There were more encouraging club results in the 3^rd fixture of the Dublin Juvenile League at the Phoenix Park on Sunday morning (5/10/14). And none more so than in the Girls under 16s category over 3000 metres! Lucy McCann ran out an impressive winner, whilst Suzanne Masterson and Eliza Ni Thighearnaigh came 2^nd and 4^th respectively – all showing improved form prior to the Dublin cross country championships in two weeks time.

The Boys u/14s race over 2500m was well represented by Donore Harriers with 7 members competing. Fathi Aden and Jack Raftery were to the fore in the first lap, before the race came down to a duel between Fathi and Pearce Christie of Bros Pearse AC. It was the Donore Harriers youngster who came home with 5 metres to spare, whilst Jack Raftery ran a tremendous race to place 4^th.

In the Girls u/10s race over 800 metres Grace Raftery judged her race perfectly and came from 8^thto third with a big sprint finish over the final 40 metres. Exciting stuff!

Other notable performances came from Niamh O’Neill, returning to racing after a long lay-off, winning the Girls under 18s class over 3000m;  and by Michael Gibbs, who came an excellent 3^rdin a very competitive Boys u/17s race over 4000m. Michael only took up the sport a few months ago and his progress has been very impressive.

Special mention must go to the three Fit4Youth athletes who competed for the first time. Kate Lynch, who was the first member of this new foundation group when it was set up back in the early summer, placed a very encouraging 10^th in the Girls u/15s race over 2500m. In the Boys u/16s race over 3000m Andrew Strickland and Ben Halpin both had very respectable runs to place 8^th and 11^threspectively. Their mentor Janette Strickland said: “I’m delighted for them. They did great. Especially Kate as she was really nervous”

Full club results (non official)

Girls u/10s (800m) 3^rd Grace Raftery

Boys u/10s (800m) 26^th Oliver Hopkins

Girls u/11s (1000m) 42^nd Sadbh Parker; 52^nd Clodagh McCooey (debut)

Girls u/13s (1700m) 38^th Ellie Raftery

Boys u/13s (1700m) 22^nd Alan Reid

Girls u/14s (2000m) 24^th Roisin Brady

Boys u/14s (2000m) 1^st Fathi Aden; 4^th Jack Raftery;15^th Jack Connolly; 17^th Luke Kelly; 18^thRonan McCooey; 20^th James McDonagh; 22^nd Chris Moloney

Girls u/15s (2500m) 10^th Kate Lynch (debut); 12^th Lauryn Dunne

Boys u/15s (2500m) 4^th Sekeriye Ahmed (debut); 7^th Ruairi Fitzgibbon

Girls u/16s (3000m) 1^st Lucy McCann; 2^nd Suzanne Masterson; 4^th Eliza Ni Thighearnaigh

Boys u/16s (3000m) 6^th Gabhan O’Thighearnaigh; 8^th Andrew Strickland (debut); 10^th Daniel Brady; 11^th Ben Halpin (debut)

Boys u/17s (4000m) 3^rd Michael Gibbs; 7^th Paul O’Neill

Girls u/18s (3000m) 1^st Niamh O’Neill