The first round of the Dublin Juvenile cross-country league took place at Ardgillan Park in north county Dublin on Sunday. The picturesque course having Ardgillan Castle on one side and the Irish Sea on the other proved a testing course for the young athletes. Donore Harriers had a team of 19 runners in the various age-category races, with Eliza Ni Thighearnaigh, Sekeriye Ahmed and Fathi Aden recording notable wins.

Fathi Aden stamped his class all over the under 15s race held over 1,500m and came home with a 100 metres to spare. Jack Raftery finished a very encouraging 5^th in the same race, whilst Jack Connolly placed 15^th.

Sekeriye Ahmed also give a front-running display and came home 60m ahead of his nearing opponent in the Boys under 16s race held over 2,000m. In the Girls under 17s race, also held over 2,000m, long-term member Eliza Ni Thighearnaigh ran strongly throughout to record her first ever win in a Dublin juvenile league race. Suzanne Masterson placed 4^th.

There were top 10 finishes for Honor Lynch (9^th in the under 9s); Brook Fagan and Grace Raftery (7^th and 9^th respectively in the under 11s); Sean Kinsella and fast-finishing Michael Barry (7^th and 9^th respectively in the under 12s); Noah Synott (9^th in under 13s) and Lorcan O’Ceallaigh (8^th in the under 14s).    

In the Dublin half-marathon in the Phoenix Park on Saturday morning Ken Nugent (1.11.08) give an outstanding performance to place 4^th overall and 3^rd in the senior men’s category. He was followed home by Andy Kinane (1.13.32) in 10^th place and the winner of the M35 class. Niall Lynch (1.14.39) came 13^th and 4^th in the M40 age group. Further down the field new member Neil Hand (1.25.31) gave indication of his potential, whilst Alasdair Brown (1.25.56) knocked two and a-half minutes of his previous best time. 17 years old Michael Gibbs (1.27.34) won the Junior category on his half-marathon debut. Terry Mee (1.41.22) won the M70 class.

The club’s women section were out in force with Alma Hanevy (1.40.12) leading the team home. Laura Murray (1.51.46) recorded a personal best.     

In the popular and competitive Charleville Half-Marathon Dave Heffernan (1.13.00) placed 11^th overall, whilst Kim Hickey (1.25.44) was 7^th in the women’s race with a new personal best time. Team captain Florence Curley (1.26.54) placed 2^nd in the F40 class and finished as 9^th woman overall.     

In the Laurels Crew 10km road race at Clondalkin Grace Kennedy (39.26) was 2^nd overall and was the first woman home.

Dublin Half-Marathon at Phoenix Park (19/9/15): 4^th / 3^rd SNR Ken Nugent (1.11.08); 10^th / 1^st M35 Andy Kinane (1.13.32); 13^th / 4^th M40 Niall Lynch (1.14.39); 21^st /5^th M40 Graham Hopkins (1.16.31); 40^th / 9^th M40 Shane McAuley (1.19.02); 97^th / 36^th SNR Shane Russell (1.22.07); 98^th / 27^th M35 George Brady (1.22.14); 211st Neil Hand (1.25.31); 227^th Alasdair Brown (1.25.56); 264^th Patrick Byrne (1.26.55); 287^th Alan Farrell M40 (1.27.20); 309^th/1^st JNR Michael Gibbs (1.27.34 debut); 993^rd / 25^th F35 Alma Hanevy (1.40.12); 1057^th Gerard Morris (1.41.13); 1050^th / 1^st M70 Terry Mee (1.41.22); 1251^st / 26^th F40 Nicola Dowdall (1.43.09); 1535^th Ariana Ball (1.46.47); 1814^th / 41^st F40 Mary Murphy (1.49.42); 1934^th Peter Bonnar M45 (1.50.58); 2207^th Elaine Verdon F35 (1.47.56); 2656^th Laura Murray (1.51.46 PB); 2696^th Mary Melvin (1.52.28); 3217^th Meadbh Campbell (1.56.39); 3516^th Deirdre Healy F40 (1.58.55); 3551^st Jo Hughes (1.59.11); 4165^th Sue Lynch (2.03.55); 4592^nd Liagh Miller F40 (2.04.10); 4526^th Dana Mackey (2.03.59)

The Laurels Charity Crew 10km (19/9/15): 2^nd / 1^st woman Grace Kennedy (39.26)

Histio Warrior 5km at Curragh Racecourse (20/9/15): 5^th Ian Redican M40 (20.01)  

Charleville Half-Marathon (20/9/15): 11^th Dave Heffernan (1.13.00); 100^th / 7^thwoman Kim Hickey (1.25.44 PB); 111^th / 9^th woman / 2^nd F40 Florence Curley (1.26.54) 

Liz McDonnell 5km XC at Castletown, Celbridge (20/9/15): 7^th / 1^st M40 Bob Blake <official results not yet available>

Dublin Juvenile Cross-Country League Fixture 1 at Ardgillan Park (20/9/15): u/9 Girls – 27^th Eleanor Hopkins; u/10 Girls – 9^th Honor Lynch; u/11 Girls 7^thBrooke Fagan, 9^th Grace Raftery, 15^th Sky-Dixie Synnott; u/15 Girls – 12^th Roisin Brady; u/17 Girls – 1^st Eliza Ni Thighearnaigh, 4^th Suzanne Masterson; u/9 Boys – 14^th Ciaran O’Farrell; u/10 Boys – 15^th Joe Kinsella; u/11 Boys – 14^th Oliver Hopkins; u/12 Boys – 7^th Sean Kinsella, 9^th Michael Barry; u/13 Boys – 9^th Noah Synnott; u/14 Boys – 8^th Lorcan O’Ceallaigh; u/15 Boys – 1^st Fathi Aden, 5^th Jack Raftery, 15^th Jack Connolly; u/16 Boys – 1^st Sekeriye Ahmed