Over a thousand Irish runners had signed up for Sunday’s London Marathon, where Conal McCambridge of North Belfast Harriers led them home in a personal best time of 2:24:27.

England-based doctor Caoimhe Nic Fhogartaigh of Portobello RC was first Irishwoman and third W45 in a personal best 2:47.37.

Other solid efforts came from Karl Nolan of Clonliffe Harriers 2:29.26, Derek Griffiths 2:30.04, John Eves of Dundrum South Dublin AC 2:30.50, John Kilfedder 2:31.01, John Lenehan 2:32.34, and James Cottle of Crusaders AC who was fourth M65 in 3:09.25.

Of the women, Bernie McAdam from Clones AC just managed to break three hours with a time of 2:59 51 finishing fifth W50, while Mary Slocum of Ward Park Runners in Bangor, Co Down, was third W60 in 3:11.44.

In the wheelchair race, Patrick Monahan of Le Cheile AC in Leixlip finished eleventh in 1:35.19 – six days after his sixth place in Boston, where he finished in 1:34.54.

Best of the Irish in Boston was John Kinsella from Limerick who ran a personal best time of 2:27.50, keeping up a steady pace throughout the race.

Just shy of two minutes behind in 2:29:48 was former Irish marathon champion Mick Clohisey of Raheny Shamrock AC. Mick’s uncle John was also in action in the M70 age group finishing in 3:53.47. Finishing fourth M60 was Patrick O’Grady of Drogheda and District AC in 2:53.28 while fifth W45 was Adele Walsh of St Senan’s AC in 2:55.11.

Colleges on track

Performance of the day at the Irish Universities Track and Field Championships, held over two days, (April 21-22) was a new championships record in the steeplechase for Sean McGinley of Dublin City University (DCU).

McGinley’s time of 8 mins 56.90 secs not only broke a 37-year old record but was a European U23 qualifying time.

In the women’s steeplechase, Roisin O’Reilly of University College Dublin was the winner and picked up further points for her college by finishing third in the walk. In a thrilling men’s 5000m, Dylan Casey of University of Limerick won a battle to the line with DCU’s Harry Corbett; the pair were timed at 14:24.04 and 14:25.11.

Winning the men’s 1500m was UL’s Mark Hanrahan in 4:04.64; in the women’s 1500m, Shona O’Brien of University College Cork was the winner in 4:41.26. Fiona Everard of NUI Galway won the women’s 5000m in 17:11.04 from DCU’s Aoife O Cuill who finished in 17:14.54, while Avril Deegan of DCU came out on top in the women’s 3000m, with a time of 9:43.50.

Overall, DCU continued its overwhelming domination of student athletics, having won indoors and road relay titles already this season. UL and UCD finished second and third.

Despite the inclement weather, the new DSD track, which was hosting its first ever major championships, won widespread approval. Next big event will be the DSD Open meet on Sunday June 18, for which entry is now open.

Winning the men’s A race at the North Belfast Harriers Afternoon of 5000m Meet in Belfast was Andrew Milligan of North Belfast Harriers in 14:03.09. He was followed by Neil Johnston of Annadale Striders on 14:97.87 and Irish U20 international Jonas Stafford of Ashford AC 14:10.37.

First in the women’s A race was Nadine Donegan of Tullamore Harriers in 16:34.02 followed by her younger sister Danielle Donegan of UCD AC in 16:48.65.

Photo: Clonliffe Harriers

Road relay wins for Clonliffe and Leevale

Defending champions Clonliffe Harriers were comfortable winners of the senior men’s race at the National Road Relays hosted by Raheny Shamrock AC on the traditional All Saints Road circuit in Dublin on Sunday (April 23).

Making up the team were Stephen Cashin, Eoin Peirce, Efrem Gidey and Jayme Rossiter who finished the 2x1x3x2 mile race in 37 mins 12 secs. It was a sixteenth victory for the club in this event since it first took place in the early 1970s.

Donore Harriers – Kane Collins, Jack Byrne, John Travers and Josh O’Sullivan-Hourihan – finished over a minute behind for second place in 38:21. Third was St Abban’s who had briefly led on the oepning stages of the race.

In the womens’ 1x2x1 mile, Leevale AC regained the title they last won in 2016, with Lizzie Lee and Niamh Moore running the mile legs and Michelle Finn the middle two mile leg for a total time of 20:50. Second in 21:04 was the Rathfarnham WSAF AC trio of Louise Gaffney, Carla Sweeney and Zoie Richie, while third in 21:15 was Raheny Shamrock, with Lucy Barrett, Niamh Kearney and Iseult O’Donnell making up the team. Defending champions UCD AC finished fourth in 21:28.

A strong third leg from Siobhan Eviston after strong efforts from Zoe Quinn and Kate Purcell gave Raheny Shamrock AC victory over Finn Valley AC in the W35 category, with just seven seconds in it. The teams clocked times of 21:40 and 21:47. Third in 22:01 were last year’s winners Sportsworld AC , while fourth in 22:30 was Dundrum South Dublin AC.

Brothers Pearse were the winners of the M35 title after a good scrap with last year’s winners East Cork AC and Donore Harriers. Making up the team, which finished ithe 1x2x1 mile racce in 19:10, were Ian O’Reilly, Colm Turner and Eddie O’Connor. East Cork finished in 19:23 and Donore in 19:29.

At over 50 level, Rathfarnham WSAF AC came out on top with a total time of 21:11; team was Sean McCreery, Shane O’Neill and Pearse Coyle. Second in 21:25 were Clonliffe Harriers, while a close third in 21:29 were Donore Harriers.

Raheny continued its dominance of the W50 category with a clear victory for Trish Fitzgerald, Annette Kealy and Adrienne Atkins in 24:13. Lucan Harriers was second and Drogheda and District AC third.

Roads

Five athletes broke twenty minutes at the Ballintotis 4-Mile in Co Cork on Thursday (April 20).

Leading them home was Leevale AC’s Ryan Creech in 19 mins 11 secs. Jake O’Regan of St John’s AC was second in 19:32, followed by Ger Forde of Kilkenny City Harriers AC , Tim O’Donoghue of East Cork AC and Niall Shanahan of An Bru AC who finished together and were all given a time of 19:41. Shanahan was also first M40 and Robert Troy of Liscarroll AC first junior in 20:38.

Finishing first woman and making it a Leevale double was Lizzie Lee who finished in 22:09. Fiona Santry of East Cork AC was second in 22:26 and Sharon Rynne of Kilmurray Ibrick Nth Clare AC third in 23:43.

Former Irish marathon champion Sean Hehir, now with Croghan AC, was the winner of the Wexford Half Marathon on Sunday (April 23) in a time of 70 mins 31 secs. First woman was Sally Forrestal in 82:12. Winners of the 10km were Dmytro Musiiatchneko in 32:01 and Claire Earls in 41:06.

Current national marathon champion Martin Hoare of Celbridge AC was the winner of the Maynooth 10km in 31:40. Laura Buckley of Dunboyne AC was first woman in 38:06. Junior athlete Rhys Johnson from Naas AC won the 5km in 16:34. Katie Hayes, also a junior, from St Coca’s AC was first woman in 19:31.

In Ballinora, Co Cork, Barry Twohig of St Finbarr’s AC was the winner of the Karen Fenton Memorial 5km with a time of 16:15. Michelle Kenny was first woman in 18:50.

In Co Cavan, Mindaugas Balciauskis won the Cootehill 10km in 32:17. Lisa Clerkin was first woman in 42:13. Mark Kearns of Shercock AC, a junior, won the 5km in 17:37; Lyla Dolan a W60 member of Annalee AC, was first woman in 22:45.

A little bit longer and a little shorter

Winner of the Royal Canal Run Ultra in Longford on Saturday (April 22) with a time of 4 hrs 3 mins 45 secs was Michael Bagnell. Third and first woman in 4:49.49 was Joanna Rice. Winners of the marathon were Eamonn Flannery in 2:40.28 and Sarah Flanagan in 3:00.55.

At the Almac 10km/5km, Craigavon South Lakes LC, also on Saturday, Peter Williams won the 10km in 34:20 and Cathy McCourt was first woman in 40:18. Martin McKenna in 16:30 and Mairead McManus in 21.01 were first home in the 5km.

Yared Derese of Carrick Aces was the runaway winner of the DKIT Dundalk 10km on Wednesday (April 19) with a time of 30 mins 30 – the fastest 10km time of the past week. First woman in 36:27 was Aine Cotter.

Brothers Niall and Thomas Sherlock of Clonliffe Harriers made a winning visit to the Inis Oírr Wild Atlantic Island Run 5km and 10km on Saturday with Niall winning the 5km in 18 mins 6 secs and Thomas the 10km in 36:18. In the 5km, Val Sheehy was second and first woman in 21;34, while in the 10km, Ruth Gunning was first woman in 45:46 .

On Friday evening (April 21), Danny Mooney of Letterkenny AC won the Hugh Gallagher Memorial 5km in Milford, Co Donegal in 15 mins 52 secs. A close second in 15:57 was Marty Lynch of the host club, Milford AC, while third in 16:33 was David Porter of Inishowen AC. Finishing sixth and first woman in 16:43 was Nakita Burke of Letterkenny AC. Helen McCready of Rosses AC was second in 17:18 and Cara Laverty of Finn Valley AC third in 17:55.

Also on Friday, Andrew Lennon of Athlone IT AC was the winner of the third race in the Roscommon Harriers 5km Series in 16:58. Jackie Kelly of Ferbane AC was first woman in 20:36.

Photo: Marco Gulberti

Head for the hills

Irish mountain running international Zak Hanna of Newcastles AC was the winner of the Annalong Horseshoe race on Saturday (April 22) in 1 hr 55 mins 21 sec. Shane Lynch of Glenmore AC was second and first M40 in 1:56.22 and Adam Cunningham of Mourne Runners third in 1:58:13. First woman was Esther Dickson of Newry AC in 2:28.49, followed by Alexa James of Carmen Runners in 2:54.57 and Karen Wilton of Jog Lisburn, who was also first W50, in 3:07.12.

Due to the heavy rain, the ‘bad weather route’ was used.

In race 2 of the Hill and Dale Series, at Tollymore on Thursday (April 20) the winners were Tom Crudgington of Newcastle AC and Martsje Hell of North Belfast Harriers.

In Co Wicklow, Killian Mooney of Dundrum South Dublin AC won the Leinster League round at the Scalp on Wednesday (April 19), with Jan Corcoran of Le Cheile AC first woman.