HIGHLIGHTS: Women’s team breeze into NATIONAL INDOOR LEAGUE final, as the men are eliminated.

 
REPORT: Women’s captain Leonie Newman rallied her troops and they delivered! After placing 2nd in the first round, the team consolidated their passage to the final of the NATIONAL INDOOR T&F LEAGUE with 5th place in the 2nd qualifier at the Athlone Arena on Sunday (23.01.2022). Talented multi-eventer Lara O’Byrne got the team off to a positive start with 2nd place in the 60m hurdles. Her time of 9.03 was just one-hundredth of a second shy of her personal best. Next up, Louise Murray (5.09.91) ran a solid race to come 8th in the 1,500m – and she was followed by Caoimhe Mackey (58.43) who won Heat 2 of the 400m and placed 2nd overall in the category. Mackey set a new personal best.
Meanwhile in the field events Lara O’Byrne jumped 1.60m to came 3rd in the High Jump. Andie Maguire, making a return to competition after an absence of 3 years, jumped 10.22m to bag 9 valuable points in the Triple Jump. Masters’ competitor Fiona Smith-Keegan answered the call to compete in the Weight-For-Distance (28lbs) – an event introduced to the competition for the first time. Smith-Keegan, who had never previously practiced the discipline, got in a first throw of 3.12 metres to place 10th. The final event in the contest was the 4 x 200m. The team of Lauren Flaherty, Andie Maguire, Sarah Lahiff and Caoimhe Mackey were DQed under Technical Rule 44.6 – leaving the assigned lane before the breakline. Whilst this may have cost the team a 3rd place finish on the day, it did not impact on their progress to the final.
The league final is due to take place at the National Indoor Arena at Abbotstown on the 12th of February.
Leonie Newman said afterwards: “The women were really super again today. We are now looking forward to the final. To be in the top 6 women teams in the country is a fantastic achievement”.

You could list any number of excuses as to why the men’s team failed to make any sort of an impact in the competition – and probably each excuse would apply. Injury, illness, a clash with other events, a focus to other competitions… Men’s captain David Campbell was left frustrated, but he never gave up! On the day, the team made a perfect start with Alex Clarkin (8.33) blistering to a convincing win in the 60m Hurdles. His new best time ranks him in the Irish all-time top 30 for the event. The next two track events saw two sprinters step up for the team and compete outside of their regular distance. The team captain David Campbell (5.40.20) trailed in last of 13 in the 1,500m, with Adam Halpin (58.38) ranked 13th in the 400m. Michael McCarthy claimed an Irish masters record for the Triple Jump with a 4th and final round jump of 11.87m. However, the jump could not be ratified as a specialist measuring tape was required to verify the distance. He placed 5th and gained 9 points for the team. Newcomer Daniel Hernon cleared 1.70m in the High Jump to place equal 5th and collect 8.5 points. The 4 x 200m relay team of Alex Clarkin, Daragh McAuley, Sean Chan and Adam Halpin came 4th in Heat 3 and 8th overall.
The men’s team placed 8th on 39.5 points, with Clonliffe Harriers 1st on 76.5.

The club had 2 athletes compete in guest races. Unfortunately, Aoife Lynch (8.91) trailed in last in the 60m sprint having picked up an injury. Jack Byrne (1.59.52) came 7th in his 800m race.

Caoimhe Mackey was the club’s lone competitor in the NIA LIVE INDOOR MEET NO. 2 at the Abbotstown indoor track on Wednesday (19.01.2022). She won Heat 2 of the 400m in 59.60.

This week’s cross-country action was the 2nd fixture in the Business Houses series. The BHAA EIR CROSS-COUNTRY RACES at the Tymon Park North course had several club members in action. In the 2-mile women’s race Mary McDermott placed 16th in a time of 15.44 – and the wonderful Ann Woodlock, now a W80 category athlete, completed the course in 21.03 for 40th position. Niall Lynch was the first club member home in the 5-mile men’s race. Lynch is gradually regaining his race sharpness and will be pleased with 10th spot in 30.06. The other Donore Harriers among the 132 finishers were – Tom Fagan (35.22) in 57th, Frank McNally (40.57) in 111th and Des Gill (43.37) in 121st.

Highlights in this week’s PARKRUN events (22.01.2022) were David McConn (16.59) 1st home at Porterstown, junior athlete Ruby Kelly (21.55) 1st woman at Castletown – and a PB by juvenile Lucas Collender (21.54) at Waterstown. Other results are listed below.

NIA LIVE INDOOR TRACK & FIELD EVENT NO. 2 at NIA, ABBOTSTOWN (19.01.2022)
WOMEN’S 400m H2: 1st Caoimhe Mackey (59.60)
MEETING DE LYON, FRANCE (21.01.2022)
MEN’s 3,000m ‘A’ RACE: John Travers DNF
BHAA EIR CROSS-COUNTRY RACES at TYMON PARK NORTH (22.01.2022)
MEN’s 5-MILE RACE: 10th Niall Lynch M50 (30.06), 57th Tom Fagan M50 (35.22), 111th Frank McNally M60 (40.57), 121st Des Gill M50 (43.37). 132 finishers
WOMEN’s 2-MILE RACE: 16th Mary McDermott W50 (15.44), 40th Ann Woodlock W80 (21.03). 40 finishers
NATIONAL INDOOR TRACK & FIELD LEAGUE 2ND QUALIFYING ROUND at ATHLONE ARENA (23.01.2022)
WOMEN’S DIVISION:
60m Hurdles: 2nd Lara O’Byrne (9.03)
1,500m: 8th Louise Murray (5.09.91)
400m: 1st H2 Caoimhe Mackey (58.43 PB) – 2nd overall
4 x 200m Relay: DQ Donore Harriers <Lauren Flaherty, Aoife Lynch, Caoimhe Mackey, Eva McPartlan> rule TR44.6 leaving assigned lane before breakline
Triple Jump: 4th Andie Maguire (10.22m)
High Jump: 3rd Lara O’Byrne (1.60m)
Weight 4 Distance 28lb: 10th Fiona Smith-Keegan (3.12m)
TEAM: 1. DSDAC 63, 2. Raheny Shamrocks AC 61.5, 3. Leevale AC 55, 5. Donore Harriers 49. 11 teams.
MEN’S DIVISION:
60m Hurdles: 1st Alex Clarkin (8.33 PB)
1,500m: 13th David Campbell (5.40.20)
400m: 4th H3 Adam Halpin (58.38) – 13th overall
4 x 200m Relay: 4th H3 Donore Harriers <Alex Clarkin, Daragh McAuley, Sean Chan, Adam Halpin> 1.35.82 – 8th overall
Triple Jump: 5th Michael McCarthy (11.87m PB)
High Jump: 5th Daniel Hernon (1.70m) debut
Weight 4 Distance 56lb: no entry
TEAM: 1. Clonliffe Harriers 76.5, 2. Nenagh Olympic 70, 3. Leevale AC 59, 8. Donore Harriers 39.5. 13 teams.
GUEST EVENTS:
Women’s 60m: 7th Aoife Lynch (8.91)
Men’s 800m H2: 7th Jack Byrne (1.59.52)
PARKRUNS 5km (22.01.2022)
CASTLETOWN: 18th & 1st woman Ruby Kelly W18-19 (21.55), 24th J.P. O’Hanlon M35 (22.28), 79th Joan McTernan W60 (26.34)
CORKAGH: 72nd Rosie-May Morris W11-14 (24.27)
GRIFFEEN: 106th Terry Mee M75 (32.43)
MARLAY: 15th Patrick Moriarty M45 (19.04)
POPPINTREE: 104th Eilish Joyce W40 (34.06)
PORTERSTOWN: 1st David McConn M40 (16.59), 13th Ken McKeown M35 (21.22)
SPORTS CAMPUS: 13th Paul Nunan M45 (23.37 PB)
TOLKA VALLEY: 4th Owen Robinson M35 (19.41)
WATERSTOWN: 6th Lucas Collender M11-14 (21.54 PB)