Report on Dublin Clubs activities, 21 - 25 January 2026

STAFFORD LEADS THEM HOME AT RAHENY 5

Jonas Stafford (UCD AC) was the surprise winner of the 42nd AXA Raheny 5-Mile road race on Sunday, when he led home a record 4,008 finishers. In a classic battle between youth and experience, Stafford, who celebrates his 21st birthday in just over a week’s time, was pushed all the way by Clonliffe master athlete Colm Rooney. Rooney, aged 42, is twice Stafford’s age. Not until the final half mile did Stafford, better known as a steeplechaser, finally pull away from Rooney, with the pair given times of 23 mins 8 secs and 23 mins 10 secs. Only four men have broken 23 minutes in this race, with the record of 22 min 39 secs now standing for over thirty years. In a strong line-up of club athletes, Dublin-based Hugh Armstrong (Ballina C) finished third in 23:27 and previous winner Ryan Creech (Leevale AC) fourth in 23:35. On a good day for steeplechasers, double Olympic steeplechaser Michelle Finn (Leevale AC), back racing after a long injury break, was first woman in a time of 26: 35. Faye Dervan (Dublin City Harriers) finished second in 27:04 and Maria McGee (Rosses AC) third in 27:07. Clonliffe Harriers, led by Rooney were clear winners of the men’s senior team title ahead of Donore Harriers and host club Raheny Shamrock AC, with a massive seventy-four teams finishing. Best of the fifty-six women’s senior teams was Dublin City Harriers. Dundrum South Dublin was second and Clonliffe Harriers third. In the over 40 team category, Raheny Shamrock won both the men and women’s titles. Age group winners from Dublin clubs were Fiona Stack W40, Annette Kealy W55 and Orla Gormley W60 (all Raheny Shamrock AC); Sheelagh Jones (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) W65, Bernard Geraghty (Donore Harriers) M50, Declan Power (Clonliffe Harriers) M55, Gerry Boyle (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) M65 and Pat Devitt (Clonliffe Harriers) M70. More pictures from the Rheny 5 are on Lindie Naughtons Flickr site at https://www.flickr.com/photos/lindie/albums/72177720331669418/

*Special mention to long-time Raheny Shamrock members Bob Quinn and Steven Roe, who have now completed all 42 Raheny 5-Mile races.

SCHOOLS CROSS-COUNTRY : 

THREE DAYS OF MUCK AND GLORY IN PHOENIX PARK!

A thrilling boys’ senior 4km race at the West Leinster Schools Cross-Country Championships, in the Phoenix Park on Thursday saw Dylan Kelly (Castleknock College) and Charlie O’Neill (Belvedere College) given the same time of 13:12 with Kelly just edging it for victory. O’Neill, the Leinster inter champion last year, was leading Belvedere to team victory over Castleknock Community College land Harold’s Cross Educate Together. Leia Ryan beat her Castleknock Community College team mate Cara Mohan for victory in the girls’ senior race. Isabel Cuffe in third place was leading Lucan Community School to team victory ahead of Castleknock and St Joseph’s Lucan. Winning the girls inter race was Ruby Farrelly (Our Lady’s Templeogue) with Finley Cherry Maguire (Mount Sackville) second. First home of the inter boys was Adam Noone of Templeogue College. Belvedere College dominated the boys’ junior race beating Castleknock College and Terenure College , while winning the girls team title was Mount Sackville. At minor level the Belvedere boys and Loreto Beaufort won the team titles.

A day earlier, Megan Brunt (Loreto Dalkey) won the girls senior race at the East Leinster Championships. Loreto Stephen’s Green beat Loreto Dalkey by just two points to take its third team title of the day. In the girls inter race, the Green’s winning team was led home by Cate Beddy in third place. The school also won the minor girls title, but at junior level, had to be content with second place behind St Gerard’s Bray. Winning the boys’ inter race and leading Colaiste Eoin to victory over Gonzaga and St Michael’s College was Dylan McCambridge Crossan. Callum O Tuama (Gonzaga) won the senior boys’ race , with Blackrock College was the winning team. Blackrock College also took the junior team title while Willow Park proved best in the minor race.

Finally, on Friday, a massive 188 girls completed the minor girls race at the North Leinster Championships with winner Aisling Hegarty ensuring team victory for Skerries Community College. It was a Dublin clean sweep in the minor boys race, with St Fintan’s Sutton beating St Aidan’s Whitehall and St Paul’s Raheny. Dominican College Griffith Avenue packed well to win the team title in a closely fought junior girls race while St Aidans CBS took the boys’ junior team title in a race won by Braxton O’Shea of Gaelcholáiste Reachrann Donaghmede. Winning the girls’ inter race was Lily Walsh of Loreto Swords. In second place, Beth Reamsbottom was leading Santa Sabina to team victory over Holy Faith Clontarf. In the boys inter race Theo Duffy of St Paul’s Raheny finished second while St Aidan’s Whitehall took the team title. Winning the senior girls team title was Holy Faith Clontarf , led by Freyja O’Carroll in sixth place. 

All these winners will return to the Phoenix Park on Wednesday February 11 for the Leinster Championships. 

INDOORS - WIN FOR AKINOLA

Bori Akinola (UCD AC) won a closely-fought 60m in a time of 6.65 secs at the Lyon meet in France on Saturday (January 24) . In the women’s 1500m, Jodie McCann (Dublin City Harriers) was third in the women’s 1500m in 4:11.51. 

At Bryan-College Station, in Texas, Sean Aigboboh (Tallaght AC), a student at the University of Houston, clocked a personal best 6.79 for fourth in the 60m final.

After his cross-country heroics, Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrock AC) was in Boston at the New Balance Meet on Saturday where he clocked 7:42.58 for tenth place in the men’s 3000m. Closer to home, Eimear Maher (Dundrum South Dublin) finished second in the women’s 1500m at a meet in In Sabadell, Spain. Her time was a personal best 4:18.67.

Locally, at the opening round of the National Indoor League at the NIA on Saturday (January 24) , Marcus Lawler (Clonliffe Harriers) clocked 22.65 in the men’s 200m, while Mollie O’Reilly (Dundrum South Dublin AC) proved fastest in the women’s 200m with a time of 24.30. Defending champions Clonliffe top the men’s league table, thanks to victories for Ben Guiden 3000m and Niall Allen weight for distance as well as Lawler’s 200m win. Ratoath is second and Dundrum South Dublin third. Dundrum South Dublin lies a close second behind defending champions Ratoath AC on the women’s table. Round 2 takes place in Athlone on 8 February with the final at the NIA on 14 April. Fifteen teams from all over the country are entered in both competitions.