Track season in full swing – Irish roundup

To start the week Lindie Naughton brings us all the Irish endurance action and news from the weekend just gone (Monday 8th July).

Sarah Healy (UCD AC) made a massive improvement to her 1500m personal best time when running in one of the greatest women’s 1500m races of all time at the Paris Diamond League on Sunday (July 7).

Up front, Faith Kipyegon improved on her own world record time when winning in 3:49.04, improving on the 3:49.11 she set last year when becoming the first woman to break 3:50 for the distance. Jessica Hull set an Australian record when finishing second in 3:50.83, while Scotland’s Laura Muir in third place improved the British record to 3:53:79.

Healy’s time of 3:57.26 for seventh place knocked over two seconds off her previous best of 3:59.58 and puts her second on the all-time list behind Ciara Mageean; Mageean was also racing in Paris, finishing tenth in a season’s best 3:58.69.

Apart from Mageean, whose Irish record of best of  3:55.87 was set in Brussels last September, the only other Irish woman to have  broken four minutes is Sonia O’Sullivan who ran 3:58.85 in  July 1995 — now relegated to the third fastest ever Irish time. Pacemakers brought the field through 800m in 2:03.30, with twelve of the thirteen finishers breaking four minutes.

At the FBK Games, in Hengelo, the Netherlands, also on Sunday, Andrew Coscoran  (Star of the Sea AC) finished 11th in the men’s 1000m with a time of 2:23.29, well off his best of PB 2:19.2.

Elsewhere in Paris, Efrem Gidey (Clonliffe Harriers) was running at the ‘Fast Meet’ on Saturday (July 6) where his time of 13:23.83 for 17th place in the 5000m was a personal best. Next up for Gidey is Friday night’s Morton Games. On the same night, Ciara Mageean competes over the unusual distance of 2000m and Rhasidat Adeleke over 400m at the Monaco Diamond League meet.

A big day for DSD

Locally, Dundrum South Dublin AC finished top of the table in both men and women’s categories at the All-Ireland Track and Field League qualifier held at the TUS  track in Athlone on Saturday (July 6).

DSD are the defending women’s champions, and will be going for a twelfth title overall when finals day takes place on Sunday July 28 in Tullamore.

The Dublin club finished  comfortably clear of St Laurence O’Toole AC. Also in the top eight were Ratoath AC, Clonliffe Harriers, Lagan Valley, Raheny Shamrock, Lagan Valley, Leevale and Finn Valley who will now compete in the premier division final.

Behind DSD in the men’s classification and making the premier division were Nenagh Olympic, Ratoath,  defending champions Leevale, Ratoath,  many times champions Clonliffe Harriers, Waterford, Finn Valley and Tir Chonaill.

DSD finished top of the table by collecting solid points across the all the disciplines including with many athleteslining out in unfamiliar events to pick up vital points. Torrential rain made conditions difficult for both athletes and officials. In the county division, defending champions Galway  topped the men’s table ahead of Tipperary and Louth, with  Tipperary best of the women ahead of. Kerry and Galway.

Strong results elsewhere

At the BMC Grand Prix, in Birmingham  on Saturday (July 6), Nadia Power (Dublin City Harriers) won the women’s B 800m in 2:06. 07.  In the men’s G 1500m, Kieron Sexton (Crusaders) was the winner in 3:58.60, with Michael McCarthy (DSD AC) second in 3:59.49.  In the men’s B 3000m, Kieran Kelly (Raheny Shamrock, M35) finished eighth in 8:19.44.

Finn Woodger (Metro/St Brigid’s AC) produced the fastest men’s time in the 1500m at the sixth Dublin Graded Meet held in Santry on Wednesday (July 3).

In the second of two grade A races, Woodger finished in 3:54.9. Liam Donohoe (UCD AC) was second in 3:59.0. Donore junior  Rhys Johnson won the B race in 4:09.86. A total of seven men’s 1500m races took place.

Winning the women’s grade A 1500m was Fiona Hawkins (Dublin City Harriers) in 4:49.48. Second and first in grade B in 4:2.88 was Aisling Smith (Ballymena and Antrim AC).

Summertime road running

James Hyland and Siobhan Eviston, both members of local club Raheny Shamrock AC, were the winners  of the Nora Arthur Charity 5km in St Anne’s Park, Raheny on Sunday (July 7). Hyland finished in15:51 and Eviston sixth overall in 18:01.

At the fourth annual Mooreabbey 10-Mile,  in Galbally Co Tipperary, St Finbarr’s AC made it a double with Barry Twohig the winner in 54:07 and Irene Eighan first woman in 67:11.

Hills: Curragh Woods (8km, 240m), Co Cork, 11am www.imra.ie

In Dungannon, Co Tyrone, at the the Great Rossa Run Half Marathon, Pete Tuohy (Strive RC) was the winner in 75:29, with the ageless Tommy Hughes third and first over 60 in 77:21.  First woman in 88:36 was Louise Smith (North Belfast Harriers, W50).

In the 10km, the winners were Aidan O’Hagan (Strive RC) in 35:12 and Assumpta  O’Neill (Tafelta AC) in 41:34. Odhran Rafferty (North Belfast Harriers) was the winner of the 5km in 17:41 with Jennifer Martin (Tafelta AC) first woman in 18:41.

Wayne Waldron was the winner of the Bear Races organised Clontarf Half Marathon in Dublin leading home an astonishing 3,157 finishers in a time of 74:57. First woman was Clare Talty in 86:44.

A further 1,160 completed the 5-mile  run, with Eoin Maguire (Clonliffe Harriers) leading them home in 28:19 and Eimear O’Neill first woman in 31:50.

On a busy Friday evening, Aaron Smith (Cilles AC)  and David Rooney (Raheny Shamrock) battled it out to the end  at the Bettystown B5 5km  in Co Meath, with Smith the winner in 15:26  and Rooney two seconds behind for second in 15:28. Third and first M40 in 16:20 was Colin Leonard (Drogheda and District AC).

First woman was Laura McDonnell (Rathfarnham WSAF AC), W40) in 17:20, with Barbara Cleary (Donore Harriers, W50) second in17:25 and Sinead McDonald (Glenmore AC) third in 17:48.

At the Mick Murphy Memorial 5km, in Ferns, Co Wexford on the same night,  Ferrybank AC took the top the three places with Andrew Connick the winner in 16:01,  followed by Craig O’Brien second in 16:09 and David Cullinane in 16:17; Cullinane was also first M40. Myles Gibbons of host club Sliabh Bhuidhe Rovers AC was ninth and first M50 in 16:39. First M60 was Tommy Payne (Tinryland AC) in 17:42.

In the women’s race, Sheila O’Byrne was first woman in 17:16  and Catherine O’Connor second and first W40 in 18:28,  both from Slí Cualann. Nicola Moorehouse (Slaney Olympic) was third in18:49

Winners at the Rhode 5km, round 7 of the  Offaly 5km Road Races Series, were junior Jack Donegan (Tullamore Harriers)in 15:39 and Evelyn Coughlan (Le Chéile AC)  in 17:50

Finally, Aidan Connell (West Waterford AC, M40 ) was the winner with a time of 34:26 at the Deise College Dungarvan 10km in Co Waterford. First woman was Kealey Tideswell (Clonmel AC, W40) in 36:53.

Earlier in the week

William Maunsell (Clonmel AC) proved the class of the field at the Coillte 10km in  Dundrum, Co Tipperary on Thursday(July 4),  breaking away early and finishing in 30 mins 14 seconds.

A group of six behind him  battled it out for the minor placings, with Peter Somba (Ratoath AC)  out-sprinting Joshua Burgess (Lewes AC) to finished second in 30:56; Lewes was just one second behind in 30:57.

First woman in 34:46 was Niamh O’Mahony (An Ríocht AC)  winner at the Willie Neenan 5-mile in Millstreet a week earlier. Local athlete Dymphna Ryan (Dundrum AC, W40) was second in 35:53, with her clubmate Linda Grogan third in 40:00. A total of 304 completed this popular race.

Winners at the Rooskey GAA 5km in Co Roscommon  on the same night were Seamus Somers (Sligo AC, M50) in 16:29 and Cliona Murphy (Dublin City Harriers) who was third and first woman in 17:06.

Munster Running by John Walshe

Cork BHAA continued its summer programme with the Sterling 5km on Wednesday night (July 3). Although name of the company may have changed from Novartis to Sterling,  the circuit at Ringaskiddy remains the same as it has been since this race began back in 1998.

It boasts impressive course records with the fastest times standing to Hiko Tonosa at 14:31 from 2019 and 16:35 to Laura Crowe from 2013.

On a cold and windy night, Gavin O’Rourke (Eli Lilly) did just enough to win, with his time of 16:22 giving him six seconds to spare over his Leevale colleague, Aidan Noone, who was representing the Dept of Education. In third, a second behind in 16:29, was M50 super-vet Vivian Foley (Owenabue Medical Centre).

Clare native Sharon Rynne (Kepak) was the women’s winner in 19:09 from junior athlete Ella Collins (Collins), 19:30, with Linda O’Sullivan (HSE) taking third spot in 19:42.

On Thursday night (July 4), the annual Corkbeg 4-mile took place at Whitegate, organised by East Cork AC.

Making her debut in the race, Rebecca McEvoy of St Finbarr’s placed fourth overall  and first woman, recording a personal best of 24:13. In a good night for the family, Rebecca’s dad Eamonn easily won the M65 award with his time of 26:49.

Second in the women’s race was Tamzin Muldowney (East Cork) in 24:47 with third place going to Sandra Manning (Leevale) in 25:03.

Two athletes from the promoting club, Tony Forristal and James McCarthy, dominated the race upfront with Kilkenny native Forristal coming home a clear winner in 20:29.

McCarthy, last year’s winner, showed his recent lack of racing as his time of 21:33 was almost a minute slower than twelve months ago. There was a similar gap to third-placed Seamus O’Gorman, an unattached runner, who finished in 23:12.

Six hours before Sunday’s All-Ireland hurling semi-final between Limerick and Cork, the village of Galbally – home of Limerick manager John Kiely – welcomed just over 100 runners to the Mooreabbey 10-mile.

In a foretaste of what was to come in Croke Park, victory went to two Cork runners, Barry Twohig and Irene Eighan, both from St Finbarr’s.

Twohig, 45, recent winner at Donoughmore and running 2:31:01 at the Cork City Marathon a month ago, recorded 54:07 with Dermot Gorman of Carrick-on-Suir second in 54:46.

John Meade, also St Finbarr’s, second twelve months ago and third the year before, had to settle for third again in a time of 55:00.

Irene Eighan’s winning time was 67:11 with her club-mate Anita Locke second in 68:45 and Lisa Crowley taking third spot in 69:47.

First M70 in 67:58 was Joe Gough  (West Waterford AC) better known as a masters track athlete over considerably shorter distances. How many M70s can beat their own age in a ten-mile race?

Ultra-running

 Sorcha Loughnane (Donore Harriers, W40) finished fourth overall and first  first woman  at the Serpent’s Trail 100km. The course ran from  Haslemere to Petersfield  in the South Downs National Park situated in Hampshire, England.

Loughnane’s time was  9:38.46.