To start the week Lindie Naughton brings us all the Irish endurance action and news from the weekend just gone (Monday 21st October).

Storm Ashley mercifully held off until all finishers were safely home at the 133rd Clonliffe 2-mile  on a point-to-point course from Met Eireann Glasnevin to  the Gravediggers’ pub, Prospect Square on Sunday morning. The race, first held in 1891, is the oldest established road race in Ireland – and perhaps even in the world!

With about 600m to go the eventual  result of the men’s race was still in doubt with Sean Doran leading a group of  six, all of them  Clonliffe Harriers members. Tucked in behind Doran was Lorcan Benjacar who with the line in sight sprinted home in 9 mins 42 secs.  Sean Carrig and Mahd Mohammed Egaal in second and third places were both given a time of 8:43, while fourth and first junior in 9:44  was Matei Ursachi. Sean Doran ended up sixth.

Aine Cotter – first woman 133rd Clonliffe 2-Mile. Photo: Lindie Naughton

A clear winner of the women’s race in 10: 45 was Aine Cotter (North East Runners).  Helena Butterly (Clonliffe Harriers) was second in 11:17 and Sive Brassil, a longtime member of the Irish modern pentathlon team, third in 11:31. A remarkable fourth and first master was Anne Gilshinan (Slaney Olympic) who is the world over 60 1500m champion. She finished in 12:32.

At the Rebel Run 5km/10km, held at MTU, Bishopstown, Cork, also on Sunday Barry Donovan (Cork TC) won the 10km in 33:29 with Aoife O’Mahoney first woman in 42.23. Winners in the 5km were  Luke Burfield in 17:15 and Shona O’Brien (Cork TC) in 18:55.

A day earlier at the Bere Island 5-mile, Michael Dullea  was the overall winner in 30 mins 34 secs, with Lisa Hegarty(Leevale AC) first woman in 31:34. The race, round 3 of the Beara Autumn 5-Mile Series, involved taking the ferry over to Bere Island, off the Beara Peninsula. The final race in the series takes place in Eyeries on Saturday November 9.

First three in the men’s race: Pieere Murchan (134) fiirst; Callum Morgan (97), second; Niall Murphy (937).
Photo: John Walshe

Cross-country

Fiona Everard (University of Galway) and Pierre Murchan (Trinity College Dublin) were the winners of the women’s and men’s individual titles at the Irish Universities Cross-Country Championships hosted by University College Cork at  its pancake-flat sports grounds in Cork on Saturday (October 20).

This was a second championships in this calendar year, with event moving from its traditional date in early March to October for the first time.

First up were the women, with Everard finishing in 16 mins 4 secs. Everard, who runs her club athletics with Bandon AC, won this title in  March 2023, and is also the current All Ireland cross-country champion. She will defend her title next month.

Fiona Everard wining the women’s race.
Photo: John Walshe

Amy Greene (DCU/Finn Valley AC) and Hannah Gilliland (Queens/Annadale Striders) finished second and third with both given a time of 16:20. DCU, led by Greene, was the winning team on 43 points, just two points ahead of UCC’s first team on 45. Third  on 53 points was Trinity College Dublin, who were the defending champions..

Murchan, third in these championships last March,  had a solid win in the men’s race with his time of 23:32 putting him eight seconds clear of Callum Morgan (Queens Belfast/CNDR AC) with defending champion Niall Murphy (University of Limerick/Ennis TC) third in 23:54.  Murchan is a member of Dublin City Harriers.

University of  Galway, with its six counting finishers all in the top fourteen, were comfortable winners of team title. Leading them home was Thomas McStay (Galway City Harriers), fourth in 24:03. A distant second on 101 points were the defending champions University of Limerick. Just six point behind for third was host college University College Cork.

Cross country elsewhere

At the Bobby Rea International Cross-Country  held at  Billy Neill  Country Park, Danielle Donegan  (Tullamore Harriers) won the women’s 6000m race in a time of  21:54.  Second and first U23 was Rebecca Rossiter (CNDR TC) in 22:06 while third and first U20 was Annabel Morrison (Enniskillen RC) in 22:20 Fourth and first W35 was Catherine Whoriskey (City of Derry Spartans) in 22:47.

First M65 over the same distance was Laurence Johnston (Belfast City Harriers) in 24:19.

A clear winner of the men’s 8000m was Vincent Mutai in 24:23; Mutai had finished  second in the in the Cardiff Half Marathon a fortnight earlier. Nick Griggs (CNDR TC) was second  and first U23 in 24:56 and Jamie Battle (Mullingar Harriers) third in 25:33. First U20 was Frank Buchanan (St Michael’s College) in 26:53. Emer McGee (Willowfield Harriers)  and Harry McKenzie (Enniskillen RC) won the U18 races

Aoife Carroll (Sportsworld) was the winner of the  women’s 4000m race  with a time of 15:39  at the Leinster Novice  Cross-Country Championships held at the Cow Park, Dunboyne on Sunday (October 20).

Finishing behind her were Mullingar Harriers pair Susan Glennon and Sinead Whitelaw in times of 15:51 and 15:57.  Sportsworld were comfortable women’s of the team title ahead of  Dublin City Harriers and Mullingar Harriers third.  Dublin won the  county team title. Westmeath was second and Meath third.

Winning the men’s 6000m  race was Allan Clarke (St Brigid’s AC) in 20 minutes exactly. Robert Hewison (Kildare AC) was second in 20:21 and Jame Gahan (Kilkenny City Harriers) third in 20:26.  Mullingar Harriers finished first team ahead of Raheny Shamrock and Sportsworld.  Dublin, Dearbhla Allen (St Peter’s AC) won the combined U18/U20 women’s race, with Noah Harris (Parnell AC) the men’s winner.

At the Munster Novice Cross-Country Championships in Conna, Co Cork, also on Sunday, Aoibheann Lawton (Durrus AC) won the women’s race comfortably in 15:56.  Sarah Mulcahy (St Catherine’s AC) was second in 16:16 and Becky Coghlan (Ennis TC) third in 16:29.  Togher AC was first team ahead of Ennis TC and East Cork AC.  Cork was the winning county team.

Conor Kissane (Killarney Valley AC) won  a closely-fought men’s race in 20:44. Just one second behind for second was Mossy Bracken (Moycarkey Coolcroo AC) in 20:45 while third in 20:47 was David Meehan (Tulla AC). West Waterford was first club team ahead of Leevale and Togher. Tipperary was the winning county team.

Winners of the U18/20 combined races were Gemma Galvin (Ennis Track Club) and William Verling (St Nicholas AC).

Off-road

Winning the Wicklow  Way Ultra with a time of 13 hrs 22 mins 58 secs for the 127km course from Kilmashogue Woods in Dublin to Clonegal in Co Carlow on Saturday (October 19) was Keith Lane from Navan, Co Meath. A year earlier, Lane had won the race when it went in the reverse direction.

Lane, a former GAA footballer, first attracted attention in 2022 when he won the Kerry Way Ultra  in a record time.  Finished second in 14:24.44 was Enda Cloake (Slaney Olympic), while third in 14:44.59 was Alastair Higgins (Dublin Bay RC).

Finished tenth  and first woman in 16:33.54 was Aideen Burke  (Donore Harriers, W40). Nicola Cleary  and second and first W50 in 17:06.34 and Imogen  Boaden third and first W45 in 18:05.49. Of the 88 starters at 9pm on Friday evening,  67 finished.

Catch-up

Australia-based Jessica Coyne (Leevale AC) ran a personal best 76:33 for ninth place in the Melbourne Half Marathon on October 13. Earlier this year, Coyne ran 33:42 for 10km, also in Melbourne.