Two gold, one silver and two bronze made it Donore Harriers most successful day at the Dublin juvenile cross-country championships for several years. The highlight of the Dublin Juvenile Even Age Group cross-country championships was the Boys under 16s race over a 4km, 2-lap course. Fathi Aden took the pace through the opening 3 kilometres before Louis O’Loughlin put ‘on the burners’ and sped away to win by some 40 metres. Aden was a comfortable 2^nd with Sekeriye Ahmed making it a clean sweep in 3^rd position. The team prize was not so clear cut! Clonliffe Harriers closed 4 runners in the top ten, but a magnificent run by Jack Raftery over the final 500 metres proved to be crucial. Raftery gained several places to cross the line in 17^th positon. It was good enough to get a one point win for the team as Donore Harriers scored 23 against 24 for Clonliffe Harriers. Ruairi Fitzgibbon and Jack Connolly were the non-scoring members of the team.

O’Loughlin, Aden, Raftery and Connolly were all stepping-up an age group and will be competing in the Under 15s championships next Sunday week.

Another athlete stepping-up was Lucy McCann. McCann, also running over 4km, held 4^th position until the final 150 metres when she out-sprinted her opponent for the bronze medal. Eliza Ni Thighearnaigh placed 6^th in the same race.

In the Boys under 18s race over 6km Michael Gibbs fell back over the final 2km circuit after making an over ambitious start. Gibbs placed 17^th, with Gabhan O’Tighearnaigh 25^th, Sean Creagh 26^th and Paul O’Neill 27^th. The team placed 4^th.

Other notable performances came from Honor Lynch 20^th in the Girls under 10s race over 1,000m, Michael Barry and Sean Kinsella who came 23^rd and 25^th in the Boys under 12s race over 2,000m – and Joe Kinsella 25^th in the Boys under 10s race.

Later in the day there were strong performances from Michael McMahon, Niall Lynch and others in the Athletics Ireland Autumn Open Cross races in the Phoenix Park. In the 8km race McMahon (27.24) showed fine pace judgement and gained to 18^th overall in a very competitive field. The second-season club member placed 3^rd in the M35 category. With this race being part of the selection process for the Irish team to run in the forthcoming British & Irish Masters Cross Country Championships (takes place at Santry on 14/11/15) McMahon can expect his first call-up to the national team. Niall Lynch should also be in contention for another Irish vest after he placed 36^th overall and 4^th in the M40 age class. Lynch also paced himself well and gained several places over the final 2 kilometres lap. Ciaran McCarthy M40 (28.50) placed 45^th overall whilst Emmet O’Briain M35 (30.23) came 86^th.

In the 5km race an in-form Karla Doran had to withdraw due to not feeling well, whilst Kim Hickey (20.18) put in a very determined performance to place 32^ndoverall and 10^th in the F35 category. Barbara Murray (21.14) was next club athlete home in 50^th spot and 12^th in the F40 age class. Florence Curley (22.26) placed 67^th and Karen Behan (23.01) was 74^th.

Terry Mee (24.10) and Jim McNamara (24.50) placed 90^th and 94^th respectively to win the M70 and M75 categories.  Barry Potts (21.18) placed 4^th in a separate M65 race.

On Saturday morning the cross-country action took place on the grounds of Castleknock College as the Business Houses Athletics Association began their winter programme with the Teachers 4km and 2km races. Donore Harriers athletes were very much to the fore. In the women’s 2km race Ide (12.35) and Sorcha Nic Dhomhnaill (13.09) placed 2^nd and 4^th. The other club athletes were – Janette Strickland F40 (15.00) who came 19th, Caren Crowley F40 (15.46) 33^rd, Catherine McKeon F35 (17.06) 49^th and Mary McDermott F45 (17.10) 51^st.

Eric Keogh (20.45) placed 2^nd in the Men’s 4km race with Lee Van Haeften (20.51) and Aogan MacDomhnaill (20.58) crossing the line in 3^rd and 4^th positions. The remainder of the field included Peter Nugent M45 (26.01) in 62^nd, Tom Fagan M45 (26.20) in 67^th and Ian Redican M40 (26.56) in 74^th.

Colin Morrissey (3.03.37) ran a personal best in the Amsterdam Marathon. In theChicago Marathon Alma Hanevy ran an excellent 3.26.49 despite a recurrence of a injury from the mid-race point. New member Bernie Moloney posted a time of 3.40.45 and is a fine prospect for future Donore teams.

Other recent results include Gavin Byrne’s (4.00.44) 2^nd place in the Killarney Adventure Race. The race including a hill-run, run, bike, kayak, hill-run and run.

There were also Parkrun series wins for Declan Fahy M40 (17.19) at Griffeen Park on the 10^th of October and by Daragh Fitzgibbon (16.59) on the 17^th of October. At the Donadea 10km Trail Race (10/10/15) Lee Van Haeften (32.44) placed 3^rd.

Results in brief  

BHAA Teachers XC at Castleknock College (17/10/15): MEN’S 4 mile – 2^ndEric Keogh 20.45), 3^rd Lee Van Haeften (20.51), 4^th Aogan MacDomhnaill (20.58), 62^nd Peter Nugent M45 (26.01), 67^th Tom Fagan M45 (26.20), 74^th Ian Redican M40 (26.56)

WOMEN’S 2 mile – 2^nd Ide Nic Dhomhnaill (12.35), 4^th Sorcha Nic Dhomhnaill (13.09), 19^th Janette Strickland F40 (15.00), 33^rd Caren Crowley F40 (15.46), 49^thCatherine McKeon F35 (17.06), 51^st Mary McDermott F45 (17.10),

Athletics Ireland Open Cross at Phoenix Park (18/10/15): 5km race: 32^nd / 10^thF35 Kim Hickey (20.18), 50^th / 12^th F40, Barbara Murray (21.14), 67^th / 19^th F40 Florence Curley (22.26), 74^th Karen Behan F35 (23.01); 77^th Julia Hackett F40 (23.05), 90^th / 1^st M70 Terry Mee (24.10), 94^th / 1^st M75 Jim McNamara (24.50)

M65 5km Race: 4^th Barry Potts M65 (21.18)

8Km race: 18^th / 3^rd M35 Michael McMahon (27.24), 36^th / 4^th M40 Niall Lynch (28.20), 45^th / 8^th M40 Ciaran McCarthy (28.50), 86^th Emmet O’Briain M35 (30.23)

Chicago Marathon (18/10/15): Alma Hanevy (3.26.49), Bernie Moloney (3.40.45) debut.

Amsterdam Marathon (18/10/15): 730^th Colin Morrissey (3.03.37 PB) 1,458^thAlasdair Brown (3.15.59 PB by 8 mins)

Lisbon Marathon (18/10/15): awaiting result

Other results:

Killarney 70km <hill, run, bike, kayak, hill, run> Adventure Race (3/10/15):2^nd Gavin Byrne (4.00.44)

Donadea 10km Pop-Up Trial Race (10/10/15): 3^rd Lee Van Haeften (32.44)

Griffeen 5km Parkrun (10/10/15): 1^st Declan Fahy M40 (17.19)

Griffeen 5km Parkrun (17/10/15): 1^st Daragh Fitzgibbon (16.59)

Juvenile Results

Dublin Juvenile Even Age Groups XC Championships at Phoenix Park (18/10/15): Girls u/10s 1,000m: – 20^th Honor Lynch, 60^th Sofia Moorhouse, 62^ndRoma Moorhouse, 63^rd Melanie Abbey: Boys u/10 1,000m: – 28^th Joe Kinsella, 34^th Conor Mulcahy: Boys u/12s 2,000m: – 23^rd Michael Barry, 25^th Sean Kinsella: Girls u/16s 4,000m: – 29^th Robynn Strickland, 30^th Kate Lynch: Boys u/16s 4,000m: – 1^st Louis O’Loughlin, 2^nd Fathi Aden, 3^rd Sekeriye Ahmed, 17^thJack Raftery, 31^st Ruairi Fitzgibbon, DNF injured Jack Connolly – TEAM: 1^stDonore Harriers (23), 2^nd Clonliffe Harriers (24)

Girls u/18s 4,000m: – 3^rd Lucy McCann, 6^th Eliza Ni Thighearnaigh: Boys u/18s 6,000m: – 17^th Michael Gibbs, 25^th Gabhan O’Tighearnaigh, 26^th Sean Creagh, 27^th Paul O’Neill, DNF injured Ibrahim Mohammed.    Waterstown 5km Parkrun (10/10/15): 5^th Noah Synnott u/13s (21.10), 14^th / 1^st woman Sky-Dixie Synnott u/11s (23.57 PB), 23^rd / 3^rd woman Brooke Fagan u/11s (25.40)   

Waterstown 5km Parkrun (17/10/15): 20^th / 2^nd woman Brooke Fagan u/11s (24.56 PB)