To start the week Lindie Naughton brings us all the Irish endurance action and news from the weekend just gone (Tuesday 6th July).

While the Olympics are  – obviously! – the focus of our attention at the moment, it was a busy weekend locally for track and field athletics, with the All Ireland Under 20 and U23 Championships on Saturday and the All Ireland Masters on Sunday both of them in Tullamore, where officials were stretched to their limits.

In middle distances at the U23 championships, Sadhbh Mohan (Metro St Brigid’s AC) won the women’s 1500m in 4:41.20, Emma McEvoy (Dundrum South Dublin AC)) the 5000m in 17:04.44 and Amy Greene  (Finn Valley AC) the 3000m steeplechase in 10:39.40. Of the men, Cathal O’Reilly (Kilkenny City Harriers) won the 1500m in 4:03.22  and Michael Murphy (Tullamore Harriers) the 5000m in 15:00.45.

At Under 20 level,  Sean Quinn (Dundrum South Dublin) proved a star, winning the 3000m steeplechase in 9:08.07, where Jonas Stafford (UCD) was a close second in 9:10.27. Quinn also  won the the 5000m  in 15:36.58. Aimee Wallace (Mullingar Harriers) took  the 1500m title in 4:28.93 – the fastest women’s time of the day – with Elsa Moore (Lifford Strabane) winning the 5000m in 17:58.04.

All Ireland Masters – lining up in the men’s 5000m. Picture: Lindie Naughton

The Masters Champs bringing excitement too

A day later,  on a damp and cooler day at the masters championships, Brian Conroy (Clane AC) ran a smart race to take the M40 5000m title with a time of 15:24.67. Eoin Flynn (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) finished second in 15:28.84 and Stephen Conroy, Brian’s brother and Clane AC clubmate,  third and first M35 in 15:31.40. Richie Bell (Fr Murphy’s AC) was first M45 in 16:08.57, while Lea Fulcher (Plant Based AC)  won the M50-plus race  by some way in 16:49.91.

Fulcher also won the M50 800m in 2:11.00; other athletes winning both 5000m and 800m titles were Norman Mawhinney (Scrabo Striders) M65 and  Martin McEvilly (Galway City Harrier) M75; with McEvilly making it a hat-trick when he also won the 1500m. Fiona Gettings (Longford AC, W40)  produced a commanding performance to win the women’s 3000m in 10:11.16, with Maria McCambridge (Dundrum South Dublin, W45) second in 10:13.66 and Helen McCready (Rosses AC, W35) third in 10:15.32.

Gettings later finished second behind Denise Toner (Clones AC, W45) in the women’s 1500m with the pair timed at 4:46.52 and 4:48.52 respectively. Winning the W60 race comfortably was Anne Gilshinan (Slaney Olympic) in 5:07.56.  Gilshinan is a former W55 world champion and like many of the athletes competing on Sunday in Tullamore is heading to Gothenburg in Sweden for the World Masters Championships starting on August 13.

A world first

At the first ever women’s world decathlon championship, in Geneva, Ohio, USA,  Lara O’Byrne (Donore Harriers) amassed a total of 6570 points  over the ten events to finish sixth. Winner was Allison Halverson  (Armenia) with 72386 points. Lara, aged just 23,  picked up her best points in the 100m hurdles, 100m, 400m, and high jump  and also recorded a personal best in the shot.  She rounded off two exhausting days by clocking 5:26.54 for eighth place in the 1500m.

Shona O’Brien (Cork TC) proved the class of the field in the women’s 1050m at the eighth and final Dublin Graded Track and Field meet of the season held at Santry  on Wednesday  (July 31).

O’Brien won the combined A/B race in 4:39.85. Second and first in grade B was Rachel Murphy (Plant Based AC) in 4:52.71 while third in 5:02.07 was Sharon Cantwell (Moyne)

Race of the night was the men’s grade A 1500m, with David Scanlon (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) and Fintan Kerins (Clonliffe Harriers) battling it out to the line with Scanlon winning in 3:59.27 and Kerins second in 3:59.43. Third in 4:02.38 was Aaron Donnelly (DSD), while fourth was master athlete John Craig (Annadale Striders) in 4:02.64.

As a prelude to the meet, a women’s masters 4 x 800m relay saw world records set in the  W35, W45 and W70 age group, with master women travelling from all over the country to join in the fun.

Roads

Kieran Kelly (Raheny Shamrock AC) was the winner of the Michael Fearon and Kevin Marron 5km,  in Carlingford, Co Louth on Friday evening (August 2). His time was 14 mins 49 secs.

Second in 14:55 was Cameron Stewart (Annadale Striders) while third was James Hyland (Raheny Shamrock) in 15:12.  Fourth and first U19 was Oisin McGloin (Lagan Valley AC) in 15:20.

Hannah Gilliland (Annadale Striders) was first woman in 16:38 – just eight seconds off the course record. Faye Dervan (Dublin City Harriers) was second in 16:54 and Robyn McKee (Annadale Striders) third in 17:17.

In the team competition, the Raheny trio of Kelly, Hyland and Rooney proved best of the men ahead of Lagan Valley and North Belfast Harriers, with eighteen means entered.  Tafelta, led by Jennifer Martin in sixth place, took the women’s team prize, with Newry AC second and Dunleer third of the thirteen teams.

On Sunday, Peter Somba (Ratoath) had his second win in three days at the Kilbeggan 10-Mile in Aghamore, Co Westmeath, on Sunday (August 4).  Somba proved the class of the field, winning in 54 mins 20 secs, with Wayne Waldron second in 55:32 and James Keegan (Mullingar Harriers) third in 55:39. First woman in 59:45 was Aoife Kilgannon (Sligo AC). Rachel Birt (Annalee AC) was second in 60:37 and Paula Guinan (Oughaval AC) third in 68:38.

At the Banna 10km in Ardfert, Co Kerry, Karl Lenihan (West Limerick AC) was the winner in 33:33, with  Susan Glennon (Mullingar Harriers) first woman in 39:53. Winners of the 5km were Pádraig O’Donnell (West Limerick) in 17:06 and Deborah Leahy in 22:20.

Roisin McMahon (Sportsworld) was first home at the Clare Women’s 10km Mini Marathon, Sixmilebridge, Co Clare, 9 in a time of 39 mins 40 secs. Caoimhne Ní Shuibhne (Inishowen AC) was second in 41:31 and Siobhan Walsh (Carraig-Na-Bhfear AC)  third in 45.18.

Winning the Breffni 3 Province  Challenge Half Marathon in Arva, Co Cavan  on Saturday (August 3) was Dermot Clancy in 79 mins 26 secs. Therese McBreen was first woman in 99:01. In the 10km, the winners were Kevin Dillon in 37:18 and Edel Noland in 47:10.

Turning back to a busy Friday evening, Peter Somba was the winner at the Birr 5km in Co Offaly in 15:14.  Second was Kevin Moore (Mullingar Harriers) in 15:26 while third was Mick Fogarty (Ferbane AC, M45) in 15:49.

Lauren Dermody (Castlecomer AC0 was first woman in 18:01, with Denise Egan (Ferbane AC, W45) second in 18:19 and Caroline Donnelly (Edenderry AC, W45) third in 18:35.  The race was the eighth and  final round in the 2024 Offaly 5km Road Races Series.

At the Streets of Athboy 5km,  in Co Meath,  Aaron Getty (St Brigid’s AC) was the winner in 15:24 with Nichola Sheridan (Bohermeen AC) first woman in 17:06. Just one second behind for second place was Barbara Cleary (Donore Harriers, W50) in 17:07.

Munster Running with John Walshe

Dave O’Connor of St Catherine’s AC presenting Tamzin Muldowney of East Cork with the Dan McCarthy Memorial Cup for the wining team. Also pictured are scoring members James McCarthy, Tony Forristal and John Spelman.

Gavin O’Rourke, representing Eli Lilly, made it four wins out of four Cork BHAA races in a month when taking the honours at the ThermoFisher Scientific four-mile at Ringaskiddy on Tuesday night. Second was John Meade (Dept of Education) in 20:44 with Donal Coakley (Gilead Sciences) third in 20:48.

Mallow runner Breda Gaffney (Avondhu MF) was first of the women in 23:54 from Sharon Rynne (Kepak), 24:11, and Sandra Manning (SOSV), 24:50.

On Thursday night, St Catherine’s AC staged its annual 5km at Ballynoe and here another man on a winning streak, Tony Forristal of East Cork, added to his victories.  In a close finish where only nine seconds separate the first five, Forrsistal edged out Mark Walsh of Leevale by just a second, 15:48 to 15:49. Third was Darragh Mulcahy (St Finbarr’s) in 15:56.

Aoife Cooke of Eagle was a clear women’s winner in 17:41 from Michelle Kenny (Leevale) who recorded 18:17 with Tamzin Muldowney (East Cork) third in 18:50.

In an unusual team contest which saw three men and one woman scoring, East Cork came out best on 34 points, just a point ahead of Leevale. Not alone did they take the Dan McCarthy Memorial Cup they also won the €400 that went with it.

Despite the busy Cork schedule, Friday’s Kinsale Regatta five-mile saw a huge turnout with over 600 finishers. Paul Moloney of Mallow was first home in 25:26 from M50 Eagle man Vivian Foley, 26:12,  with Simon Nolan of Bandon third in 26:23.

Another prolific winner, Hannah Steeds of Leevale, in the fast time of 28:10 had two minutes to spare over Catherine Murphy of Eagle who finished in 30:11 with Margaret Murphy from Mallow taking third spot in 30:31.

Hills/trails

Luke Taylor (Highland Hill Runners) won the Seven Sevens mountain classic in the Mournes on Saturday (August 3) with a time of 3 hrs 47 mins 17 secs for the 30.5km course with 2,600m of climb. Second in 3:48.00 was Adam Cunningham (Mourne Runners), while third  and first U23 was Ashley Crutchley (Newcastle and District AC) in 3:58.37. First woman in 5:57.00 was Bernadette Quinn (Springwell RC). Shirley Farnan (BARF, W55) was second in 6:16.38 and Nicola McIntyre (Jog Moira, W50) third in 6:33.04.

Winning the Keeper Hill-Killoscully Half Marathon in the rolling hills of the  Silvermines in Tipperary, also on Saturday, was Michael Costello in 1 hr 29 minutes. Harry Brown (West Muskerry AC, M40) was second in 1:43 and Kealey Tideswell (Clonmel AC, W40) third and first woman in 1:43.46. Second woman in 1:50.50 was Dee Collins from Co Clare.

Trasna – Matthieu Bonne. From John O’Regan

Ultra running

Matthieu Bonne  set a new Belgian National Record for 24hours of 275.2 km at the Trasna Na Uaireanta 24 in Leixlip, Kildare, which started on Saturday and continued into Sunday.

Second and first woman with a total of 221.2km was Lorraine McMahon (Wexford Marathon Club) while third and second woman with 201.6 km completed was Deirdre Martin of Carrick-on- Shannon AC.

Best in the 12-hour  was Louise Byrne (Glendalough AC) who completed 99.2km. Caroline  McCabe  (McCabe AC) was second with 95.5km and Arlene Moore (Garristown Flayers) third with 95.1km.