Donore Harriers star runner John Travers helped Athlone IT to second place in the Universities Road Relay championships at Maynooth on Saturday. John ran the middle leg in a 1, 2, 3, 2, 1 miles race that attracts some of the best athletes in the country. His time of 13.50.00 was second fastest of the day and ensured his team consolidated second position behind team winners DCU. Heywood Richardson (5.09 & 11.09) helped the host team NUI Maynooth to 16^th fastest team from a field of 25 by running in the 1^st and 4^th legs.

In the Meet & Train Cross Country League fixture at Cow Park in Dunboyne on Sunday  the Donore Harriers women’s team were well represented. Kim Hickey led a team of 13 in 2^nd place. The other finishers in a demanding mud laden course were: – 21^st Mary Melvin; 34^th Karen Crowley; 35^th Sian O’Connor; 47^th Lee Chambers; 49^th Mary Murphy; 55^th Meadbh Campbell; 60^th Mary Kingston; 75^th Teresa Brophy; 76^th Angela O’Dea; 84^th Eilish Joyce; 107^th Michelle Dawson; 113^th Sue Lynch. There were 120 finishers.

Other results: –

Microgaming Manx League, Peel, Isle of Man 6 miles

2^nd Mark Dooley (32.36)

Morun 10km at Phoenix Park 

1^st Gavin Keogh (33.54); 16^th Andrew Cusack (39.57); 26^th Ruairi Short (41.42)

Marley Parkrun 5km: 1^st Barbara Cleary W40 (16.54); 2^nd Will Morris M35 (17.11)

Malahide Parkrun 5km: 18^th David Wogan M50 (21.34)

Tymon Parkrun 5km: 11^th / 1^st woman Samantha Conroy W35 (21.06); 12^th Frank McNally M50 (21.27)

Griffeen Parkrun 5km: 2^nd George Brady M35 (17.44)

Next Saturday sees 9 Donore Harriers athletes represent Ireland in the British & Irish Masters Cross Country Championships at Nottingham. Aislinn Nic Dhomhnaill competes in the Womens W35 category whilst Anne Curley and Ann Woodlock compete in the W40 and W70 races respectively. John Dunne M35; Niall Lynch M40; Barry Potts M65; Terry Mee M70; Jim McNamara and Joseph Maguire in the M75 class make this a proud and special event for the club.

On Sunday a number of Donore athletes will compete in the National Inter-Counties Cross Country Championships at Dundalk IT. Those to watch out for include John Travers representing Dublin in the Senior Men, Barbara Clearly in the colours of Clare in the Women’s race and Caoimhin Kelly running for Monaghan in the u/23s category. This championship acts as a trial in the selection process for the forthcoming European Cross Country championships which takes place in Bulgaria on the 14^th of December.

Good luck to all!