Dublin Clubs Roundup, 27 – 29 March 2026,

CROSS-COUNTRY - Meet and Train Winter League

Lorna Sheehan (Sportsworld AC) sprinted away for victory at the final round of this year’s Women’s Meet and Train Cross-Country League held at the National Cross-Country course, Abbotstown on a bitterly cold Sunday morning (March 29). Sheehan along with her clubmate Róisín McMahon, who had won the previous round of the league at Tymon Park, and Sophie McGovern (Brothers) Pearse, pulled away from the pack early in the race. Only in the final stages did her victory look assured. She finished in 13 mins 13.8 secs, with McMahon less than five second behind in 13:18.6 and McGovern third in 13:25.3. Showing remarkable consistency, Emma Finlay (Eskers Runners) finished fourth for a third time in the series. Aisling Smith (Dublin Front Runners) was fifth and Luz Estevan (Crusaders AC) sixth. Seventh and first over 40 was Sinéad Staunton (Sportsworld AC). Other category winners were Louise Bruton (Sportsworld AC) W50, Ann Higgins (Sportsworld AC) W60, Hazel Forster (Waterstown Warriors) W70 and Ann Woodlock (Donore Harriers) W80. Over three hundred women from seventeen Dublin running clubs and groups signed up for this year’s series.

Meet and Train Winter League - Overall results: 

Teams: Diamond - 1 Sportsworld A 44; 2 Sportsworld B 79; 3 Crusaders Emerald 1280. Platinum - 1 Crusaders Sapphire 383; 2 Esker A; 3 Blackrock B 465. Gold - 1 Brothers Pearse B 612; 2 Donore Divas 717; 3 DFR Space Cadets 750. Silver - 1 Esker B 809; 2 Sportsworld G 872; 3 Lucan Harriers C 912. Bronze - 1 Crusaders Diamond 994; 2 Waterstown Warriors B 1106; 3 Esker C 1141.

Individuals: Senior (under 40)- 1 Roisin McMahon (Sportsworld) 5; 2 Lorna Sheehan (Sportsworld) 8; 3 Emma Finlay (Esker Runners) 12. O40 - 1 Grainne Black (Rathfarnham WSAF) 13; 2 Sinead Staunton (Sportsworld) 17; 3 Caroline Conway (Sportsworld) 37. O50 - 1 Louise Bruton (Sportsworld) 28; 2 Ruth Mellet (Bros Pearse) 106; 3 Olive Fogarty (Sportsworld) 131. O60 - 1 Ann Higgins (Sportsworld) 225; 2 Breda Brown (Sportsworld) 303; Reg Coppinger (Sportsworld) 349. O70 - 1 Mairin Shine (Crusaders) 432; 2 Hazel Foster (Waterstown Warriors) 433. O80 - Ann Woodlock (Donore Harriers) 469. Prizegiving and 5km ‘social jog’, Sun April 12 (11am), Irishtown. All welcome! 

A day earlier, Edel McCreery and Sean Doran were the winners at the ALSAA BHAA Cross-County, held in cold, windy conditions at Dublin Airport on Saturday (March 28). In her first BHAA race, McCreery was a clear winner of the women’s 2-mile race, finishing in 11 mins 28 secs. Olivia McCartin (Dept of Education) was second in 12:37 and Sheila Nolan (Health C) third in 13:06.).

Doran won the men’s 5-mile with over three minutes to spare finishing in 25 mins 43 secs. Sean McCreery, father of Edel, was second in 29:11 and Derek O’Brien third in 30:03. With the cross-country season now completed, the BHAA now turns to the roads, with the Dublin City Council 4-Mile taking place in St Anne’s Park on Saturday April 11 (11am). Newcomers welcome! 

ROADS - SUNDAY RACES 

At the Michal Rejmer Dooneen 10-Mile, at Limerick Racecourse, Anthony Doran (Clonliffe Harriers) finished fifth and second M40 in 56:19. Ellen Cronin (Liffey Valley AC) was fourth woman in 68:38. Cliona Murphy (Dublin City Harriers) was fourth woman in 78.49 at the Omagh Half Marathon, also on Sunday.

 A total of 479 Irish runners completed the Berlin Half Marathon where Kate McCrystal ( UCD AC) was first Irish woman home in 81:01. 

OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD SEASON BEGINS 

Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrock AC) opened his outdoor track season with a third place in the men’s 3000m at the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne on Saturday (March 28). His time was 7 mins 42.85 secs.

In Los Angeles at the Bob Larsen Invitational, Ailish Hawkins (Dublin City Harriers) clocked a time of 4:29.83 for ninth in her 1500m heat and 16th place overall. 

Kate Doherty (Dundrum South Dublin AC) clocked a personal best time of 53.90 secs for fifth in her 400m heat and 12th place overall at the Clyde Hart Classic in Waco, Texas, while in Florida, at the Hurricane Collegiate Invitational, David Davitt (Clonliffe Harriers) finished fourth in his 400m heat and eighth overall in 47.76 secs

In Houston, Texas, Sean Aigboboh (Tallaght AC) ran a 100m personal best 10.33secs.

SCHOOLS

A great day at the final round of the inaugural MCH-Donore Harriers schools league which introduced thirteen new schools in the west Dublin area to athletics. On Monday (March 23),the girls' track meet at the Donore Harriers track in Chapelizod rounded out the series, with an impressive performance from Coláiste Bhride putting them top of the points table after the three rounds — cross-country, road relays and track— making them the overall winners. For second place, Clogher Road beat Kylemore College on count-back, with Pobail Scoil Iosolde fourth, Mercy Inchicore and Cabra CC equal fifth, St Seton's Ballyfermot seventh, CBS James's Street eighth and Colaiste Eoin ninth. Well done all - and here's to next season!

Pics from all three events are at https://www.flickr.com/photos/lindie/

HILLS

Ultra runner Sorcha Loughnane (Donore Harriers, W50) was first woman at the Maurice Mullins Ultra along the trails of Co Wicklow completing the hilly 50km course in 4:37.47.