Donore Harriers are back in the final of the National Track and Field League following another excellent team performance at the second qualifying match at Athlone IT yesterday (22 June 2014). Wins from John Travers (800m), Ray Hynes (3000m Steeplechase) Eamon Fahey (100m & Long Jump), Conor O’Ceallaigh (200m); Niall Allen (Shot Putt & 56lb); Eoin Molloy (Hammer) and runner-up placings from Emmet O’Briain (1500m) and Rolus Osala (400m Hurdles) were the foundation for team success. The team score for the day reads:

• 1^st. Nenagh Olympic 133
• 2^nd Donore Harriers 119
• 3^rd Louth Athletics 117
• 4^th Tir Chonaill 116
• 5^th Clare County 115
• 6^th Riocht/Gneeveguilla AC 96
• 7^th Limerick AC 89
• 8^th St. Finbarrs 44

Note that there is a query regarding the official team score. The final of the league will take place on Sunday 3^rd August 2014 at Tullamore and hopefully it will prove 3^rd time lucky in terms of Donore Harriers gaining promotion to the Premier Division.

100m 1^st Eamon Fahey (11.03)

200m 1^st Conor O’Ceallaigh (23.35)

400m 3^rd David Campbell (53.24)

800m 1^st John Travers (1.51.72)

1500m 2^nd Emmet O’Briain 4.19.97

3000m S/C 1^st Ray Hynes (9.12.03)

400mH 2^nd Rolus Osala (60.44)

4 x 100m 1^st Donore Harriers (45.23)

4 x 400m 3^rd Donore Harriers (3.42.12)

Long Jump 1^st Eamon Fahey (6.38m)

High Jump 3^rd Luke Allen (1.60m)

Triple Jump 3^rd Rolus Osala (12.10m)

Shot Putt 1^st Niall Allen (11.72m)

Discus 3^rd Eoin Molloy (20.92m)

Hammer 1^st Eoin Molloy (40.19m)

56lb Weight 1^st Niall Allen (6.33m)

The ladies had a 10-strong team for round 2 of the National League with a great representation from our younger ladies who gained valuable competition experience at this level. 

It was a baptism of fire and they more than rose to the challenge.  Highlights were two event wins by Lynda Ngakam in the 100m (12.66) and the 4×100 relay team of Lynda, Emily Geoghegan, Karen Hughes and Ailise Keating who gained maximum points.  Clodagh Read did a treble in the shot, hammer and javelin (having competed in the Tailteann games the day before) – despite little experience at the javelin, her throwing prowess earned her 5th and in the hammer Clodagh was throwing above her usual weight but came third.  League stalwart Anne Gormley came 2nd in the walk and 5th in the discus. 

At middle distance, Ashling Swaine (3000m), Niamh Dowling (800m) and Florence Curley who ran in the Dunshaughlin 10k the previous evening (1500m) also picked up valuable points and later ran the 4×400 relay.  Claire O’Connor was the key to that event and ran very well to 4th in the 400m earlier on.  Ailise Keating doubled up at the long jump and relay, Karen Hughes did the triple jump, 200 and relay treble. 

It was a super effort by this new look team and alas the 80 points won combined with 65 in round 1 were not enough to get us into the final.  But hopefully next year this emerging team will make the breakthrough.

The Dunshaughlin 10k has been kind to the ladies team over the years with several wins and this year Barbara Cleary repeated her feat of two years ago when she became overall ladies winner in 34.38 – leaving the 2nd placed Ailish Malone nearly 2 minutes behind.  Barbara had designs on Lizzie Lee’s course record but wasn’t far off.  Fresh from her mini-marathon win, we will be seeing lots more from Barbara on the roads over the summer.  Ken Norgrove (34.24) and Cathal McCarron (34.49) respectively won the M45 and Junior categories, thus joining first woman finisher Barbara on the victory rostrum.

The race was won by Martin Fagan (30.03) of Mullingar Harrier. The first Donore Harriers home was Aogan MacDomhnaill (32.22) in 8^th place among a strong field. Next for Donore was Fergal Whitty (33.21), showing a welcome return to form, placing 18th. The remaining Donore Harriers athletes included: – 21^stGavin Keogh (33.27); 29^th Chris Muldoon (33.52); 32^nd John Dunne (34.02); 49^th Garvan Smith M40 (34.52); 50^th Sean Fox (34.55); 53^rd Des Tremble M40 (35.04); 100^th Tony Barry (36.53); 154^th Tom Fagan M45 (38.45); 194^th Bernard Byrne (39.40); 196^th Stephen Dawson (39.43);  243^rd Barry Potts M60 (40.49 – 3^rd in M60 category); 341^st David Wogan M50 (43.48); 380^th Jim McNamara M60 (44.59); 408^th Terry Mee M60 (45.40). 885 finishers.

For the ladies we also had Florence Curley (39.30), Breda Mahony (40.53), Alma Hanevy (41.34), Samantha Conroy (43.03), Janette Strickland (44.29), Nicola Dowdall (45.24), Jill Dempsey (46.42), Elaine Verdon (47.17), Eilish Joyce (50.29), Michelle Dawson (52.15), Kim Strickland (52.24), Olivia Strickland (52.24), Sarah Ni Ruairc (53.06) and Aoife Lynch (73.29) The ladies did enough to finish as second team.

In the team competition Donore Harriers (76 points) placed second behind Raheny Shamrocks (49), but ahead of Sportsworld AC (101) and Celbridge AC (122). The team scorers were: – Aogan MacDomhnaill, Fergal Whitty, Gavin Keogh and Chris Muldoon. 27 teams closed.

Graham Hopkins placed an excellent 2^nd in the Portumna Forest 50km race in County Galway on Saturday 14^th June. Graham had to persist through the pain of a recurring ankle injury before finally completing the scenic course in 3 hours and 28 minutes.