HIGHLIGHTS: Emily Bolton claimed the individual gold medal and led the Donore Harriers Under 13 team to a historic national title. Novice Men’s team 8^th. Josh O’Sullivan-Hourihan 8^th in CSIM Military XC Championships in Belgium.

 

 

 

It was muck and glory all the way for the Donore Harriers Under 13 Girls team as they became the first juvenile team from the club to claim a national cross-country title. On a cold, sunny day a large crowd assembled at Cow Park in Dunboyne on Sunday morning (15.12.2019) for the NATIONAL JUVENILE UNEVEN AGES CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS.

The expectation was high as the convincing Dublin Under 13 Girls team champions toed the line for the start of an energy-sapping 2.5 kilometres route over a mud-laden course. The opening 500 metres saw a field of almost 160 athletes carefully manoeuvre a series of tight turns. At the 1km point as the race headed out for a lap of the ‘far field’ Emily Bolton, who 3 weeks earlier had claimed the national Under 12s title, moved from fifth place to the front of the field. Thereafter, Bolton put in a majestic performance, with the on-course race commentator claiming that her dominance was similar to Fionnuala McCormack’s national senior championship win last month. By the finish line Bolton had 15 seconds to spare over runner-up Emer McKee of Willowfield Harriers.

In the team competition Bolton was well supported by her colleagues. Eva Crowe placed a very fine 19^th with Lorraine O’Connor in 26^th. The team score was closed-out by Julie Cleary in 55^th spot. Cleary, running in her first national race, had been very ill a few days before the race and her participation had been in doubt. But race she did! Team coach Graham Hopkins said afterwards “Julie was a real star today, she left everything out there”. The team had a final score of 101, with Willowfield Harriers 2^nd on 153 and St. Mary’s AC from Co. Clare 3^rd on 180. The non-scoring team member was Eleanor Hopkins, who placed 82^nd – arguably her best race to date.

Earlier in the day the Donore Harriers Under 11 Boys team finished a very creditable 7^th on 275 points behind winners St. Cronan’s AC (172) after a testing 1.5km race. The scoring four were – Cillian McCooey in 52^nd, Luuk Jackson 54^th, Danny Colgan 55^th and Jamie Kavanagh 114^th. The non-scoring athletes were Sebastian Ursachi, who was stepping-up in age group, in 128^th and Daniel Browne-Kennedy in 190^th.

Matei Ursachi ran a super race in the Boys Under 13s 2.5km race. Ursachi challenged gamely for a top 3 spot in the first half of the race but was unable to stay with the pace as the race progressed and had to settle for 6^th position. This was his best placement in a national cross-country and signals his steady progress in the sport.

Donore Harriers had two athletes in the Under 15 Boys race over 3.5km. Oliver Hopkins came 16^th, with step-up athlete Thomas Bolton just one place behind. The unfortunate Bolton had to build his way into the race after he was involved when a melee of athletes took a fall in the early stage of the race.

Abdel Laadjel had ambitions of a podium place in the Under 17 Boys race over 5km. In a very competitive field, he sat behind the lead pack in the early stages, but by half-way he had slipped back to 8^th place and was adrift of the leaders. Laadjel, who may well have been over-prepared for the race, lost four more places on the final 1.5km circuit to finish a very disappointed 12^th. James Bolton, stepping-up in age and fresh after his excellent run in the Jingle Bells 5km, worked his way up the field after a steady start to place 30^th. He lost 3 places in the final sprint for the line which took a bit of gloss off a very fine effort.

In the Under 19s Boys race over 6km Gavin Curtin, also stepping-up, placed a very fine 21^st and helped Dublin County to team gold as the 6^th scorer.

Other county team medals were won by Emily Bolton, Eva Crowe and Lorraine O’Connor who were the 1^st, 4^th and 5^th scorers on the Dublin team that won gold in the Under 13 Girls; Abdel Laadjel 2^nd scorer on Under 17 Boys team that also won gold – and silver medals won by Cillian McCooey 6^th scorer on the Under 11 Boys team, Matei Ursachi 2^nd scorer in the Under 13 Boys and by Oliver Hopkins and Thomas Bolton 2^nd and 3^rd scorers in the Under 15 Boys.

In the NATIONAL NOVICE CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS that followed the juvenile races at Cow Park on Sunday the men’s team came a disappointed 8^th. Hopes faded before the start with the withdrawal of Josh O-Sullivan-Hourihan because of illness. But it was still a fine team effort with Matthieu Proffitt (21.56) leading the team home in 11^th place after he made a conservative start to the 4 x 1.5km laps race. Luke Boland (23.01), who also made a steady opening lap, gained steadily to 53^rd position. 19 years old Sekeriye Ahmed (23.11) in 60^th and an improving Rory Burke (23.28) in 70^th made up the scoring four. Alasdair Browne (24.30) was the non-scoring team member in 114^th place. The ‘A’ team scored 194 with Leevale AC winning on 70.

Des Tremble (24.10) had a great race to lead the ‘B’ team home in 111^th position. Ciaran Ryan (24.57) in 140^th, Andrew Wilson (26.59) in 189^th and Tom Fagan (27.07) in 191^st closed the team, that came 23^rd of 26 teams. Peter Nugent (27.11) was the non-scorer in 193^rd position.

In the 4km women’s race Aoife Ni Thuthail (17.49) had a fine run to place 54^th, and Audrey Gahan (18.14) came 66^th of the 134 finishers.

In the recent CSIM EUROPEAN MILITARY CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS at Schaffen in Belgium (08.12.2019) Josh O’Sullivan placed an excellent 8^th in the Men’s race over 9.4km. The Donore Harriers man was 2^nd scorer on the Irish Defence Forces team that came 3^rd. The 4-lap race was held on an airfield with 2 steep climbs per circuit.

Owen Robinson and Patrick Farrell competed in the AWARE 10KM ROAD RACE in the Phoenix Park on Saturday (14.12.2019). Robinson (43.18) came 93^rd with Farrell (43.23) in 96^th. There were 777 finishers with Pauric Ennis of Tullamore Harriers the winner in 33.10.

In Sunday’s DROGHEDA & DISTRICT 5km ROAD RACE (15.12.2019) Barbara Murray placed 31^st overall out of more than 800 finishers, and in doing so took 2^nd place in the W40 age category. On a flat and fast course that started and finished in the Lourdes Stadium she ran a time of 19.41 and was the 7^th woman finisher.

In the 2^nd round of the WOMEN’S MEET & TRAIN LEAGUE at Sean Moore Park in Irishtown on the 8^th of December Donore Harriers were well represented with Caroline McCarthy (15.22) first home in 5^th place. There were 137 finishers in the two-mile race through a mix of trail and path that took in the Poolbeg Nature Reserve, including Cliodhna Carthy (15.50) in 10^th, Treasa Boylan (17.45) in 66^th, Sarah Ni Ruairc (18.11) in 83^rd, Meadbh Campbell (18.40) in 90^th, Dana Mackey (19.07) in 97^th, Catherine McKeon (19.26) in 103^rd, Mary Murphy (19.56) in 113rd, Michelle Dawson (20.43) in 188^th, Sue Lynch (21.02) in 122^nd and the wonderful Ann Woodlock (23.30) in 134^th. There are two races remaining in the League and Donore Harriers are placed 4^th and 8^th in the silver category.

Cow Park in Dunboyne was also the venue for the DUBLIN NORTHSIDE SCHOOLS CROSS-COUNTRY RACES held on Wednesday 11^th December 2019. Matei Ursachi won the First Year Boys race over 1.5km, and Eleanor Hopkins came 9^th in the Girls 1.5km race. They helped their schools to team gold and silver respectively.

The overall results for the DUBLIN JUVENILE CROSS-COUNTRY LEAGUE have now been finalized, with individual winners being Emily Bolton in the Under 12 Girls category on a maximum score of 93 points, Eva Crowe (88 points) in the Under 13 Girls, and Oliver Hopkins (88) in the Under 15 Boys. Thomas Bolton (87) was 2^nd overall in the Under 14 Boys, whilst Chloe Andrews (54) came 3^rd in the Under 17 Girls. More results below.

At the ECHO NEWSPAPER 2019 SPORTS AWARDS evening at the Green Isle Hotel on Thursday evening (12.12.2019) the Donore Harriers men’s indoors track & field team picked up the ‘Team of the Month’ award for January 2019. Having 4^th and 3^rd in the previous seasons the Donore Harriers team claimed this year’s silver medal position. Team captain David Campbell accepted the award on behalf of the team. The evergreen Ann Woodlock picked up a ‘Sports Leading Light’ award in recognition of her achievements as a master athlete. The sprightly 81 years-old mother of 5, who only took up running when forced to give-up badminton due to injury, won 3,000m gold and 1,500m silver in the W80 category at World Indoor Masters Championships at Torun, Poland in March. At the European Masters track and field championships at Venice in September Woodlock won gold in the 5,000m and silver in the 1,500m.

In PARKRUNS (14.12.2019) Lee Van Haeften (16.12) and Rossa Hurley (16.44) were first finishers at Castletown (Celbridge) and St. Anne’s Park. Aidan Kelly (19.43) was 2^nd at Corkagh Park with Donal Iremonger (20.01) in 4^th. Two 13 years-old athletes Dylan McKenna and Katie Delaney (23.21) placed 6^th and 11^th respectively at Waterstown Park.

 

RESULTS IN BRIEF:

NATIONAL JUVENILE UNEVEN AGES CROSS-C0UNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS at COW PARK, DUNBOYNE (15.12.2019)

U11 Boys (1,500m): 52^nd Cillian McCooey, 54^th Luuk Jackson, 55^th Danny Colgan, 114^th Jamie Kavanagh, 128^th Sebastian Ursachi (step-up), 190^th Daniel Browne-Kennedy

TEAM: 1^st St. Cronan’s AC (172), 7^th Donore Harriers <McCooey, Jackson, Colgan, Kavanagh> (275)

U13 Girls (2,500m): 1^st Emily Bolton (step-up), 19^th Eva Crowe, 26^th Lorraine O’Connor, 55^th Julie Cleary, 82^nd Eleanor Hopkins

TEAM: 1^st Donore Harriers <Bolton, Crowe, O’Connor, Cleary> (101), 2^nd Willowfield Harriers 153, 3^rd St. Mary’s (Clare) AC (180)

U13 Boys (2,500m): 6^th Matei Ursachi

U15 Boys (3,500m): 16^th Oliver Hopkins, 17^th Thomas Bolton (step-up)

U17 Boys (5,000m): 12^th Abdel Laadjel, 30^th James Bolton (step-up)

U19 Boys (6,000m): 21^st Gavin Curtin (step-up)

NATIONAL NOVICE CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS at COW PARK, DUNBOYNE (15.12.2019)

WOMEN’s RACE (4km):

54^th Aoife Ni Thuathail (17.49), 66^th Audrey Gahan (18.14).

134 finishers

MEN’s RACE (6km):

11^th Matthieu Proffitt (21.56), 53^rd Luke Boland (23.01), 60^th Sekeriye Ahmed (23.11), 70^th Rory Burke (23.28), 111^th Des Tremble (24.10), 125^th Alasdair Browne (24.30), 140^th Ciaran Ryan (24.57), 189^th Andrew Wilson (26.59), 191^st Tom Fagan (27.06), 193^rd Peter Nugent (27.11). 216 finishers

TEAM: 1^st Leevale AC (70), 8^th Donore Harriers <Proffitt, Boland, Ahmed, Burke> (194), 23^rd Donore Harriers B <Tremble, Ryan, Wilson, Fagan> (631). 26 teams.

AWARE 10KM ROAD RACE at PHOENIX PARK (14.12.2019)

93^rd Owen Robinson (43.18)

96^th Patrick Farrell (43.23)

777 finishers

DROGHEDA & DISTRICT CHRISTMAS 5KM ROAD RACE at DROGHEDA (15.12.2019)

31^st, 7 woman & 2^nd W40 – Barbara Murray (19.41)

824 finishers

CISM EUROPEAN REGIONAL CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS at SCHAFFEN, BELGIUM (08.12.2019)

MEN’S RACE 9.4km

8^th Josh O’Sullivan-Hourihan (2^nd Irish scorer)

TEAM: 3^rd Ireland

650 starters

DUBLIN NORTHSIDE SCHOOLS CROSS-COUNTRY RACES at COW PARK, DUNBOYNE (11.12.2019)

1^st Year Girls 1.5km: 9^th Eleanor Hopkins (team silver)

1^st Year Boys 1.5km: 1^st Matei Ursachi (team gold)

DUBLIN JUVENILE CROSS-COUNTRY LEAGUE – OVERALL RESULTS for the 2019 season

Here is a list of the Donore Harriers athletes who placed in the top 12. Note that the first 6 in each age group are awarded medals. The 3-race series were held at Newbridge House & Park, Phoenix Park (hosted by Donore Harriers) and Tymon Park.

U9 Girls – 6^th Annabella Omozee (58) – 2 races

U10 Girls – 6^th Ruby Blake (58)

U12 Girls – 1^st Emily Bolton (93) – maximum score with 3 wins

U13 Girls – 1^st Eva Crowe (88)

U14 Girls – 7^th Honor Lynch (69)

U17 Girls – 3^rd Chloe Andrews (54) – 2 races

U11 Boys – 5^th Luuk Jackson (59) – 2 races: 12^th Eoin Mooney (43) – 2 races

U14 Boys – 2^nd Thomas Bolton (87)

U15 Boys – 1^st Oliver Hopkins (88)

WOMEN’S MEET & TRAINING CROSS-COUNTRY LEAGUE MATCH 2 at SEAN MOORE PARK, SANDYMOUNT (08.12.2019) – 2-mile route over a mix of trail and path

5^th Caroline McCarthy (15.22)

10^th Cliodhna Carthy (15.50)

66^th Treasa Boylan (17.45)

83^rd Sarah Ni Ruairc (18.11)
90^th Meadbh Campbell (18.40)

97^th Dana Mackey (19.07)

103^rd Catherine McKeon (19.26)

113^th Mary Murphy (19.56)

118^th Michelle Dawson (20.43)

122^nd Sue Lynch (21.02)

134^th Ann Woodlock (23.30)

137 finishers

PARKRUNS (14.12.2019)

Castletown: 1^st Lee Van Haeften (16.12), 69^th Amy Brogan W35 (28.31)

Corkagh: 2^nd Aidan Kelly U19 (19.43), 4^th Donal Iremonger M45 (20.01)

St. Anne’s: 1^st Rossa Hurley M35 (16.44)

Waterstown: 6^th Dylan McKenna U14 (NTG), 11^th and 2^nd woman Katie Delaney U14 (23.21)