National Cross Country, Gowran, 12th February
While Tim O’Donoghue and Fiona Santry made it an East Cork AC double at the All Ireland Masters Cross-Country Championships, hosted by Gowran AC in Co Kilkenny on Sunday (February 12), there were some good runs by Dublin athletes. Behind O’Donoghue, the 2022 champion, Mick Clohisey of Raheny Shamrock AC finished second and Eoin Flynn of Rathfarnham WSAF AC third and first M40 in 22:28. Taking team silver behind Leevale were last year’s winners Rathfarnham WSAF AC. For a second year, Cork proved best of the county teams ahead of Dublin and Louth. Dublin took the M50 county title ahead of Wexford and Donegal.
In the women’s race, ultra running specialist Sorcha Loughnane of Donore Harriers finished sixth and first W45. In eighth place and first W55 was Annette Kealy of Raheny Shamrock AC in 15:13. Best of the teams was Sportsworld AC, led by Maria Jones in ninth place. Second team was Mullingar Harriers, while just one point behind for third was Clonliffe Harriers. Raheny Shamrock, led by Annette Kealy, was first W50 team. Dublin won both the W35 and W50 county team titles.
At inter level, Avril Deegan of Dublin City Harriers took the women’s title and led her team and her county to victory. The Dublin men finished second county, led by Niall Carberry of Clonliffe Harriers in seventh place. Clonliffe were just just of the medals in fourth place.
* Newcomers are welcome to run in Sunday’s Meet & Race Women’s 2-Mile cross-country, hosted by Crusaders AC in Irishtown (10am). Entry is €5; contact Fiona Shine
SCHOOLS CROSS-COUNTRY
Highlight of the Leinster Schools Cross-Country Championships in Santry last Wednesday (February 8) was the senior boys’ race where Cormac Dixon of HFCS Rathcoole had the narrowest of wins over fellow Irish junior international athlete Jonas Stafford of Glendalough School. The pair were given identical times of 18 mins 48 secs. First team was Coláiste Mhuire Mullingar ahead of Dublin schools Belvedere and St Aidan’s CBS. Winning the senior girls’ race was Hannah Kehoe of Loreto Kilkenny; Emma McEvoy of Loreto Stephen’s Green finished third. Institute of Education took the senior team title ahead of Loreto Kilkenny and St Dominic’s Cabra. At inter level, St Aidan’s CBS were the winning team, while Emily Bolton not only won the girls race but led her school Mount Sackville to team victory. All these - and more - will turn out again at the All Ireland Schools Cross-Country Championships on Saturday, March 11 in Waterford.
INDOORS
The Dundrum South Dublin women and the Clonliffe men made it a Dublin club double at the final of the All Ireland Indoor League in Athlone on Saturday (February 10). In the men’s competition, Clonliffe beat Leevale AC and Nenagh Olympic, while in the women’s competition DSD AC got the better of Ratoath AC and Craughwell AC. Both DSD and Clonliffe are the reigning outdoor track and field champions. Hardest working member of the DSD team was England-based Georgie Hartigan who returned from racing in the USA to win the 1500m and 800m and was also part of the 4 x 400m relay team. In the 800m McGrath of Bohermeen AC third in 1:50.01 and Mark Milner of UCD fourth in 1:50.17. The event clearly has a great future as a developmental event, with encouraging entries from smaller clubs.
A day later, the National Indoor Arena was packed to the rafters for the third day of the Dublin Juvenile Indoor Championships, where the main track event was the 60m sprint. A stunning total of 3,500 entries have been received for these championships, which resume on Saturday February 25.
ULTRA
Tudor Moldovan of Clonliffe Harriers won the men’s title at the All Ireland 50km Championships held on a 5km circuit in Donadea on Saturday (February 11). Moldovan was the only athlete to break three hours finishing in 2 hrs 59 mins 4 secs. For Donore Harriers, Ian Fitzgerald was second in 3:11:18, followed by his clubmate Wayne Waldron in 3:15:18
ROADS
At the Armagh International 5km held on Thursday evening (February 9) Ian Guiden of Clonliffe Harriers finished 21st in 14:02. Fifth and first Irish in the women’s 3km was the in-form Niamh Kearney of Raheny Shamrock AC in a personal best time of 9:14.
Taking the women’s prize at the Enniscorthy10km on Sunday (February 12) was Meghan Ryan of Dundrum South Dublin AC who finished tenth overall in 35:43.
STATESIDE
Luke McCann of Dublin City Harriers AC finished eighth in the mile at the Millrose Games held at The Armory, New York on Saturday ( February 11). McCann’s time of 3:53.55 was a personal best by .32 of a second. Race winner was Yared Nuguse in a stunning time of 3:47.38.
On the opening day of the David Hemery Valentine Invitational in Boston on Friday (February 10), Iseult O’Donnell of Raheny Shamrock AC ran 2:04.39 for 800m. In the men’s 3000m Abdel Laajdel of Donore Harriers clocked a time of 7:54.51 for 22nd place, while in the 5000m, Darragh McElhinney of UCD AC was 28th in 13:42.97.
