Lucky 13 for Clonliffe – Irish roundup

To start the week Lindie Naughton brings us all the Irish endurance action and news from the weekend just gone (Tuesday 30th July).

After losing out last year, Clonliffe Harriers won a lucky 13th premier division title at the All Ireland  Track and Field League final in Tullamore on Sunday (July 28).

Last year, Leevale had ended a seven year winning streak for the north Dublin club, but there was no stopping Clonliffe this year. In the sprints, Marcus Lawler won both 100m and 200m, while other winners included David Donegan in the pole vault, Niall Allen shot and Simon Galligan hammer. The versatile Rolus Olusa was picking up points in the 100m hurdles and the discus, and there were second places for Sean Cardiff in the 800m and Fintan Kerins in the 1500m.

When the final calculations were made, Clonliffe again topped the table, with the Dundrum South Dublin men moving into second place ahead of Leevale.

In the women’s competition, Dundrum South Dublin was also going for a thirteenth win but for them, the number proved less lucky, with Leevale winning the title for the first time ever having finished second last year.

Among the key team members for the Cork club were Irish international athletes Louise Shanahan, who won the 800m and was second in the 400m, and Michelle Finn who not only comfortably won her specialist steeplechase but also nailed down maximum points in the 3000m.

In division 1, Tír Chonaill from Donegal, third last year, won  the women’s title ahead of St Abban’s from Carlow. Kilkenny City Harriers proved comfortable winners of men’s division 1.

The Galway men retained their county title, beating Kildare and Tipperary, with Tipperary best of the women in this category,  followed by Galway and defending champions East Cork.

Big PB for Griggs

Nick Griggs (CBDR TC) ran a personal best 3:35.18 to win the men’s A grade 1500m at the British Milers Meet held in Tooting Bec in south London on Wednesday (July 25). The time was a meet record.

A large group of Irish athletes had travelled for the competition and in the same race, Charlie O’Donovan (Leevale AC)  finished eighth in 3:36.84 and Shane Bracken (Swinford AC) tenth in 3:36.9.

Winning the men’s A 3000m in 7:59.79 was Efrem Gidey (Clonliffe Harriers). Jack O’Leary  (Mullingar Harriers)  finished fourth in 8:08.33 and  Tony McCambridge (CNDR TC) twelfth in 8:18.20. Nadine Donegan (Tullamore Harriers) clocked 9:40.29 for ninth place in the A women’s 3000m.

Over 800m, Louise Shanahan (Leevale AC)  finished third in the A race in 2:02.79, while in the men’s A 800m, Mark Milner (Tullamore Harriers) was also third in 1:47.48.

In the women’s A 1500m, Amy O’Donoghue (DSD AC)  finished fifth 4:17.76 and Fiona Everard (Bandon AC) eleventh in 4:26.62.  Greta  Streimikyte (Clonliffe Harriers) who will compete in the Paralympics next month, finished ninth in the  B race in 4:39.58.

In Belgium, Carla Sweeney (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) improved her 1500m best time to 4:14.43 at a meet in Leuven on Saturday (July 27)

Road running

Back in winning form at the Duleek 10km in Co Meath on Sunday (July 28) was Peter Somba (Ratoath AC) who crossed the finish line in 32 mins 5 secs. Daragh Fitzgibbon was second in 32:43 and racing machine Sean Doran (Clonliffe Harriers) third in 33:36. Fourth and first M40 in 35:32 was David McConn (Donore Harriers).

Finishing eleventh and first woman was Zoe Quinn (Raheny Shamrock, W40) in 39:29. Sabina Williams (Croghan AC, W40) was second in 39:44 and Aoife Parrella (Star of the Sea, W40) third in 43:35. Winning both men and women’s team competitions was Drogheda and District AC.

Peter McHale was the winner of the Kildare Town Soccer Club 5km in 19.06. Second overall and first woman in 19:25 was Lisa Sweeney (St Michael’s AC, W40).

On a busy Saturday (July 27),  Sean Meehan made it a home win with a time of 35 mins 22 secs at the Cherry Orchard Running Club 10km in west Dublin.  First woman was Tracey Coleman (Artane Beaumont RC, W40)  in 44:48.

First home in the 5km was Darragh Moore in 17:32. Lisa Saunders (Inner City RC) was fifth and first woman in 19:47.

Keelan Desmond (Togher AC) was the winner of the Brandon Bay Beach Half Marathon in Fahamore, Co Kerry in a time of  82 mins 4 secs. First woman in 99:48 was Anna Ordynska. Conor Kissane in 34 mins 54 secs and Kirsten Herpe (Annadale Striders) in 42:52 were the winners of the 10km, with Naoise Daly (Killarney Valley AC) in 18:58 and Jenny Kenneally (Belgooly AC) in 21:15 winners in the 5km.

In nearby Co Clare, Seamus Somers (Sligo AC, M50) was the winner of the Run Kilkee Half Marathon on the Loop Head peninsula in a time of 74 mins 59 secs. First woman was Murna Griffin O’Malley (Limerick Tri Club) in 88:30.

John O’Regan (St John’s AC) won the 10km in 32:21, with Becky Coughlan (Ennis TC, W40) first woman in 41:02.

In Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, Alexander Wallace (St Coca’s AC) was the runaway winner of the Blayney Rockets 10-Mile in 53 mins 59 secs. Martin Cox was second  in 57:20 and Phil Adams (Omagh Harriers) third in 57:37. Fourth and first M40 was Christopher McNickle (Springwell AC) in 57:59.

Debbie McConnell (North Belfast Harriers)  in 65:07 was first woman with Nadine McIntyre second 65:26 and Gillian Clarke third in 67:10.

Mountain running specialist Killian Mooney (DSD AC) was a clear winner of the Keash King of the Hill 10km in Ballymote with a time of 34 mins 37. Alan Dunne was second in 35:33 with David Ahern third in 39.03. First woman in 45:01 was Valeriia Petrova

Master athlete Niall Towey  won the 5km, in  18:47. Third and first junior was Diarmuid Carty in 20:47. Ellen Walsh was first woman  in 25:10.

At the Rossi 5km in Rostrevor, Co Down, Mark Malone in 16:10 and Joanne Mills in 18:24 were the winners.

Philip Goss was the winner of the Giant’s Trail Race, QUB, Upper Malone Road, Belfast, on Friday evening (July 26) in 37 mins 45 secs. Andrew Tees was second in 38:59  and Jamie Shingler third in 39:16.  First woman in 44:13 was Karen Wilton followed by Sarah Grant in 44:20 and Martsje Hell in 44:52.

Midweek running

In a Sportsworld double, Karol Cronin  in 21 mins 43 secs and Deirdre O’Connell in 27:09 were the winners at the annual St James’s Hospital Foundation Liberties 4-Mile Fun Run on a balmy Wednesday evening.

Darragh Halpenny was second in 22:05 and Bernard Duggan (Civil Service Harriers) third in 22:39 with all three in the M40 category, as were two of the top three women. First M50 was Fred Kiernan (Donore Harriers) in 25:04.

Second woman was junior athlete Ailbhe Finucane (Templeogue AC) in 28:25 with Stephanie Bergin (Sportsworld) third in 28:57. Second W50 was Angela Charlton (Raheny Shamrock) in 34:06.

On a new course around Sean Moore Park in Irishtown, Sean Doran (Harrier Products/Clonliffe Harriers) led home well over a hundred finishers at the Dublin City Council BHAA 5km.

Doran was a clear winner in 15 mins 38 secs, with Aidan Jones (ESB) second in 16:09 and Paul Fleming (Ornua/Rathfarnham WSAF) third in 16:32.

First of the women was Karla Doran who battled it out for most of the race with Clare Sullivan, who was helping her mixed CSO team to victory over the Gardai in the grade 2 division. The pair finished in times of 18:43 and 18:50, with Catherine Brogan third in 19:33.

Best of the women’s team was Bank of Ireland led by Catherine King. ESB beat Revenue for the division 1 men’s team prize. Next BHAA race is the inaugural Jerry Kiernan Foundation 6km at the national cross-country track, Abbotstown on Sunday September 8. See www.bhaa.ie

At the Donaghadee 5km in Co Down,  David Spalding (Ballydrain Harriers) was a clear winner in 16:17 with Katie Moore (North Down AC) fifth overall and first woman in 18:37.

Declan Ferry (Rosses AC) was first home at the Burtonport 5km in Co Donegal on Tuesday evening (July 240, blowing away the rest of the field with a tie of 15 mins 23 secs.  Second in 16:24 was Shaun Kerrs (Tir Chonaill AC)  followed by his clubmate Donal Murron in 16:44.

Sixth and first woman in 16:51 was Amy Greene (Finn Valley) with Rosses AC pair  Maria Ni Mhaolagain and Helen McCready second and third in times of 17:19 and 17:47 respectively.