HIGHLIGHTS: Niamh Clifford & Sorcha Loughnane 2nd & 3rd in the IRISH RUNNER/NATIONAL 10-MILE. Women’s team 1st, Men’s team 2nd, M35 team 1st. David McConn 2nd M40, Des Tremble 2nd M50, Sorcha Loughnane 1st W45, Barry Potts 1st M70. Gold and championship records for James Bolton, Julie Cleary & Emily Bolton on DAYS 2 & 3 of the NATIONAL JUVENILE TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS. Louis O’Loughlin (800m) and Lara O’Byrne (Javelin) took gold in the DUBLIN SENIOR T&F CHAMPIONSHIPS. Daragh Keegan 2nd in the RUN KILKEE 10km ROAD RACE. Aoife Lynch returned to competition in the GULDENSPOREN MEET in Belgium.

REPORT: <report/results by Gerry Naughton & Florence Curley> More than 600 runners lined up on Chesterfield Avenue on a warm and sunny Sunday morning to face a challenging IRISH RUNNER / NATIONAL 10 MILE ROAD RACE. The undulating course included the Furry Glen, Chapelizod Gate/Road, Wellington Road, Chesterfield past the Zoo, the Kyber Pass, Military Road, the climb back up Glenn Road and then the long finishing strait back on Chesterfield Avenue.
The men’s race saw eventual winner Mick Clohissy of Raheny Shamrocks AC and 3 others form a lead group, whilst the women’s race quickly spread out with Ciara Toner of City of Derry AC in the lead followed by two Donore Harriers athletes Sorcha Loughnane and Niamh Clifford.
Toner pressed on to win in 1.00.26, whilst Clifford caught up to Loughnane with just about a mile to go and claimed the silver medal in 1.01.01 with Loughnane next in 1.01.17. Loughnane later admitted that she eased back on training following her excellent run in the Cork Marathon a month ago. She was full of praise for her fellow Kerry native Clifford “Fab running Niamh, you cruised past while I was dying due to poor pacing”. Clifford was 38th overall and Loughnane 40th.
The provisional team results show Donore Harriers as the winning women’s team on 33 ahead of Raheny Shamrocks AC on 36. The crucial 3rd member of the team was master athlete Suzie Henley-Willis who set out to run a sub 1 hour and 20 minutes time. Henley-Willis (186th overall) ran 1.17.18 on a tough course to finish as 28th woman overall and 6th in the W40 category. She has not been running all that long, but her commitment to training is reaping rewards.
The men’s team came 2nd behind Clonliffe Harriers. The 3 scoring members had their own personal battle as the race progressed and were running side by side with just 2 miles remaining. David McConn (58.43) took the bragging rights as he finished 18th overall and 2nd in the M40 category. Next was Des Tremble (59.04) in 20th spot and 2nd M50, and he was followed by Ian Fitzgerald (59.08) in 22nd place and 5th senior man. The trio scored 60 with Clonliffe on 38 and Raheny Shamrocks AC 3rd on 63.
The Men’s over 35 team won gold. Alasdair Brown (59.46) came 29th and 9th in the M35 age group, followed by Alan Keogh (1.00.43) in 34th and 4th M40. The team was closed out by Fergal Whitty (1.01.13) 39th overall and 4th in the M45s. Donore Harriers scored 99 to finish well clear of Raheny Shamrocks (167).
The masters scoring trio was well supported by Wayne Waldron (1.01.45) who came 43rd overall and 11th M35 and Declan Lynch (1.05.43) in 67th and 13th M40.
Next home for Donore was newcomer Cian Dowdall (1.09.37) in 117th place – and he was followed by John Paul O’Hanlon (1.14.16) in 150th and 16th M35.
Jean Murphy became unwell during the race but bravely battled on to finish 187th and 5th W35 in a time of 1.17.22.
The evergreen Barry Potts (1.19.09) added to his medal collection by winning the M70 class when he crossed the line in 210th place. Behind him were Angela Eustace (1.19.54) in 221st and 5th W50, Mark Devine (1.24.13) 266th and 14th M45 and Joan McTernan (1.28.53) 320th and 5th W60. There were 645 finishers.

Louis O’Loughlin blitzed to victory in the 800m A race in the 6th DUBLIN OPEN GRADED MEETING at windswept Tallaght on Wednesday evening (06.07.2022). The meet incorporated the DUBLIN SENIOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS and O’Loughlin (1.51.70) rolled back the clock to 2017 when he won this championship in a time that qualified him for the European Youth Olympics in Hungary. As 5 years previous the Donore Harriers man front ran the race to victory with Aaron Shorten (1.57.21) of St. Laurence O’Toole AC in 2nd and Luke Murphy (1.57.42) of Raheny Shamrocks in 3rd.
Jack Byrne came 3rd in the 800m A2 grade race in 2.00.72 and Aidan O’Rourke returned to competition with 7th place in the 800m B grade race in a time of 2.12.95.
Lara O’Byrne (26.59) came 4th in the Women’s A grade 200m and David Campbell (24.76) came 7th in the Men’s B grade 200m.
Lara also competed in the Javelin and won with a best effort of 30.18m to win a Dublin championship gold medal. In 2nd place came Faith Hopkins (16.05m) who only recently took up throwing events and who was making her debut in club colours.
Donore Harriers had two competitors in the Women’s 3,000m race with Maura Kearns (10.59.03) in 4th place and Audrey Gahan (11.43.36) in 10th. Gahan described her race as a “small victory” as it was her first sub 12 minutes time.

In the CORK SPORTS INTERNATIONAL TRACK & FIELD MEETING at the University Athletics Track at Bishopstown on Tuesday evening (05.07.2022) Kane Collins came 10th of 25 finishers in the Men’s Open 3,000m race in a time of 8.43.18. Collins said afterwards: “I was satisfied with that. I’ve had a long season and I haven’t done that much speed work in preparation for such a fast race”.

Donore Harriers had plenty to cheer in the 3,000m finals on DAY 2 of the NATIONAL JUVENILE TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS at Tullamore on Saturday with gold medals won by James Bolton and Julie Cleary – both recording championship best performances and both won their first national titles.
Bolton (8.40.84) ran a very measured race and finished strongly to knock almost 15 seconds of his previous best time to win the Under 19 Boys age group with 30 seconds to spare over runner-up Daniel Ryan-Ellis of Nenagh Olympic.
Bolton’s time was inside the long-standing championship record achieved by the Late Jamie McCarthy (8.41.71) of Riverstick Kinsale AC in 2003. McCarthy was on the Irish junior team that won silver medals in the European Cross-Country championships at Edinburgh in 2004 and won a national junior 3,000m title. He died in a car accident in South Carolina in 2018.
Julie Cleary (10.20.29) was in a group of 3 that included runner-up Dearbhla Allen of St. Peter’s AC and 3rd placed Caoimhe Flannery of Skibbereen AC through the opening 2 kilometres. It was then that Cleary (10.20.29) moved to the front, and she went on to win comfortably ahead of Allen (10.26.85) knocking 15 seconds of her PB in the process. She knocked almost 5 seconds off the old championship record held by Roisin Treacy (10.25.57) of Ashford AC since 2017.
Earlier in the day Luis Blinco (10.51) came 3rd in Heat 1 of the Under 14 Boys 80m and narrowly failed to reach the final. Multi-events athlete Zion Osawe (11.25) came 7th in heat 1 of the Under 14 Girls 80m.
Roisin Kirby ran a PB of 13.36 for 4th place in the Under 16 Girls 100m and Romeo Omozee (55.37) also recorded a PB when placing 5th in the Under 17 Boys 400m Heat 1. Whilst both athletes failed to reach their respective finals, they can be happy at having made steady progress over the season.
In field events Melody Omozee (14.72m) came 13th in the Under 14 Girls Discus and Eimear Finn (3.89) got a marginal PB when placing 14th in the Under 18 Girls Long Jump.

The NATIONAL JUVENILE TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS continued with DAY 3 back in the Tullamore Harriers track on Sunday. Again, the weather conditions were favourable with sunshine and a mild breeze.
Emily Bolton won her 2nd gold medal and the club’s 5th in the Under 15 Girls 1,500m. Her biggest rival going into the race was Emer McKee of Willowfield Harriers. McKee, who lost out to Bolton in the 800m a week earlier, put the challenge to the Donore Harriers athlete by front running the opening 1,300m in a brave bid for glory. However, Bolton had her own plan and took to the front over the final 200m to win in a new championship best time of 4.35.46 with McKee (4.37.71) having to settle for 2nd place. The previous championship best time was held by Aimee Hayde (4.35.62) of Newport AC since 2017. Emily’s time is also a new club Under 20 record as she bettered the previous mark (4.40.4 h-t) set by Aisling Smith at a Dublin Graded Meet in Santry in June 1991.
Lily Clarke-Hanrahan improved her best time by 9 seconds when placing 15th in the Under 14 Girls 1,500m. Also contesting 1,500m finals were brothers Thomas and James Bolton. Thomas came 7th in the Under 17 Boys race in a time of 4.16.01, whilst James – just one day after his heroic 3,000m race – came 4th in the Under 19 Boys in 4.05.44.
In the Under 15 Boys 1,500m final Reuben McCormick (4.31.86) came 9th and Daire McCarthy (4.37.23) came 13th. Both are first-season athletes, and both set PBs.
Another first-season athlete is Luis Blinco. Blinco reached the final as a fastest-loser when he came 5th in Heat 2 of the Under 14 Boys 200m. He was marginally slower (26.33) in the final coming home in 8th place. He’s another very promising young athlete who can be satisfied with a fine first summer in the sport.
Alex Leonard (24.21) improved on his Leinster Schools winning time to place 4th in Heat 2 of the Under 16 Boys 200m. He came 7th in the final in 24.41. Roisin Kirby (27.60) came 7th in Heat 2 of the Under 16 Girls 200m and failed to progress to the final. Kirby also threw a best of 16.34m to place 11th in the Discus Throw.
Also, in the field Oisin Cummins-Weiss (10.59m) came 5th in the Under 17 Boys Shot Putt and Eimear Finn came 8th in the Under 18 Girls High Jump.
Donore Harriers won 5 medals – all gold – in the 2022 National Juvenile Track & Field Championships. The gold medal winners are: –
U14 Girls High Jump: Zion Osawe
U15 Girls 800m: Emily Bolton with a new club record
U15 Girls 1,500m: Emily Bolton with a new championship record & club U20 record
U16 Girls 3,000m: Julie Cleary with a new championship record
U19 Boys 3,000m: James Bolton with a new championship record

Aoife Lynch returned to competition for the first time since the indoor season after an injury lay-off when she competed in the GULDENSPOREN MEETING at Kortrijk, Belgium on Saturday. She came 6th in Heat 2 of the women’s 100m in a time of 12.29 but did not contest the final as a precaution due to a niggle.

Daragh Keegan contested the RUN KILKEE 10KM ROAD RACE in County Clare on Saturday. The race which started and finished in the village of Kilkee took in breath-taking scenery in an undulating course that took in the Loop Head Peninsula. Keegan (35.44) came 2nd behind Jake O’Regan of St. John’s AC with 452 finishers.

The club had 4 athletes compete in the IRISH MOUNTAIN RUNNING ASSOCIATION DJOUCE (EARL’S DRIVE) TRAIL RACE at Old Long Hill, Co. Wicklow on Wednesday evening 6th of July. The 7.8 kilometres race was held over an interesting and challenging course that included forest trails, steams, and a total elevation of 118 metres. Rory Burke (29.14) came 3rd overall, with 3 others club members among the 153 finishers. Ben Conroy (40.13) came 67th, Katerine Marsh (42.12) was 85th and Louise Kelly (42.22) 86th.

In the DUNLEER 4-MILE ROAD RACE on Sunday debutante Melissa Harding placed 147th in the time of 45.52. There were 155 finishers

In PARKRUNs the inspiring Ann Woodlock (34.43), a W80 age category athlete, ran 34.43 at BRICKFIELDS. John Curran M45 (20.00) was 2nd finisher at HARTSTOWN and Louise Kelly W35 was 4th overall and 1st woman at the same venue.
More results below.

Results in brief:
CORK SPORTS INTERNATIONAL TRACK & FIELD MEETING at Bishopstown (05.07.2022)
MEN’S 3,000m: 10th Kane Collins (8.43.18)
25 finishers
DUBLIN OPEN GRADED MEET NO. 6, incorporating DUBLIN SENIOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS at Tallaght (06.07.2022)
WOMEN’S JAVELIN: 1st Lara O’Byrne (30.18m) GOLD, 2nd Faith Hopkins (16.05m)
WOMEN’S 200m A GRADE RACE: 4th Lara O’Byrne (26.59)
MEN’S 200m B GRADE RACE: 7th David Campbell (24.76)
MEN’S 800m A1 GRADE RACE: 1st Louis O’Loughlin (1.51.70) GOLD
MEN’S 800m A2 GRADE RACE: 3rd Jack Byrne (2.00.72)
MEN’S 800m B1 GRADE RACE: 7th Aidan O’Rourke (2.12.95)
WOMEN’S 3,000m AB GRADE RACE: 4th Maura Kearns (10.59.03), 10th Audrey Gahan (11.43.36 PB)
IRISH MOUNTAIN RUNNING ASSOCIATION DJOUCE (EARL’S DRIVE) 7.8km TRAIL at Old Long Hill, Co. Wicklow (06.07.2022)
3rd Rory Burke MS (29.14)
67th Ben Conroy M50 (40.13)
85th Katherine Marsh WS (42.12)
86th Louise Kelly WS (42.22)
153 finishers
NATIONAL JUVENILE TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS DAY 2 at Tullamore (09.07.2022)
U14 GIRLS 80m HEAT 1: 7th Zion Osawe (11.25)
U14 BOYS 80m HEAT 1: 3rd Luis Blinco (10.51)
U14 GIRLS DISCUS THROW: 13th Melody Omozee (14.72m)
U16 GIRLS 100m HEAT 3: 4th Roisin Kirby (13.36 PB)
U16 GIRLS 3,000m FINAL: 1st Julie Cleary (10.20.29 PB & championship record) GOLD
U17 BOYS 400m HEAT 1: 5th Romeo Omozee (55.37 PB)
U18 GIRLS LONG JUMP: 14th Eimear Finn (3.89m PB)
U19 BOYS 3,000m FINAL: 1st James Bolton (8.40.84 PB & championship record) GOLD
NATIONAL JUVENILE TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS DAY 3 at Tullamore (10.07.2022)
U14 GIRLS 1,500m FINAL: 15th Lily Clarke-Hanrahan (5.18.15 PB
U14 BOYS 200m HEAT 2: 5th Luis Blinco (26.22) q.
U14 BOYS 200m FINAL: 8th Luis Blinco (26.33)
U15 GIRLS 1,500m FINAL: 1st Emily Bolton (4.35.46 PB & championship record, club U20 record) GOLD
U15 BOYS 1,500m FINAL: 9th Reuben McCormick (4.31.86), 13th Daire McCarthy (4.37.23)
U16 GIRLS 200m HEAT 2: 7th Roisin Kirby (27.60)
U16 BOYS 200m HEAT 2: 4th Alex Leonard (24.21) q.
U16 BOYS 200m FINAL: 7th Alex Leonard (24.41)
U16 GIRLS DISCUS: 11th Roisin Kirby (16.34m)
U17 BOYS 1,500m FINAL: 7th Thomas Bolton (4.16.01)
U17 BOYS SHOT PUTT: 5th Oisin Cummins-Weiss (10.59m)
U18 GIRLS HIGH JUMP FINAL: 8th Eimear Finn
U19 BOYS 1,500m FINAL: 4th James Bolton (4.05.44)
GULDENSPOREN MEETING at Kortrijk, Belgium (09.07.2022)
WOMEN’S 100m HEAT 2: 6th Aoife Lynch (12.29)
RUN KILKEE 10KM ROAD RACE at Kilkee, Co. Clare (09.07.2022)
2nd Daragh Keegan M35 (35.44)
452 finishers
IRISH RUNNER 10 MILE ROAD RACE, incorporating the NATIONAL 10-MILE ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS at Phoenix Park (10.07.2022)
18th & 2nd M40 David McConn (58.43) SILVER
20th & 2nd M50 Des Tremble (59.04) SILVER
22nd & 5th MS Ian Fitzgerald (59.08)
29th & 9th M35 Alasdair Brown (59.46)
34th & 4th M40 Alan Keogh (1.00.43)
38th, 2nd woman, 1st WS Niamh Clifford (1.01.01) SILVER
39th & 4th M45 Fergal Whitty (1.01.13)
40th, 3rd woman, 1st W45 Sorcha Loughnane (1.01.17) BRONZE
43rd & 11th M35 Wayne Waldron (1.01.45)
67th & 13th M40 Declan Lynch (1.05.43)
117th & 8th MS Cian Dowdall (1.09.37) club debut
150th & 16th M35 John Paul O’Hanlon (1.14.16)
186th & 6th W40 Suzie Henley-Willis (1.17.18)
187th & 5th W35 Jean Murphy (1.17.22)
210th & 1st M70 Barry Potts (1.19.09) GOLD
221st & 5th W50 Angela Eustace (1.19.54)
266th & 14th M45 Mark Devine (1.24.13)
320th & 5th W60 Joan McTernan (1.28.53)
645 finishers
SENIOR WOMEN’S TEAM: 1st Donore Harriers <Clifford, Loughnane, Henley-Willis> 33, 2nd Raheny Shamrocks AC 36, 3rd Celbridge AC 74.
SENIOR MEN’S TEAM: 1st Clonliffe Harriers 38, 2nd Donore Harriers <McConn, Tremble, Fitzgerald> 60, 3rd Raheny Shamrocks AC 63
M35 TEAM: 1st Donore Harriers <Brown, Keogh, Whitty> 99, 2nd Raheny Shamrocks AC 167, 3rd Rathfarnham WSAF AC 172
DUNLEER 4-MILE ROAD RACE (10.07.2022)
147th Melissa Harding W40 (45.52)
155 finishers
PARKRUNS 5km (09.07.2022)
BRICKFIELDS: 44th Ann Woodlock W80 (34.43), 57th Anthony Ferns M55 (57.32)
BUSHY: 69th Thomas Halton M65 (32.34)
CORKAGH: 40th Nicola Dowdall W45 (26.06)
HARTSTOWN: 2nd John Curran M45 (20.00), 4th and 1st woman Louise Kelly W35 (21.27)
NEW ROSS: 20th & 4th woman Liz McCurtain W55 (28.32), 25th Eugene McCurtain M55 (29.26)
SPORTS CAMPUS: 10th Paul Nunan M45 (24.27), 11th Mark Nunan M11-14 (24.28)
WATERSTOWN: 36th Andrew Maguire M55 (45.59)