It was a hugely successful day for the Donore Harriers athletics club at the Dublin Masters Cross Country championships at St. Anne’s Park in Raheny on Sunday. Highlights included John Dunne running a ‘stormer’ to retain his Dublin masters individual title – and victories for both the men’s and women’s teams.

On a cold and blustery day the first into action were the women, who had to race two 1500m laps over flat terrain. Anne Curley led the race at the halfway stage, with Niamh Fitzgerald of Lucan Harriers in second and Kim Hickey in third. On the second lap Fitzgerald (10.53) moved to the front and eventually ran out a clear winner with Donore pair Curley (11.01) and Hickey (11.10) placing 2^nd and 3^rd respectively. Hickey’s was a gold medal run as she claimed 1^stplace in the W35 category.

Strong running by Breda Mahony and Barbara Murray, who finished 16^th and 20^th respectively, ensured that Donore Harriers (41) won the team competition ahead of Clonliffe Harriers (58) and Raheny Shamrocks AC (61).

Further down the field Ann Woodlock gave her usual consistent performance to place 108^th overall and win the W75 category.

There was an exciting battle at the front of the men’s race over 6000m. Former senior international runner Peter Matthews of Dundrum South Dublin AC, the Raheny pair of Brian Leahy and Mick Traynor and defending champion John Dunne of Donore Harriers were in close order through the first 3 laps. Heading out into the last lap it was Matthews and Leahy at the front with Dunne and Traynor only a couple of meters back. With the race at melting point over the final few hundred metres it was Dunne who worked his way to the front, eventually winning by about 10 metres from runner up Matthews. This was a fantastic win for the Donore man, proving that he has the mental tenacity to outrun his opponents in the heat of battle.

Niall Lynch ran a very gutsy race. He was in fifth place going into the last lap, but he paid the toll for his earlier ambitions in the race to slip back to 7^th on the final circuit. However, he held on to win the over 40s category from his team-mate Ciaran McCarthy. McCarthy ran an excellent race to place 8^th overall. Fergal Whitty closed the Donore Harriers scoring team in 11^th place.

Donore Harriers (27) ran out as clear winners in the team category ahead of Rathfarnham (46) and Raheny Shamrocks (59).

Category medals were also won by Terry Mee, who got bronze in the M70s – and Jim McNamara and Joseph Maguire, who took gold and silver in the M75s.

Results in brief:

Dublin Masters XC championship – Women 3km: 2^nd Anne Curley (2^nd in F40 class); 3^rd Kim Hickey (1^st in F35); 16^th Breda Mahony F35; 20^th Barbara Murray F40; 76^th Irene Walsh F50; 108^th Ann Woodlock (1^st in F75)

Team: 1^st Donore Harriers <Curley, Hickey, Mahony & Murray> (41); 2^nd Clonliffe Harriers (58); 3^rd Raheny Shamrocks (61) – 15 teams

Dublin Masters XC championship – Men 6km: 1^st John Dunne (1^st in M35); 7^th Niall Lynch (1^st in M40); 8^thCiaran McCarthy (2^nd in M40); 19^th Henry English M35; 24^th Chris Muldoon M35; 39^th Graham Hopkins M40; 50^thDes Tremble M40; 58^th Alan Farrell M40; 91^st Noel Conway M40; 96^th Tom Fagan M45; 106^th Peter Nugent M45; 113^th Niall P. O’Reilly M35; 119^th Ian Redican M40; 136^th David Wogan M50; 167^th Kenneth Cronin M50; 186^thJim McNamara (1^st in M75); 6^th in 3km race Terry Mee (1^st in M70); 7^th in 3km race Joseph Maguire (2^nd in M75); DNF Gerard McDonald injured.

Team: 1^st Donore Harriers <Dunne, Lynch, McCarthy & Whitty> (27); 2^nd Rathfarnham (46); 3^rd Raheny Shamrocks AC (59) – 15 teams

The first round of the Athletics Ireland National Indoor League took place at the Athlone I.T. Arena on Sunday.  Donore Harriers fielded development teams in both the women’s and men’s competition under the captaincy of David Campbell. The young athletes performed with great endeavour with the women’s team placing 10^th of 12 teams on 24 points behind joint leaders Leevale AC and Craughwell AC (both 46.5). The men’s team lay in 15^th place from 20 teams on 37 points behind leaders Clonliffe Harriers (99).

Results in brief:

National Indoor League Round 1 Women:

60m: 5^th Linda Ngankam (8.00s)

60m guest race: Aoife Lynch JNR (8.16s); Ailise Keating JNR (8.61s)

800m: 6^th Claire O’Connor JNR (2.32.0)

Long Jump: 7^th Karen Hughes JNR (4.04m)

Shot Putt: 10^th Anne Gormley F50 (5.39m)

Team: = 1^st Leevale AC (46.5); = 1^st Craughwell AC (46.5); 10^th Donore Harriers (24)

National Indoor League Round 1 Men:

60m: 5^th Sean Lawlor JNR (7.16s)

60m guest race: Adam Halpin JNR (7.96)

800m: 4^th Daragh Fitzgibbon (1.58.70)

800m guest race: David Campbell (2.03.41); Killian O’Hora (2.14.92)

Long Jump: 15^th Adam Halpin JNR (4.34m)

Shot Putt: 14^th David Campbell (7.51m)

Team: 1^st Clonliffe Harriers (99); 2^nd Raheny Shamrocks (90); 15^th Donore Harriers (37)