Doyle loving the mile – Irish round-up

To start the week Lindie Naughton brings us all the Irish endurance action and news from the weekend just gone (Monday 15th July).

Cathal Doyle (Clonliffe Harriers) made it a great night for the host club when winning the Morton Mile in sensational style at the  Morton Games, in Santry on Friday evening.

American visitor and former winner Prakel had led through 1500m, with Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrock) third and Doyle back in tenth place. All changed in the chase for the line, Doyle charging through the field and then stretching away from Prakel and Fay to win in a personal best time 3:52.06.

Prakel was second in 3:52.32 and Fay third in 3:52.41. Just three days earlier, Doyle had finished second in the mile at the Cork City Sports in 3:54.48, with Prakel third in 3:54.58.

Sean Donoghue (DCH) finished eighth in a personal best 3:55.71, having run 3:56.90 in Cork, Charlie O’Donovan (Leevale AC)  11th in 3:57.94 and Cillian Kirwan  (Raheny Shamrock) 12th in 3:58.83. Of the fifteen finishers, thirteen broke four minutes. Cathal O’Reilly (Kilkenny City Harriers) was just outside that mark with a time of 4:00.93 in fourteenth place and Efrem Gidey (Clonliffe Harriers)   fifteenth in 4:04.26.

In the women’s 1500m, newly-crowned Irish champion Sophie O’Sullivan  (Ballymore Cobh) finished second in 4:05.77, with Carla Sweeney (Rathfarnham WSAF) tenth in 4:15.74 and Georgie Hartigan (Dundrum South Dublin) eleventh in 4:15.74. In Cork, O’Sullivan  had  looked well off her best when finishing twelfth in the women’s 3000m in 9:08.66.

In Italy two days after Santry, O’Sullivan improved her 800m best by more than a second to 2:00.28 when finishing fifth in a race in Lignano.

Over 5000m, Nick Griggs (CNDR TC) stuck to Amos Langat from Kenya in the final stages of the race was was rewarded with a new Irish U23 record of 13:12.07. Langat won in 13:12.44, which was a meet record by over seven seconds. Cormac Dalton (Mullingar Harriers) was tenth in 13:44.82, Sean Tobin (Clonmel AC)  eleventh in 13:51.58 and Keelan Kilrehill (Sligo AC) twelfth in 13:53.03.

It was a second Irish U23 record for Griggs — in Cork, he had clocked 7:41.68 in the 3000m, knocking over eleven seconds off his previous best.

In the women’s 800m, Louise Shanahan (Leevale) showed a welcome return to form when finished third in a season’s best 2:00.92. Jenna Bromell (Emerald AC) was eighth in 2:01.89.

Winning the junior men’s mile was Sean Quinn of host club Clonliffe Harriers in 4:21.26. Quinn’s Clonliffe clubmate Lorcan Benjacar  finished second in 4:21.67 and Jamie Byrne (Dundrum South Dublin) third in 4:22.25.

Other results from the Cork City Sports included an eleventh place for Íde Nic Dhomhnaill (West Limerick AC) in the 3000m with a time of 9:08.65.

Big win for Adeleke in Monaco

Abroad, Rhasidat Adeleke (TallaghtC) proved the class of the field in the women’s 400m at the Diamond League round in Monaco winning in 49.17 secs. It was a first Diamond League win for Adeleke. In the 2,000m, Ciara Mageean (City of Lisburn) finished tenth in 5:43.06.

Santry was the venue over the weekend for the All Ireland Combined Events Championships, combined with the AI Open Games and a few national senior and masters championship events, mostly notably the men and women’s 10,000m championships.

Winnign the women’s 10,000m title in 33 mins 37.49 secs was Shona Heaslip (An Ríocht)  followed by Claire Fagan (Mullingar Harriers) in 34:378.20, and Laura Mooney (Tullamore Harriers) in 34:50.81. Just four had entered the race.

Emmet Jennings (Dundrum South Dublin) won the men’s race in 31:31.16, with Kieran Kelly (Raheny Shamrock) second in 31:46.87 and David Scanlon (Rathfarnham WSAF ) third in 31:47.94 In  the open  races, U23 athlete Roise Roberts  (CNDR TC) won the women’s 3000m in 9:55.13; while Barry Conway (Ennis TC) proved fastest of the men with 8:39.33.

Winning the men’s 1500m was Cathal O’Reilly (Kilkenny City Harriers) in 3:51.34.  In the women’s 1500m, Sadhbh Mohan (Metro St Brigid’s) was the winner in 4:37.70, with Rebecca Rossiter (CNCR TC) a close second in 4:37.97.

BHAA on Track

New to the calendar last weekend was the BHAA track races, with four graded mile races and a mixed 4 x 400m relay held on the Lucan track on Wednesday (July 10).

Fastest times of the evening came in the second race where Alex O’Brien, a member of Lucan Harriers was the winner in 4 mins 51 secs. Second was master athlete Michael Counsel (Musgrave/Trim AC) in 4.54, with Ryan Rafter also breaking five minutes when finishing third in 4:49.  Laura Ryan (Rathfarnham WSAF)  was fastest woman with a time of 5:24, with Orla Gormley (Aer Lingus/Raheny Shamrock, W50) clocking 6:25.

Roads

Hugh Armstrong (Ballina AC) led home 2,682 finishers at the Irish Life Fingal 10km,  held in Swords on Sunday (July 14) . With a time of 29 mins 39 secs, Armstrong had over a minute to spare on the chasers led by Jamie Fallon (Craughwell AC) who finished second in 30:45 and Peter Somba (Ratoath AC) third in 30:58.

First woman was Michelle Finn (Leevale C  in 34:47. Caitlyn Harvey (Roadrunners AC Belfast) was second in 35:40  and Kate Purcell (Raheny Shamrock) third and first W40 in 35:50.

On the same morning, in Co Offaly, the Peugeot Race Series continued at the Frank Kilrane Edenderry 10-Mile where Conor Duffy (Glaslough Harriers) was a comfortable winner in 50 mins 28 secs.

For Dundrum South Dublin, Eanna O Bradaigh was second in 53:37, Killian Mooney third in 53:21 and junior athlete Declan O’Meara eighth in 54:46.

Heather Murphy (St Michael’s AC) was first woman in 59:35, followed by Sorcha McAllister (Dublin City Harriers) in 60:38 and Sarah Mulligan (Dundrum South Dublin) third in 61:22.

With Maria McCambridge eighth and first W45, and Emma Goddard 18th, DSD was clear winners of the mixed team category ahead of Tullamore Harriers and Dublin City Harriers, with twenty-four teams entered, including five from Tullamore Harriers alone.

DSD also took the men’s team category, ahead of Mullingar Harreirs and Tullamore Harriers, while Tullamore proved best of the women’s teams ahead of Naomh Mhuire AC and Ferbane AC.

The race was round 7 of the Peugeot Race Series. Two rounds remain, both of them in Co Cork. It was also part of the Offaly Endurance Series with Mick Fogarty (Ferbane AC, M45) the winner  in that category and Maria Maher (Ballyskenach AC, W40) first woman.

Multi-tasking victory for Wogan

In Termonfeckin, Co Louth, Ronan Wogan (Raheny Shamrock, M40) was the winner of the Termonfeckin Half Marathon in a time of 76:15. First woman was Karen Wilton (Jog Lisburn, W50) in 88:17. Wogan managed to run the race — and also to time it, which must be some kind of record!  Danny Nugent (Ace AC) won the 4-Mile in 21:12  with Mags Nugent first woman in 28:12.

Robin Mooney (Sliabh Bhuidhe Rovers AC) in 34:17 and Aoibhe McCarthy (Kilcoole AC) in 43.24 were the winners at the Never Give Up Charity 10km, held at Inch, Gorey, Co Wexford. Pádraig Webb (Tinryland AC) in 16:36 and Sarah Fitzpatrick in 21:19 proved best in the 5km.

At the Docklands 5km in Dublin on Thursday (July 11), Peter Somba (Ratoath AC) raced to victory in 15 mins 2 secs, followed by Dylan Wright (Lucan Harriers) in 15:14 and Raheny pair Michael Brady in 15:19 and David Rooney in 15:23.  Eighth and first master was Shane O’Neill (Rathfarnham WSAF, M50) in 15:54.

First woman in 16:46 was Ciara Wilson (DMP AC) followed by Sorcha McAllister (Dublin City Harriers) second in 17:01 and Lucy Barrett (Raheny Shamrock ) third in 17:22.

Winning both men and women’s team titles was Raheny Shamrock with the men followed home by Sportsworld and Rathfarnham WSAF  and women holding off Sportsworld  and Dublin City Harriers.

In the corporate team competition, Citco, led by Michael Brady, proved best of fifty-three men’s teams entered.  Best of the women’s teams  by a single second was  Optum Team 1, with Solar Speedsters second; twenty-three teams had signed up. Winning the mixed team category was KPMG with forty-seven teams entered.

Martin Cox was the winner of the Oldcastle 5km, Co Meath,  on Wednesday (July 10) in a time of 16:05.  First woman in 19:55 was Edel Carberry (Garristown Flyers), Carol Dempsey (Civil Service Harriers) was first W50 in 22:33, with her her club-mate Sharon McGrane third W50 in 23:04.

Record in Munster by John Walshe

A new course record and an increased entry  of almost 300 marked the third Tracton four-mile which took place around a hilly circuit near Carrigaline, Co Cork.

Nathan O’Leary —at 22 one of the rising Leevale stars under the guidance of coach Donie Walsh -— knocked seven seconds off of the previous best held by Pat Hennessy when coming home first in 20:23.

It was Leevale all the way, as Gavin O’Rourke, winner of two recent BHAA races, took second in 20:33 with Mark Walsh, the race holder, third in 20:56. For good measure, Donal Coakley came home fourth in 21:25.

Leevale  also provided the women’s winner with Hannah Steeds following up on her recent successes outside the county with victory in 23:40. Noémie Leduc of Grange-Fermoy was second in 24:32 with W50 Linda Kelly from Watergrasshill third in 25:58.

The Tracton club celebrates it 70th birthday this year and the event was a credit to all concerned. Well signposted, a prize list which covered all categories, ample refreshments and with a souvenir T-shirt for all pre-entries, it provided exceptional value for €15.

Mountain Running

Ian Conroy (Raheny Shamrock, M40 ) was the only Irish representative at the World Cup Montemuro Vertical Run, in Castro Daire, Portugal on Sunday. Conroy finished 25th in 1 hrs 5 mins 45 secs.

A week earlier, Conroy had finished 36th  and fourth M40 at the Grossglockner World Cup round in Heilingenblut, Austria, with Killian Mooney (Dundrum South Dublin) one place behind in 37th place with a time of 1:30.06. A staggering total of 689 finished this classic and ultra tough uphill race, some taking well over four and a half hours to do so.

Locally, Luke Weldon (Greystones AC) came home first at the Reeks Skyline race at  Carrauntoohill in Co Kerry on Saturday (July 13) with a time of 4 hrs 26 mins 20 secs for the 24km route with 2,400m of climb.

A close second in 4:26:39 was orienteer Ben Mangan, while third in 4:38:17 was Gavin Byrne. Ninth overall and first woman was Ellen Vitting from Kenmare in 5:03:18.  Anita Locke was second in 5:19:45 and Sorcha Kearney third in 5:45.02; both are members of .St Finbarr’s AC.