in fifth place, finished fourth team and Liffey Valley AC sixth. Dublin with six finishers in the top 24, was the winning county ahead of Meath and Kilkenny.With four finishers in the top seven, Dublin City Harriers dominated the women’s 4km race. Faye Dervan was the winner in 15:22, followed by her team mate Orla Duffy in 15:26. Making up the winning DCH quarter were Sorcha McAllister in fourth place and Cristin Scollard seventh. A distant second was Crusaders, led by Kathryn Gibbons in 12th place. Sportsworld AC, led by Sophie Jackman in fifth place was fourth team, beating Raheny Shamrock AC on count-back; Donore Harriers finished eighth and Liffey Valley AC ninth. Dublin was the winning county.
SCHOOLS
Eoin Ó Maonaigh of Coláiste Chillian in Clondalkin led home 52 finished in the 3rd and 4th year boy’s race at the DSD Schools Cross-Country races held on the trails beside the Dundrum South Dublin track at Tibradden Lane on Wednesday (18). Ó Maonaigh was chased home by Tadhg Bartelink of St Benildus College and Aidan O’Connor of the High School Dublin. On a good day for Stillorgan school, St Benildus finished best of the boys teams in all three age groups - 1st year, 2nd year and 3rd/4th year. Winning the girls’ 3rd/4th year race was Roisin Hanley Byrne of Our Lady’s Terenure. Lizzie Traynor of Mount Anville was second and Isabella Prina Mello of Stepaside ET third. Mount Anville was the winning team and also proved best in the 1st year race. Muckross won the second year race. The races, designed as an early reason warm-up for mostly south Dublin schools, attracted a massive entry in all age groups with 121 turning out for the 1st year girls race alone. Among the schools taking team prizes were CBC Monkstown, Wesley College, St Andrew’s College, Loreto Foxrock, Templeogue College, Willow Park and Holy Child Killiney.
At the Leinster Schools Multi-Events Championships held at the NIA, Abbotstown on Wednesday (October 18), Jack Breen of Oatlands College finished second in the senior boys’ category. Alexandra Fellner-Ring of Blackrock ET(and Blackrock AC) was the winner of the girl’s minor title with 2728 points. A close second with 2687 points was Georgia May Agnew of Mount Anville, a junior swimming champion. Winner of the junior title with 2757 points was Marianne O’Farrell of Belmayne ET. Laura Fielding of Muckross was second with 2580 points.
Ballymun runners make their mark at Clonliffe 2-mile
Cathal Doyle winner 132nd Clonliffe 2-mile
Carla Sweeney first woman Clonliffe 2-mile
Full gallery at https://www.flickr.com/photos/
