HIGHLIGHTS: David McConn (silver), Tony Kynes & Barry Potts (both gold) took individual medals in the BATTLE OF CLONTARF/LEINSTER 10-MILE ROAD RACE CHAMPIONSHIPS. Donore Harriers M35 team won silver. Incoming member Niamh Clifford recorded a sub-3-hour time at the 126^th BOSTON MARATHON. U/16 Julie Cleary 1^st woman in the NA FIANNA 5KM. A team of young athletes competed in the ST. SENAN’S JUVENILE MEET in Co. Kilkenny. Paul McDermott selected to the IRISH SPRINTS SQUAD.

 

REPORT: <by Gerry Naughton, Leonie Newman & Florence Curley> The BATTLE OF CLONTARF 10-MILE ROAD RACE organised by the Raheny Shamrocks club at St. Anne’s Park on Bank Holiday Monday morning incorporated the LEINSTER 10-MILE CHAMPIONSHIPS. Despite a mixed weather forecast the rain held off and the race took place in calm conditions within the boundaries of St. Anne’s Park. The small Donore Harriers representation was led home by David McConn (56.54) in 9^th place overall and 2^nd in the M40 category. Next home was Didier Da Costa (1.00.27) who came 23^rd in the main race and 5^th M45. Tony Kynes and Barry Potts won individual gold in their age categories. Kynes (1.08.57) placed 80^th overall and won the M65 group finishing almost half-a-minute ahead of Tom Loftus of Raheny Shamrocks AC. Potts (1.16.01) had more than 3 minutes to spare over William Belton of Sli Cualann AC to win the M70 class. Potts came 136^th overall of the 310 finishers. The other Donore Harriers athletes were Des Gill (1.18.29) in 169^th and 17^th M55 and Angela Eustace (1.18.49) in 172^nd and 7^th in the W50 age category. The Donore Harriers team of McConn, Da Costa and Kynes placed 5^th in the overall men’s category behind winners Raheny Shamrocks AC – and came 2^nd in the M35 team event on 103 points. The winners were Brothers Pearse AC on 92 with Metro St. Brigid AC 3^rd on 114. The individual race winners were Mick Clohissy (50.43) of Raheny Shamrocks AC and Catherine O’Connor (1.02.06) of Sli Cualann AC. The 8^th athlete home and 3^rd in the senior men’s category was Ian Fitzgerald in a time of 56.07. Fitzgerald is a transfer athlete from Waterstown Warriors who will be eligible to compete for the club from the 1^st of May 2022.

 

Niamh Clifford who is also a transfer athlete from the Star of the Laune AC club in Co. Kerry ran a super time of 2.53.40 at the 126^th BOSTON MARATHON on Monday. Clifford, who has been training at the club for the past few months, has a PB time of 2.50.53 from the 2019 Dublin Marathon. However, her recent training was interrupted by illness that hampered her aspirations of beating that time. She passed the halfway mark in 1.25.33 and dug deep in the latter stages to finish in 1,900^th place overall and 98^th woman.

Talented under 16 athlete Julie Cleary (19.57) came 9^th overall and 1^st woman in the NA FIANNA 5KM ROAD RACE in Glasnevin. Cleary won her category by almost 4 minutes with the runner-up being her mother Kate in 23.50.

A small group of young athletes made their way to Kilmacow in South Kilkenny to compete in the ST. SENAN’S JUVENILE TRACK & FIELD MEETING. The competition was high standard and none of the Donore Harriers team progressed to finals. Eli Henley-Willis competed in the Under 9 Girls 80m, Alan and Daniel Maddox lined up in the heats of the Under 11 Boys 80m and 300m, Max Henley-Willis was in the Under 12 Boys 80m and 700m, and Anna Peake competed in the Under 13 Girls High Jump.

The club’s star male sprinter Paul McDermott was recently selected to the Irish senior sprints relay squad. McDermott who is coached by Stuart Hogg but made his early progress as a sprinter under the careful coaching tutelage of the Late John Geoghegan. The main aim of the Irish sprints team this summer is to qualify for the European Track & Field Championships due to take place in Munich in mid-August. Best of luck to Paul! JG is looking down with pride!

In PARKRUN events W80 athlete Ann Woodlock (37.48) was 9^th woman finisher at Brickfield Park. Other noteworthy results include Will Morris M45 (19.04) 2^nd at Corkagh Park, Ruby Kelly (22.05) 16^th overall and 2^nd woman at Castletown, and juvenile members Lucas Collender (21.00) 3^rd overall and Katie Delaney (26.08) 9^th overall and 1^st woman at Waterstown Park. Other results below.

 

Results in brief:

BATTLE OF CLONTARF 10-MILE ROAD RACE, inc. LEINSTER 10-MILE CHAMPIONSHIPS at St. Anne’s Park (18.04.2022)

8^th & 3^rd MS Ian Fitzgerald (56.07) incoming athlete from Waterstown Warriors

9^th & 2^nd M40 David McConn (56.54)

23^rd & 5^th M45 Didier Da Costa (1.00.27)

80^th & 1^st M65 Tony Kynes (1.08.57)

136^th & 1^st M70 Barry Potts (1.16.01)

169^th & 17^th M55 Des Gill (1.18.29)

172^nd & 7^th W50 Angela Eustace (1.18.49)

310 finishers

MEN’S TEAM: 1. Raheny Shamrocks AC 31. 5. Donore Harriers <McConn, Da Costa & Kynes> 103. 10 teams closed

M35 TEAMS: 1. Brothers Pearse AC 92, 2. Donore Harriers <McConn, Da Costa, Kynes> 103. 3. MSB AC 114. 8 teams closed.

M50 TEAMS: 1. Raheny Shamrocks 164. 4. Donore Harriers <Kynes, Potts, Gill> 319. 5 teams closed.

126^th BOSTON MARATHON (18.04.2022)

1,900^th and 98^th woman Niamh Clifford (2.53.40) incoming athlete from Star of the Laune AC

28,500 finishers

NA FIANNA 5KM ROAD RACE at Glasnevin (18.04.2022)

9^th & 1^st woman Julie Cleary U16 (19.57)

213 finishers

ST. SENAN’S AC OPEN JUVENILE TRACK & FIELD at Kilmacow, Co. Kilkenny (18.04.2022)

U/9 Girls 80m Heat: Did not qualify Eli Henley-Willis

U/11 Boys 80m Heat: Did not qualify Alan Maddox & Daniel Maddox

U/11 Boys 300m Heat: Did not qualify Alan Maddox & Daniel Maddox

U/12 Boys 80m Heat: Did not qualify Max Henley-Willis

U/12 Boys 700m Heat: Did not qualify Max Henley-Willis

U/13 Girls High Jump Qualify: Did not qualify Anna Peake

PARKRUNS 5km (16.04.2022)

BRICKFIELDS: 38^th & 9^th woman Ann Woodlock W80 (37.48)

BRICKFIELDS (09.04.2022): 38^th Anthony Ferns M55 (41.48)

BUSHY: 107^th Thomas Halton M65 (32.23)

CASTLETOWN: 16^th & 2^nd woman Ruby Kelly W18/19 (22.05)

CORKAGH: 2^nd Will Morris M45 (19.04)

NEW ROSS: 26^th Eugene McCurtain M55 (24.43), 45^th Liz McCurtain W55 (28.22)

POPPINTREE: 18^th Owen Robinson M35 (24.17)

WATERFORD NATURE: 6^th Paul Nunan M45 (23.17)

WATERSTOWN: 3^rd Lucas Collender M11-14 (21.00), 9^th & 1^st woman Katie Delaney W15-17 (26.08), 46^th Andrew Maguire M55 (48.08)