Dublin Clubs results, 17 - 18 January 2025

 DUBLIN ON THE DOUBLE AT LEINSTER MASTERS CROSS COUNTRY

 Dublin clubs won the over 35 team titles at the Leinster Masters Cross-Country Championships held at Fenagh, Co Carlow on Sunday (January 18), where Sportsworld proved best of the women and Raheny Shamrock took the men’s title.

There was also an individual win for Lisa Madden of Sportsworld AC in the women’s race. Making up the winning Sportsworld team were Elaine Kennedy 5th and Lorna Quinn 12th. Also in action was a team from Liffey Valley which finished sixth. In the age categories, Maria Dolan (Raheny Shamrock AC) finished first W55, with Sharon Tighe (Tallaght AC) third, while Fiona Byrne (Civil Service AC) finished second W60. Raheny Shamrock was second W50 team.

In a closely fought men’s over 35 to 49 race, Raheny Shamrock AC, led by Brian Sexton in sixth place, beat Mullingar Harriers by just two points for the team title. Liffey Valley AC, with David Carroll 7th, finished third. Finishing second in the M40 category was Karoldavid Cronin (Sportsworld AC). Race winner by some distance was former Rathfarnham WSAF member and Irish marathon champion Sean Hehir, now based in Wexford. David Kirwan (Raheny Shamrock AC) was third M45. In the older age groups, Brian Geraghty (Donore Harriers) won the M50 title, with Colm Costello (Brothers Pearse AC) third, while Des Tremble (Donore Harriers) was the M55 winner, followed by Bruce Campbell (Sportsworld AC). Finishing second M60 was Edwin Keville (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) Philip O’Doherty (Clonliffe Harriers) was second M65 and Vincent O’Neill (Civil Service Harriers) second M70. Donore Harriers won the over 50 team title with Brothers Pearse second. Dublin made a clean sweep of all four county titles.

In the intermediate races, Elle O’Driscoll (Liffey Valley AC) beat her clubmate Cliodhna Tutty Bardon for the title. Eavan McLoughlin (Dublin City Harriers) was third. Liffey Valley took the team title ahead of DCH and Sportsworld. Donore Harriers finished third team n the men’s intermediate race, led by Kevin O’Boyle in seventh place. 

SECOND VICTORY FOR VICKERY - Meet and Train Winter League

A massive 211 finished the second round of the Women’s Meet & Train Winter League held on 18th January at the DSD grounds on Tibradden Lane, with the 3km cross-country course also taking in fields belonging to the next door farmer (to whom much thanks is due). Rebekah Vickery (Brothers Pearse AC), winner at the opening round at the Curragh, made it two wins from two when finished in 12 mins 32 secs. Roisin McMahon (Sportsworld AC) was five seconds adrift for second in 12:37. Finishing third in 13:23 Jane Leonard of host club Dundrum South Dublin AC, while fourth and first W40 in 13:32 was Grainne Black (Rathfarnham WSAF AC). With Sinead Staunton fifth and Rachel Calvey sixth, Sportsworld is currently leading the team competition. In the age groups, winners were Louise Bruton (Sportsworld B) W50, Ann Higgins (Sportsworld F) W60, Hazel Foster (Waterstown Warriors) W70, and the legendary Ann Woodlock (Donore Harriers) W80. 

Among the new clubs entering the league this season is Artane Beaumont RC, with Teresa Gunn leading them home. Next round is on February 22 at Tymon Park and newcomers always welcome. More at https://www.flickr.com/photos/lindie/albums/72177720331536773. 

INDOORS - BORI BACK IN ACTION - AI Open Games

At the AI Open Games in the National Indoor Arena, Abbotstown on Saturday (January 17) , Bori Akinola (UCD AC), the current Irish 60m champion, got his indoor season off to a good start with wins in times of 6.69 secs and later 6.68 in the series of 60m runs. Nkemjika Onwumereh (Metro St Brigid’s AC) was second in 6.89 and Michael Farrelly (Raheny Shamrock AC) third I 6.89. In the second race, Farrelly finished second behind Akinola in 6.81 with Onwumereh fourth in 6.88. In the women’s 60m, Aisling Kelly (UCD) clocked times of 7.56 and 7.49 secs for second in the opening and fastest of the seven heats. Paralympian Orla Comerford (Raheny Shamrock) ran identical times of 7.67 for fourth place in both rounds. Winning the second heat in both rounds with times of 7.54 and 7.52 was Gloria Oigbochie (Tallaght AC). In the second round of races, Rhianna McCarthy (UCD AC) finished second behind Oigbochie in 7.73 also winning the long jump with a leap of 5.77m. First home in both rounds of the third heat was Isabelle Doyle (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) in in 7.92 and 7.85 secs. Mollie O’Reilly (Dundrum South Dublin AC) won the second of ten 200m heats in 24-16 secs — the second fastest time of the day. In the triple jump, current Irish champion Daphni Doulaptsi-Teeuwen (Raheny Shamrock) was a comfortable winner with a 12.44m effort, while Nessa Donoghue (Lusk AC) proved best in the weight for distance with a 4.41m heave. In the fourth of five men’s 400m heats, Darragh Murphy (UCD) won the fourth of five 400m heats in 48.77 secs, the second fastest time of the day. Niall Allen (Clonliffe Harriers) threw 6.55m for victory in the men’s weight for distance and was also second in the shot with 11.07. Over the longer distances, Charlotte Myers (Crusaders) won the first of two 800m heats in 2:10.70, with Renee Crotty (UCD) second in 2:11.29. Niamh Kelly (Clonliffe Harriers) won the second heat in 2:14.23. First home in the 1500m was Ellie Hartnett (UCD AC) with a time of 4:24.43. A few days earlier (Wednesday 14 January)Hartnett had won the 800m in 2:11.53 at the Track and Field Live meet, also in the NIA, while Mollie O’Reilly proved fastest in the 60m with a time of 7.54. Also at the Track and Field Live meet, Kevin Woods (UCD) finished second in the 600m behind Mark English, who set a national record of 1:15.80 for victory. Woods finished in 1:21.00 and Khaled Kourrii (Tallaght AC) third I 1:22.33.

Also taking place over the weekend at the NIA was the National Indoor Combined Events Championships where Louise King (DSD AC) took silver in the women’s pentathlon with 3209 points. 

MEEHAN SECOND IN MOUNTAIN ULTRA - Art O'Neill Challenge

 A the gruelling Art O’Neill 62km Challenge from Dublin Castle over the mountains to Glenmalure through Friday night and Saturday morning, Sean Meehan of Cherry Orchard RC was second in 6 hrs 53 mins 49 secs and his clubmate Phillip Slattery third in 6:54.36. From 190 starters, a total of 166 finished.