HIGHLIGHTS: Cathal McCarron and Paul Cummins 1^st and 3^rd in the WORLD HALF-MARATHON FESTIVAL at Donadea. Women’s and men’s teams had difficult opener in the NATIONAL INDOOR LEAGUE. Masters teams both sixth in LEINSTER CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS.

 

 

The first round of the NATIONAL INDOOR TRACK & FIELD LEAGUE took place in ABBOTSTOWN on Saturday (11.01.2020). There were some good performances from Donore Harriers athletes, many of whom were late call-ups due to key athletes being missing due to illness, injury and exams. In the women’s competition Caoimhe Mackey, who is a 400m hurdles specialist, tackled the 60m high hurdles finishing a very creditable 3^rd in 10.10. Eva McPartlan rushed from her exam desk to line up in the 60 metres sprint, placing a fine 4^th in 8.22. Jona Kalemi (2.46.99), on her way back from injury, finished 6^th in the 800m.

Juvenile athlete Sophie O’Farrell contested the Long Jump for the first time with her 4^th and final effort of 4.57m earning 9^th spot. Emily Geoghegan (7.95m) placed 6^th with a PB final throw in the Shot Putt. Donore Harriers came 10^th of 12 teams. Team captain Leonie Newman said afterwards: “we were unfortunate with injuries and exams, but it was a great performance from the women out there today”.

The men’s team also had a tough day in the Arena. Jack Byrne, a late replacement for Elliot Slade, broke the two-minutes barriers for the first time with a 1.59.7 in the 800m to finish in 4^th place. Conor Fox ran 7.48 to finish 6^th in the 60m sprint and Sean Chan jumped 5.55m to place 7^th in the Long Jump. Club newcomer Darren Weldon (7.77m) came 8^th in the Shot Putt and captain David Campbell (15.50) was 5^th in the 60m Hurdles. The team came 7^th from 9.

 

Donore Harriers fielded two teams in the LEINSTER MASTERS CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS at Gowran in Co. Kilkenny on Sunday (12.01.2020). Athletes were greeted by clear skies after heavy overnight rain. Just a week after an excellent 3^rd place in the Dublin Masters cross-country the women’s Over 35 team came a fine 6^th after a keenly contested 3km race. Audrey Gahan (17.37) was 17^th home, with Ariana Ball and Barbara Murray (both 18.05) outsprinting two other athletes to place 24^th and 25^th respectively. The non-scoring team member was Mary McDermott (21.10) in 63^rd position.Karen Costello of Dunleer AC was the individual winner with Sli Culann AC winning the team.

The Men’s Over 50 team competition was incorporated into the main master’s race over 6km. Peter Gaffney (25.29) led the team home in 67^th place, with Peter Nugent (25.57) and Tom Fagan (26.44) being the other scorers in 72^nd and 83^rd. With Gaffney, Nugent and Fagan placing 21^st, 25^th and 34^th respectively in the M50+ category their overall team score of 80 points was good enough for 6^th position with Mullingar Harriers winning on 32. Tony Kynes (27.14) was the team’s first non-scoring team member in 93^rd place. Kynes finished just outside an individual medal with 4^th place in the M60 category. Tony Griffen (28.48) was 108^th overall and 6^th in the M60 class and Des Gill (30.00) came 111^th. Eoin Flynn of Rathfarnham WSAF was the overall winner of the masters’ race and Des Kennedy of Raheny Shamrocks AC first Over 50.
Paul Cummins (1.24.28) came 3^rd of 121 competitors in the WORLD HALF-MARATHON FESTIVAL at Donadea Forest Park on Saturday afternoon (11.01.2020). Cummins was in 5^th place after the smaller opening lap. After completing 3 of 4 larger laps through forest trails he had gained to 4^th. A strong last lap edged Cummins ahead of Richard Numan, but he was unable to close the 100 metres gap on runner-up David Browne (1.24.09) of Newbridge AC. The race was won by Stephen Conroy (1.22.09) of Celbridge AC.

In the final race of the WORLD HALF-MARATHON FESTIVAL weekend series on Sunday Cathal McCarron (1.22.27) reeled in runner-up Brendan Keane (1.23.17) in the 2^nd half of the race to record a notable victory. McCarron finished with the 3^rd fastest time from the 4-race event.

 

In the first Business Houses Athletics Association fixture of 2020 at Tymon Park on Saturday (11.01.2020) Tristan Druet (21.01) came 8^th after 8 kilometres of cross-country running. Rossa Hurley (21.12) was just two places further back with M60 athlete Tommy Halton (35.22) finishing 200^th from 214 finishers.

 

In the PARKRUN series (11.01.2020) Over 75 runner Terry Mee (32.25) came 146^th out of 216 finishers at Griffeen Park. More results below.

 

RESULTS IN BRIEF:

NATIONAL INDOOR LEAGUE ROUND 1 at National Indoor Arena, ABBOTSTOWN (11.01.2020)

WOMEN

60m sprint: 4^th Eva McPartlan (8.22)

60m Hurdles: 3^rd Caoimhe Mackey (10.10)

800m: 6^th Jona Kalemi (2.46.99)

Long Jump: 9^th Sophie O’Farrell (4.57m)

Shot Putt: 6^th Emily Geoghegan (7.94m)

Pole Vault: No competitor

TEAM: 10^th Donore Harriers (25 points)

MEN

60m sprint: 5^th Conor Fox (7.48)

60m Hurdles: 5^th David Campbell (15.50)

800m: 4^th Jack Byrne (1.59.7 PB)

Long Jump: 7^th Sean Chan (5.55m)

Shot Putt: 8^th Darren Weldon (7.77m)

Pole Vault: No competitor

TEAM: 7^th Donore Harriers (18 points)

WORLD HALF-MARATHON FESTIVAL RACE 2 at DONADEA FOREST PARK (11.01.2020)

3^rd Paul Cummins (1.24.28)

121 competitors

BHAA BANK of IRELAND 6KM CROSS-COUNTRY RACE at TYMON PARK (11.01.2020)

8^th Tristan Druet MS (21.01)

10^th Rossa Hurley MS (21.12)

200^th Tommy Halton M60 (35.22)

214 finishers

LEINSTER MASTERS CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS at GOWRAN (12.01.2020)

MASTER WOMEN 3KM

17^th & 9^th W40 Audrey Gahan (17.37)

24^th & 6^th W35 Ariana Ball (18.05)

25^th & 6^th W45 Barbara Murray (18.05)

63^rd & 10^th W50 Mary McDermott (21.10)

73 finishers

TEAM W35: 1^st Sli Culann AC 29; 6^th Donore Harriers <Gahan, Ball, Murray> 66

11 teams

MASTER MEN 6KM

67^th & 16^th M50 Peter Gaffney (25.29)

72^nd & 19^th M50 Peter Nugent (25.57)

83^rd & 25^th M50 Tom Fagan (26.44)

93^rd & 4^th M60 Tony Kynes (27.14)

108^th & 6^th M60 Tony Griffen (28.48)

111^th & 32^nd M50 Des Gill (30.00)

120 finishers

TEAM M50: 1^st Mullingar Harriers 32; 6^th Donore Harriers <Gaffney, Nugent & Fagan> 80.

8 teams

WORLD HALF-MARATHON FESTIVAL RACE 4 at DONADEA FOREST PARK (12.01.2020)

1^st Cathal McCarron (1.22.27)

86 competitors

PARKRUN SERIES (11.01.2020)

Griffeen: 146^th Terry Mee M75 (32.25)

Poppintree: 20^th & 7^th woman Kate Cleary W45 (22.24)

Royal Canal, Kilcock: 19^th Charlie O’Neill M65 (24.53)

Waterstown: 24^th David Hudson M60 (26.57)