Dublin Clubs Roundup, 2 - 6 July 2025

ANOTHER GOOD TIME FOR HEALY - AND A WIN FOR COMERFORD

Sarah Healy (UCD AC) produced another encouraging performance at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League round in Eugene Oregon on Saturday (July 5) , although her time of 3:57.21 in the 1500m - just off her lifetime best of 3:57.15 set last month - saw her finish only seventh in the race. Winner was the Olympic and world champion Faith Kipyegon of Kenya who smashed her own world record when crossing the line in 3:48.68.  In the women’s 400m, held in breezy unfavourable conditions, Rhasidat Adeleke (Tallaght AC) finished fourth in 51.33secs — well off her best. Race winner was the American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in time of 49.43. Adeleke will hope for better when she runs in Monaco next Friday (July 11). Dublin did have a winner at the meet when Orla Comerford (Raheny Shamrock AC) sprinted home for victory in the women’s Paralympic 100m with a time of 12.14.

DUNDRUM ON THE DOUBLE AT TRACK LEAGUE QUALIFIER

Dundrum South Dublin AC topped the points table for both men and women at the National Track and field preliminary round held in Tullamore on Sunday (July 6). In the women’s competition, individual winners for DSD were Ciara Wilson Bowen walk, Charlotte Burke 400m, Mollie O’Reilly 200m and Aobh Forde 100m. Picking up valuable points in the long jump, 100m hurdles and high jump was Louise King. In the men’s competition, ex-Irish basketball international Lorcan Murphy won both the 100m and high jump. Murphy was also sixth in the javelin and helped the 4x100m relay team to victory. Other winners were Emmet Jennings 5000m, Jamie Byrne 1500m , Ciaran Carthy 400m and the 4x400m relay team.

Overall, the DSD women, who lost out to Leevale AC in last year’s league final, finished comfortably clear of the opposition. Also qualifying for the league final were teams from Clonliffe Harriers, Donore Harriers and Raheny Shamrock AC. In the men’s contest, the DSD men finished ahead of defending champions Clonliffe Harriers, who have won the title a record thirteen times. Also making the top eight was Donore Harriers. The league final takes place on Sunday July 27 in Tullamore when all the qualifying teams will put out their best possible selections.

A day earlier, Tullamore was also the venue for theAll Ireland U20 and U23 Track and Field championships, with a number of strong performances from Dublin athletes. In the Under 20 age group, Dubem Amah (Tallaght AC) won the men’s 200m in 21.49, with Luke Timlin (Crusaders) second in 21.56. Cormac Dixon (Tallaght AC) won a tactical men’s 1500m race in 3:59.85, followed by Lorcan Benjacar (Clonliffe Harriers) third in 4:02.34, while Sean Cronin (Clonliffe Harriers) won the 800m in 1:56.82. Megan Comiskey (Clonliffe Harriers) proved the class of the women’s discus competition firing otu a throw of 44.89 for victory. Earlier in the day, Comiskey had finished second in the hammer with a 43.47 effort.

Highlight of the U23 competition from a Dublin perspective was a clean sweep in the men’s 100m, where Sean Aigboboh (Tallaght AC) the winner in a time of 10.85 secs despite battling a strong headwind. Craig Duffy (Clonliffe Harriers) was second in 10.93 and Emmanuel Akinrolie (Titans AC) third in 11.00. 

Later in the afternoon, in calmer conditions, Akinrolie won the 200m in 21.50 with Darragh Murphy (UCD AC) second in 21.53, while Aobh Forde (Dundrum South Dublin AC) won the women’s 200m in 25.66. Over 400m, Kate O’Connell (Lucan Harriers) timed her effort to perfection to storm home for victory with a time of 55.00.  Pick of the longer distance races was a championship record of 4:22.80 for winner Eimear Maher (Dundrum South Dublin AC),while in the women’s discus, Anna Gavigan (LSA AC) improved the championships record to 54.24 on her way to victory. Dublin athletes dominated a closely-fought men’s javelin contest, with Euan Canniffe the winner ahead of his Clonliffe Harriers clubmate Hubert Adamczyk, with the pair throwing 49.44 and 49.06 respectively. In another Dublin clean sweep, Hugh Kelly (UCD AC) was third with a 48.28 effort.

 Ó BRADAIGH WINS IN CLONTARF

Eanna Ó Bradaigh (Dundrum South Dublin AC) was the winner of the Nora Arthur 5km in St Anne’s Park, Clontarf, on Sunday (July 6) in 15:32. First woman was Irene Gorman (Crusaders AC) in 19:26.

A day earlier, on Saturday, Raheny Shamrock athletes took the first two places at the Clontarf Half Marathon with Cian Charlton the winner in 79:02 and Anthony Eames second and first M40 in 79:23.

In the allied 5-mile run, with over 1,200 finishers, the winners were Fearghal O’Hare (Crusaders AC) in 26:54 and Rachel McFadden (Clonliffe Harriers) in 32:02.

Out in force at the B-5 Bettystown 5km in Co Meath on Friday evening was Balbriggan and District AC, with the north Dublin club finishing second in both the men and women’s team competitions. Other Dublin athletes picking up prizes included Anthony Doran of Clonliffe Harriers fourth overall and second M40, in 16:47; Peter Gaffney (Donore Harriers) first and Charni Purewal (Balbriggan and District AC) second M55 and Terence Neary (Clonliffe Harriers) first M60. 

At the 20th Mick Murphy Memorial 5km, held in Ferns, Co Wexford, Peter Arthur (Liffey Valley AC) finished third and first M40. Among the other Dublin runners who had headed to Co Wexford for this popular club-organised race were Paul Tester (Brothers Pearse AC) second M60, John McCabe (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) sixth M60 and Paul O’Brien (Sportsworld) fourth M40.