Dublin Clubs Roundup, 02 - 06 April 2026
BALLYMUN BEATS ’EM ALL!
Winning the Bill Devereaux Perpetual Cup as outstanding team at the annual Emo Forest Run 5km/10km, in Co Laois on Good Friday (April 3) was a large team from Ballymun AC. First home for the club in third place with a time of 37 mins18 secs was Chris Doolan. Dean Hayden was just one place behindin 37:35. Finishing seventh and first M40 was Jonathan Piggott, followed by Kenneth Coakley third M50 and Sam Merrick second M55. Of the Ballymun women, Ann Marie Burns finished fourth woman and first over 40, Michelle Bennett was third over 40, and Ashley Carroll seventh woman overall. In the 5km, Traci Marshall finished second W50. Also represented in Emo was Civil Service Harriers, with Sharon McGrane first W60 in the 5km.
On Thursday evening (April 2), Colm Rooney (Clonliffe Harriers) finished second overall and first M40 at the Streets of Kilkenny 5km. Aaron Donnelly (Dundrum South Dublin AC) finished sixth in 14:38 and Adam Nason (Donore Harriers) eighth in 14:44. Kevin Donagher (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) was second M40 in 15:35 and Faye Dervan (Dublin City Harriers) third woman in 16:09. Of the teams, Dundrum South Dublin AC finished second of the men’s teams, while Cherry Orchard RC was the only Dublin club represented in the women’s competition, with 33 teams entered.
Alex Murphy (Dundrum South Dublin AC) was first woman at the Beragh 5-Mile held on Saturday in Co Tyrone. Her time was 30 mins 24 secs.
On Easter Monday (April 6), Dublin club athletes featured in three races. In Dundalk, Malcolm Kiplagat (Clonliffe Harriers) was the winner of the Easter Monday 5km with a time of 15 mins 51 secs. His clubmates Ian McAweeney was 11th in 17:26 and junior athlete Nessa Byrne eighth woman and second U18 in 19:57.
Best of the men’s teams at the Moynalty 4-Mile held in Co Meath was Dundrum South Dublin AC, led home in fifth place by Patrick Elliott in 21 mins 37 secs. Making up the team were Robert Corbally seventh in 21:55 and Gavin Callery eighth in 22:13.
Finally, Laura Tuite (Clonliffe Harriers) finished first woman at the Drogheda Easter Charity 5km with a time of 18 mins 51 secs.
* The sold-out 10th Battle of Clontarf 10-Mile, which was scheduled to take place on Monday April 6 in St Anne’s Park, has been re-scheduled for Monday August 4. All who signed up will have their entries honoured for the new date. Details www.rahenyshamrock.ie
MASTERS INDOORS
Ireland finished a magnificent seventh on the medals tables at the European Masters Indoor Championships held in Toruń, Poland (Friday March 27- Thursday April 2) with a grand total of 77 medals (22 gold, 33 silver and 27 bronze).
Contributing six medals to that total was Edel Maguire (Clonliffe Harriers), with five of those medals gold thanks to a hat-trick of wins in the W65 60m, 200m, 400m as well as relay gold with the women’s and mixed 4x200 teams. In a busy few days, Maguire also finished second in the high jump. Annette Kealy (Raheny Shamrock AC) added to her collection of masters medals with victory in the W55 cross-country, where the team also took gold. On the track, she finished second in the 3000m. For Plant Based AC, Rachel Murphy won the W40 3000m and was third in the 1500m. In the 5km road race, she finished second and also took team silver. Sprinter Sinead O’Connor (Metro St Brigid’s AC) finished third in the W40 60m (and fourth in the 200m) and in the relays, helped the W40 4x200m team to victory and the mixed 40 team to second place. Also on those two medal-winning 4 x200m teams was Snezana Bechtina(Clonliffe Harriers).
Carol Kearney (Lucan Harriers) finished third in the W60 400m and took gold with the 4x200 relay team.
For Dundrum South DublinAC, Avril Dillon finished second in the W45 60m hurdles and Alison Beck second in the W45 high jump while in the 4 x 200m relays, Shane Sheridan was part of the winning mixed 65 team. Well done all!
