Dublin Clubs Roundup, 22 - 23 November 2025
FAY- BULOUS WIN FOR BRIAN - AND FIVE TEAMS TITLES FOR DUBLIN!
Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrock) was the surprise winner of an epic men’s senior race at the All Ireland Cross-Country Championships held in cold, wet and muddy conditions at the Templemore Sports Complex in Co Derry on Sunday (November 23) — a true cross-country test. In a battle to the line with Nick Griggs (CNDR TC) and 2023 champion Cormac Dalton (Mullingar Harriers), Fay, holder of the Irish 5000m record, came out on top with a time of 25 mins 13 secs for the 7.5km course. Just three seconds separated the top three with Griggs, who was also first U23, timed at 25:15 and Dalton at 25:15. Finished a fighting sixth was Efrem Gidey (Clonliffe Harriers, who with his clubmate Colm Rooney 15th, was helping Clonliffe to third place in the team category. Dundrum South Dublin finished fifth, Raheny Shamrock AC eighth and Donore Harriers 13th.
Pictures of Brian Fay running through the mud to victory are courtesy Athletics Ireland Facebook site,
In the women’s race, Eimear Maher (Dundrum South Dublin AC) came home tenth and third U23 in 28:07, while Jodie McCann (Dublin City Harriers) was 15th in 28:31. Dundrum South Dublin took team bronze, with Dublin City Harriers fourth and Clonliffe Harriers seventh.
As well as the senior races, combined U18 and U20 races over a 4.5km distance took place earlier in the afternoon, and in the women’s race, Cara Mohan (Metro St Brigid’s AC) finished eighth, followed closely by Isabel O’Reilly (Blackrock AC) ninth and third U18. Other strong runs came from Leia Ryan (Metro St Brigid’s AC) fifth U18 and Megan Brunt (Blackrock AC) sixth U18. With two in the top six, Blackrock AC finished second of the U18 teams, followed by Donore Harriers fourth and Clonliffe Harriers sixth. In the U20 team category, Lucan Harriers in fifth place proved best of the Dublin teams
A fighting third in the men’s U18/U20 with a time of 14 mins 11 secs race was Tom Breslin (Clonliffe Harriers). Not too far behind was Conrad Latham (Raheny ShamrockAC) who finished 11th and second U18 and Ryan O’Neill (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) who was 17th. A large group had travelled from Donore Harriers and with Rhys Johnson 18th overall and fifth U18, Callum Twomey) 20th and sixth U18, Liam Morris 20th and seventh U18 and Charlie O’Neill 24th and eighth U18, they mopped up both the U18 and U20 team titles. In the U20 category, Clonliffe Harriers was second. Raheny Shamrock fourth and the Donore B team sixth.
When it came to the county team titles, Dublin won five of the six on offer — men’s senior, U20 and U18 and women’s U20 and 18 — with the senior women finishing third. Not a bad haul!
MEATH MUD-FEST FOR DUBLIN CLUB RUNNERS
A day earlier, the Business Houses Athletic Association was at a private farm in Batterstown, Co Meath for the Ledwith Construction 6km, where Sean Doran (Harriers Products/Clonliffe Harriers) finished third and Des Tremble (Dept of Social Protection /Donore Harriers) was fifth and first M55. After recent cross-country cancellations in the city, Dublin clubs were well represented and finishing sixth and first woman was Celine Gavin (Donore Harriers). Malika Hammani (Eir/TT Racers) was second woman and Niamh Clarke (Donore Harriers) third. Age group winners included Claire Mulligan (Donore Harriers) W45, Maria Dolan (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) W55, and the ageless June Comiskey (Raheny Shamrock AC), W75 while Mary McDermott (Donore Harriers) was second W55. Balbriggan and District AC, marshalled by Chris Keeling, was well represented with Ramune Zolbiene first W40, Alessandro Porazzini second M40 and Denisa Adela Santo sixth woman. Next BHAA fixture is the Revenue 6km cross-country at Kiltipper Park on Saturday December 13 (11am). That’s assuming it goes ahead, of course, with the clamp-down on all cross-country races, including club races, still ongoing — and not only in Dublin. The Louth Intermediate Championships were postponed last weekend, as was a Clonliffe Harriers club race. Pictures from these BHAA races are on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/lindie/albums/72177720330499098/.
TOP TEN FOR ABDEL
Abdel Laadjel (Donore Harriers) made the top ten in the men’s race at the NCAA Div 1 National Cross-Country Championships held on Saturday in Colombia, Missouri. In a closely fought 10km race, Laadjel, representing the University of Oregon, finished ninth in a time of 28 mins 46 secs and led his team to fifth place.
ROADS
At the Clane GAA 10km/5km, in Co Kildare, Daragh Keegan (Donore Harriers) clocked a personal best time of 16:15 for third place, while Ian O’Reilly (Brothers Pearse AC) finished fourth and first M50 in 16:57. Laura McDonnell (Brothers Pearse, W45) was first woman in 18:17. Sharon McGrane (Civil Service Harriers) was first W60 in 23:12 followed by her clubmate Carol Dempsey in 23:12.
In the 10km, Wayne Waldron (Donore Harriers) finished fourth in 32:52 with Cian Murray (Clonliffe Harriers) fifth in 33:12.
Sarah Mulligan (Dundrum South Dublin AC) was first woman in 38:31, followed by Kathryn Gibbons (Crusaders AC) second in 38:58.
OFF-ROAD
At the Run the Line 26km in aid of Dublin Wicklow Mountain Rescue held in the Dublin mountains on Saturday (November 22), Aideen Burke (Donore Harriers) was third W45 with a time of 2:45.57. A total of 492 completed the race with a further 687 finishers for the shorter 13km distance.
SIGN UP FOR MEET & TRAIN LEAGUE
Next Sunday (10am) sees the opening round of this year's Women’s Meet and Train cross-country league at the Curragh - yes in Co Kildare! Entry is still open with teams and individuals welcome to sign up on the day. Four races will take place over the winery months with the best three results to count. Teams, which are graded into four categories, are of six with three to count, which makes it very flexible. All races are 3km-ish cross-country/off-road and entry is €20 for the series or €7 per race; pay on the day in cash. Other dates are January 18, DSD Campus; February 22nd Tymon Park, and March 22, Abbotstown. Info meetandtrainleague@gmail.com
