Dublin Clubs Roundup, 04 - 07 September 2025

ROONEY LEADS CLONLIFFE TO TEAM VICTORY IN LUCAN 5-MILE

Not only did Colm Rooney win the Lucan 5-Mile in some style on Sunday morning (September 7) , he led Clonliffe Harriers to a comprehensive victory in both the open and the Dublin Championships team categories. Rooney, also first M40, finished almost a minute clear of the chasers in 24 mins 9 secs. Second in 25:07 was Robert Murphy (Donore Harriers, M40), while third in 25:14 was local athlete Dylan Wright (Lucan Harriers) in 25.14. With Sean O’Leary fifth, Stephen Cashin sixth and Cathal McHale seventh, Clonliffe were clear winners of the Dublin Championships team title. Donore Harriers were second and Lucan Harriers third with eleven teams entered. Those three teams also finished in that order in the open team category where only the top three finishers counted.

First woman in 29:15 was Faye Dervan (Dublin City Harriers), who was followed home by Orna Dignam, second and first W40 in 30:54. In third place with a time of 30:57 was Alicja Kowalszyk, who was leading the home club Lucan Harriers to team victory in the Dublin Championships, ahead of Civil Service Harriers and and Love2Run AC. In the open team category, Lucan was also first with Rathfarnham WSAF AC second and Civil Service Harriers third. Age category winners, outside the top three men and women, in the Dublin Championships were Orla Gordan (Liffey Valley AC) W35, Gemma Treacy (Civil Service AC) W45, Breda Smyth (Lucan Harriers) W50, Laura Cunningham (Love2Run AC) W55, Margaret O’Freil (Liffey Valley AC) W60 , Catherine Dunne (Lucan Harriers) W65, Eileen O’Brien (Lucan Harriers) W70, Cathal McHale (Clonliffe Harriers) M35, Wesley Nolan (Metro St Brigid’s AC) M45, Paul Fleming (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) M50, Gerry Dore (Tallaght AC) M55, Sean Ryan (Civil Service Harriers) M60, Sean Doyle (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) M65 and Vincent O’Neill (Civil Service Harriers) M70. Junior winners were Pearl Clarke and Bobby Laycock.

In the age-group team categories, Brothers Pearse won the Dublin men’s over 35 title from Civil Service Harriers and Lucan Harriers. Best of the women’s over 35 teams was Liffey Valley, ahead of Civil Service Harriers and Love2Run AC. In the over 50 age group, the winners were the Dublin Front Runners women and the Balbriggan and District AC men. 

Over 700 had signed up for the race, while a further 150 underage runners turned out for the children’s races held earlier in the morning.

DUBLIN DOUBLE AT NEWBRIDGE 5KM

Josh O’Sullivan Hourihan (Donore Harriers) was the winner of the Newbridge 5km in Co Kildare, on Saturday (September 6) in 15 mins 5 secs. Lex Murphy (UCD AC) was first woman in 17:25, with Louise Gaffney (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) second in 18:02.

In Kerry, Robert Switzer (Brothers Pearse) finished fourth of 733 finishers with a time of 2 hrs 43 mins 57 secs at the Dingle Marathon. Finishing first woman in the Dingle half marathon was Lisa Madden (Sportsworld AC) n in 84 mins 58 secs. Her clubmate Gareth Murran finished tenth and first M40 in 81:39

REMEMBERING JOE COOPER

Clonliffe members and their friends turned out in force for the inaugural Joe Cooper Memorial Night of Miles at the Morton Stadium, Santry on Thursday (September 4). Five races were held, with Sean Doran’s winning time of 4 mins 28 secs in the opening race proving the fastest of the night. Second in 4:33 was Sean Carrig while third was Stephen Cashin in 4:34. In the second race, Alannah Cooley clocked 5:50 for the fastest women’s time of the evening. Overall winner of the race in 4:46 was master athlete Colm Rooney. Winner of the third race in 5:21 was junior athlete Jack Quinn in 5:21. First woman was Rachel McFadden in 5:28. Katie Halpin beat all the men to win the fourth race in a time of 5:50, with David Dineen second and first man. Finally, in the fifth race, Kieran Murphy came home first in 6:16, with Siobhan McCarthy second and comeback kid Jeremy Chapman third. The race was also round 11 of the annual Grand Prix Series, with the Joe Cooper Memorial Trophy presented to Dave Connolly by Joe’s wife Gladys. 

* The late and much lamented Joe Cooper was Clonliffe club captain for eighteen years. He had stewarded the club to eleven inter-club cross-country titles and ten track and field league titles before his untimely death in December 2020. Members of the Cooper family based in the USA, Wexford and Cavan travelled to Dublin specially for this event.

BRONZE FOR LOUISE

Louise King (Dundrum South Dublin AC) finished third in the women’s heptathlon at the Home Nations Combined Events Championships, held at Mary Peters Track, Belfast over the weekend. In his debut international athletics competition, former Irish basketball international, Lorcan Murphy, also from the Dundrum South Dublin club, finished fourth overall, with his best points coming in the 100m where he clocked 10.71 - the fastest time of the competition. He was also first in the high jump soaring over the bar at 1.96m.