Another busy weekend for Donore Harriers!  The club had athletes competing in a variety of events at different venues both at home and abroad.

Claire Morrissey finished a very impressive 5^th in the 30^th edition of the Marathon Des Sables in Morocco. The multi-stage race takes place over the formidable landscapes of the Sahara Desert in one of the World’s most inhospitable climates. Described as the toughest footrace on Earth the athletes cover a distance of 251km in 5 or 6 days and must carry self-sufficient supplies in their back-packs whilst competing. More than 1300 competitors from many different countries lined up for this year’s event. Claire lay in 11^th position in the women’s category after two stages, but a brilliant 4^th placing on the penultimate 4^th stage over 91km leapfrogged her to 5^th. A 10^th place finish over the marathon 42.2km final stage consolidated Claire’s fifth overall position as she recorded a combined time of 31h.47m.04s.

John Dunne had an eventful run in the popular Rotterdam Marathon posting a new PB time of 2.34.37. Dunne was on target to break the 2.30 barrier until the 30km mark, but a groin strain and windy conditions over the final kilometres lowered his expectations. It was very much a case of Plan B and a steady run to the finish. John later commented: “All in all a good day with amazing support”. Ciaran McCarthy (2.39.10) had a very solid run and placed a very creditable 7^thin the M40 age class. Chris Muldoon (2.45.32) and Graham Hopkins (3.00.15) were narrowly outside their respective target times.

Hugh Brosnan (2.58.05) placed 3^rd in the Connemarathon International Marathon in County Galway. Starting next to the shores of Lough Inagh this testing race follows an undulating route around the edges of the Maam Mountains – passing the village of Leenane at halfway – before reaching the finish at Maam Cross village. Niall P. O’Reilly (1.28.20) came 18^th in the Half-Marathon race and Liagh Miller 738^th in (2.07.19).

In the Irish Universities AA track and field championships at the Mary Peters Track in Belfast there were wins for club members John Travers in the 5000m and Jaco Oosthuysen in the Javelin. Travers (14.28.56) was a convincing winner in the colours of Athlone IT. Eric Keogh (14.54.55) came 4^th in the same race representing UCD. Oosthuysen (59.23m) had 5 metres to spare over his nearest rival whilst representing DIT. Eamon Fahey (TCD) and Daragh Fitzgibbon (UCD) reached the finals of the 200m and 800m, with Fahey (22.14) placing 5^th and Fitzgibbon (1.59.88) 6^th in their respective races.

The Great Ireland Run at the Phoenix Park on Saturday afternoon attracted a number of high profile African and British athletes to the men’s and women’s races. The Donore Harriers women’s section had a large turn-out in the women’s race, with impressive racing from Anne Curley (39.17), who placed 19^th overall and won the women’s over 40 category. Grace Kennedy (40.18) was the next Harrier home in 24^th position, whilst Sorcha Ni Domhnaill (41.09) in 31^st and Karla Doran (41.18) in 33^rd ensured that the Donore colours were prominent against the other home-based club runners. In the AA1 senior team championship Donore Harriers placed 3^rd with Curley, Kennedy and Ni Domhnaill being the scorers.

With Ethopian and Kenyan athletes dominating the front of the men’s race the incorporated Irish 10km championships drew more attention for the local spectators. Michael McMahon (32.54) was always pressing for a top 20 finish, but had to settle for a noteworthy 21^st overall. In the process he was the 12^th Irish finisher, a remarkable performance considering that Michael only took up the sport less than 3 years ago.

At the Business Houses 10km race at the K Club in Straffan on Saturday morning there were impressive results from Colm O’Connell (33.29) and Gavin Keogh (33.36) who placed 5^th and 6^th respectively.

Elsewhere, Shane McCauley (36.55) won the M40 category when placing 6^th overall in the Fr. Murphy’s Easter 10km at Athboy.

In the Great Ireland Junior Run at the Phoenix Park there were some impressive performances from some of the club’s younger members. Noah Synott (9.43) finished an impressive 7^th in the Boys race, with Oliver Hopkins (10.48) the next best in 23^rd place. Honor Lynch (12.44) led the Girl’s team home in 44^th position.

Results in brief:

Marathon Des Sables at Sahara Desert in Morocco (5-10/4/15): 5^th Claire Morrissey (31.47.04) – best result 4^thon Stage 4.

Irish Universities AA Track & Field Championships at Mary Peters Track in Belfast (10-11/04/15): 200m Final – 5^th Eamon Fahey (22.14); 800m Final – 6^th Daragh Fitzgibbon (1.59.88) also (1.59.60) in S/F; 5000m Final – 1^st John Travers (14.28.54); 4^th Eric Keogh (14.54.55); Javelin – 1^st Jaco Oosthuysen (59.23m)

Great Ireland Run 10km at Phoenix Park (11/4/15): WOMEN: 19^th /1^st F40 Anne Curley (39.17); 24^th Grace Kennedy (40.18); 31^st Sorcha Ni Domhnaill (41.09); 33^rd Karla Doran (41.18); also Breda Mahony (41.55); Emer Rattigan (41.55); Sian O’Connor (47.47); Eva Campion (47.50); Mary Murphy (48.05); Lee Chambers (50.10); Meadbh Campbell (50.44);  Catherine McKeon (51.15); Laura Murray (51.53); Teresa Brophy (54.25); Jo Hughes (54.34); Dana Mackey (54.39); Hilary O’Connor (58.08):

TEAM: 3^rd Donore Harriers <A. Curley, G. Kennedy & S. Ni Domhnaill>

MEN: 21^st Michael McMahon (32.54);  105^th  George Brady M35 (36.50); also John Gleeson (45.23); Jim McNamara (46.35); Stephen Carey (55.32)

BHAA K Club 10km at Straffan (11/4/15): 5^th Colm O’Connell (33.29); 6^th Gavin Keogh (33.36); 29^th Patrick Moriarty M35 (35.37); 131^st Ian Redican M40 (39.59); 141^st Joe Murphy (40.48); 184^th Rhona Duane F35 (42.35); 189^th Alma Hanevy F35 (42.53); 252^nd Terry Mee M70 (45.54)

Fr. Murphy’s Easter 10km at Athboy (11/4/15): 6^th / 1^st M40 Shane McCauley (36.55)

Rotterdam Marathon (12/4/15): 71^st / 11^th M35 John Dunne 2.34.37k; 102^nd / 7^th M40 Ciaran McCarthy (2.39.10); 184^th /23^rd M40 Chris Muldoon (2.45.32); 588^th / 99^th M40 Graham Hopkins (3.00.15)

Connemarathon International 26.2km at Co. Galway (12/4/15): 3^rd Hugh Brosnan (2.58.05)

Connemarathon 13.1km at Co. Galway (12/4/15): 18^th Niall P. O’Reilly (1.28.20); 738^th Liagh Miller F40 (2.07.19)

JUVENILE RESULTS in brief:

Great Ireland Junior Run at Phoenix Park (11/4/15): 7^th M Noah Synott (9.43); 23^rd M Oliver Hopkins (10.48); 43^rd F Honor Lynch (12.44); 45^th M Robert Lynch (11.33); 63^rd M Daniel O’Neill (12.47); 90^th F Ellie Hoare (15.26); 103^rd F Ava Hoare (18.04)

Great Ireland Mini Run at Phoenix Park (11/4/15): Amber Lynch, Eleanor Hopkins, Skye Synott, Matthew Lynch and Conan Mackey competed

Note: results from Scottish Athletics Throws & Jumps grand prix not to hand