John Dunne won a fourth title at the Dublin Masters Cross Country Championships on Sunday (January 7), while Mick Clohisey impressed at the Ferrycarrig 5-Mile.
For the fourth time in five years, John Dunne of Raheny Shamrock was the winner of the men’s 6km race at the Dublin Masters Cross Country Championships held in St Anne’s Park Raheny in dry, cold conditions.
Dunne was one of a group of three who broke away on the first of four laps. Keeping him company were his clubmate Ian Conroy and Karol Cronin of Sportsworld.
They finished in that order, with Dunne, an ex-footballer who celebrates his 40th birthday next month, delighted with his victory.
“I ran the Waterford Half Marathon early in December, but nothing much else because I’ve been very busy with work,” explained Dunne afterwards. “I’ll now run the Leinster and All Ireland championships – and I hope to be selected for the Raheny Shamrock team competing in next month’s European Club Championships.”
With Conroy second, backed up by Brian Leahy 6th and Des Kennedy 7th and first M45, Raheny took team victory ahead of Rathfarnham WSAF and Donore Harriers; a total of 30 teams finished the race. Raheny also won the M50 team title, led home by Mick Traynor, who was first M50 despite a long injury lay-off. Clonliffe Harriers finished second and Rathfarnham WSAF third.
Adrienne Jordan of Crusaders AC improved on her third place of last year by winning the women’s title over a 3km course. Jordan, who was also first W40, led from the start and finished ahead of her teammate Niamh Boland who was first W35.
A close third overall was Niamh Fitzgerald of Lucan Harriers, who was second W40. Like Dunne, Jordan is aiming to run in the National Championships in Tuam, Co Galway on Sunday February 11.
Sportsworld’s quartet of Aoife O’Leary 4th, Niamh Corby 5th, Ruth Kelly 8th and Mary Finn 12th took team gold by five points from Crusaders AC with Raheny Shamrock third and 18 teams entered. Raheny also took the W50 title, making it three titles from the four on offer.
A record total of 280 men and 158 women completed the races. Full results can be found here.
Raheny marathon man Mick Clohisey equalled his course record of 23 mins 58 secs at the sixth annual Ferrycarrig 5-mile race in Wexford. His Raheny Shamrock teammate Conor Dooney was second in 24:09 with William Maunsell of Clonmel AC third in 24:20.
Fiona Kehoe of Kilmore AC was first woman and improved the course record to 29:17. Ruth Fitzgerald was second in 29:39 and Adele Walsh of St Senan’s/Team Crean third in 30:17. Results can be found here.
Winners of the Cork BHAA ESB Cross-Country 6km were Michael Harrington and Breda Gaffney. Full results can be found here.
On Saturday, Fionnuala McCormack had to settle for sixth place, while Hugh Armstrong finished seventh at the Antrim International Cross Country at the CAFRE Greenmount Campus. A full report on the Irish performances can be found here.