HIGHLIGHTS: NATIONAL TRACK & FIELD LEAGUE returned. The Men’s team came 3rd the Women’s team 4th. Star performers were Lara O’Byrne with 3 wins and Louis O’Loughlin with 2. In the LEINSTER SCHOOLS T&F CHAMPIONSHIPS gold medals were won by Eva Crowe (who set an 800m club record), Emily Bolton, Alex Leonard & Oliver Hopkins, silver by Amber Lynch, and bronze by Julie Cleary & Reuben McCormack. DUBLIN JUVENILE T&F LEAGUE concluded with Anna Whelan, Anabella Omozee, Ruby Blake, Zion Osawe and Liam Morris challenging for podium medals. Laura Nunan selected to Irish team for the WORLD UNDER 18 MOUNTAIN RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIPS. Niamh Clifford won the AN RIOCHT KINGDOM COME 10-MILE. Grace Kennedy-Clarke won the WHEELWORX FASTLANE 10km. Robert Murphy 2nd M40 and Ann Woodlock 2nd W70 in the BOB HEFFERNAN & MARY HANLEY 5KM ROAD RACE.

REPORT: <by Gerry Naughton, Leonie Newman & Florence Curley>
The NATIONAL TRACK & FIELD LEAGUE returned (proper) after a 3-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 lockdowns. Donore Harriers had two teams competing in the first qualifying round at Templemore on Sunday – both contesting in the premier divisions. The women’s team, captained by Leonie Newman, made a positive start with multi-eventer Lara O’Byrne taking the maximum 9-points with victory in the 100m Hurdles in a time of 14.55. The evergreen Anne Gormley (10.49.63) then came 4th in the 1,500m Walk to add 5 more points. A best effort of 1.50m by Eva McPartlan got her 3rd place and 6 points in the High Jump. Thus, after 3 events Donore Harriers were 2nd on 20 points behind Galway County on 23.
Sean Chan (20.60) opened for the men’s team with 3rd place and 6 points in the 110m Hurdles. The next to mark-up scores were Bobby Amandi 4th with a 3rd effort jump of 5.42m in the Long Jump for 5 points and Daragh McAuley (58.50) claiming 9 points with a fine victory in the 400m Hurdles.
After 3 events the men’s team were 4th on 15 with Raheny Shamrocks AC leading on 25.
Lara O’Byrne (9.90m) took another 9 points when winning the Shot Putt. On the track Caoimhe Mackey (1.06.12) gained 7 points as runner-up in the 400m Hurdles before the 4 x 100m relay team of Eva McPartlan, Sophie O’Farrell, Andie Maguire and Lauren Flaherty (50.94) added another 7 points. Donore were well in contention for top spot after 6 events.
The men’s team had a tough start! In the throws Alex Conway (12.61m) came 5th in the Hammer and Oran O’Brien (11.26m) 3rd in the Shot Putt. The quartet of Sean Chan, Simon Ayres, Conor Fox and Liam Tobin came 4th in the 4 x 100m relay in a time of 45.48. Note that Ayres and Tobin were competing for the club for the first time.
Anne Gormley is a club stalwart! She stepped up and threw the Hammer 9.99m to place 3rd and gain 6 more points for the team. Andie Maguire came 4th in the Triple Jump, but it was a very close contest was less than 40cm separating 1st from 4th. Audrey Gahan (5.30.33) also came 4th in the 1,500m with a solid run. Caoimhe Mackey took another 7 points in the 400m sprint in a time of 1.02.65. Ailbhe Healy continues her return to competitive athletics and sealed 2nd place in the Pole Vault with a best of 2.40m. Sophie O’Farrell might have been unfamiliar with the technique of Javelin throwing, but she took 2nd spot with a best of 14.16m.
The men’s middle-order began well with Louis O’Loughlin (3.57.44) winning the 1,500m for 9 points. Zak Higgins (51.64) followed with a runners-up place in the 400m. In the field Daniel Hernon jumped 1.70m for 3rd place in the High Jump and Niall Allen (31.10m) came 3rd in the Discus.
Matt Fabbro (11.27.86), a late call-up to the 3,000m Steeplechase, acquitted himself well to place runner-up and take 7 more points for the team. He was followed by debutant Simon Ayres (24.18) who came 6th in the 200m. Donore Harriers were holding 3rd place in both the men’s and women’s divisions with 7 events left in each.
Deirdre NicCanna (11.19.65) and Lauren Flaherty (29.03) respectively came 4th in the 3,000m and 200m. Andie Maguire (10.90m) came 3rd in the Discus, whilst Lara O’Byrne secured her 3rd win of the day with a best Long Jump effort of 5.32m.
Margaret O’Brien (2.58.10), unfamiliar with the race distance, overcame her pre-race nerves to place 3rd in the 800m. Sophie O’Farrell followed with 4th place in the 100m in 13.73. The team closed out with 4th in the 4 x 400m relay in 4.38.29. The runner order was Lauren Flaherty, Ailbhe Healy, Audrey Gahan and Caoimhe Mackey.
Discarding 4 scores the final women’s team tally was 100 points. Tipperary County came out on top with 122, then Galway County on 114, Raheny Shamrocks AC on 103 with Donore Harriers in 4th.
The men’s event continued with Michael McCarthy (11.59m) gaining 6 points with 3rd place in the Triple Jump. Louis O’Loughlin then recorded his 2nd maximum points of the day by winning the 800m in 1.55.99. Daragh Keegan was another to answer a late call-up when the replacement 5,000m runner became unavailable due to illness. Keegan (16.06.78) ran a blinder, knocking almost half-a-minute of his PB time to take 3rd place and 6 points.
Back to the field events where Daniel Hernon (22.11m) and Niall Allen (6.33m) both took 3rd positions in the Javelin and 56lb Weight-For-Distance events. Newcomer Liam Tobin (11.73) came 5th in the 100m sprint before the day ended with a dramatic 4 x 400m relay. Conor Fox got the team off to a solid start, but the baton was dropped in the 2nd and 3rd leg changeover between Simon Ayers and Zak Higgins. Anchor runner Louis O’Loughlin in his 3rd race of the day took the baton in 5th place and ran a 51 second circuit to bring the team home in 2nd to the loud cheer of his team-mates. The men’s team came 3rd on 110 points behind Nenagh Olympic on 128 and Leevale AC on 115. Raheny Shamrocks came 4th on 84.
Women’s captain Leonie Newman said afterwards: “I am proud of my team. They all did magnificently! Everyone was brilliant! Lara did a great job for the team, then there was Anne Gormley stepping up to do the Hammer and Andie Maguire in the Discus and Eva McPartlan in the High Jump, and Sophie O’Farrell getting last minute instructions to do the Javelin. They were all great”
Dr. Iain Morrison deputising for David Campbell as men’s captain said: “That was a great day with lots of new athletes stepping up. Super performance by Louis with two wins and then all the drama of the 4 x 400m relay. It all made for a great day of athletics”.
The 2nd qualifying round will take place on the 31st of July.

The BOB HEFFERNAN & MARY HANLEY 5KM ROAD RACE hosted by the Na Fianna AC at Johnstownbridge last Tuesday is run in the memory of two of the club’s former stalwarts – the latter only passed away last autumn. The rain ceased and the evening sun began to shine as the athletes assembled on the start line. Robert Murphy (14.57) was the first club athlete home in 12th place, securing 2nd prize in the M40 category. There was then a gap before Simon O’Toole (17.27) crossed the line in 132nd position having recorded a new personal best time. Ciaran O’Flaherty, one of Ireland’s leading distance athletes back in the early 90s, placed 169th and 5th in the M55 class with an excellent time of 17.54. David McGrath (18.56) ran a PB to place 244th, and he was followed home by Mary McDermott (24.03) in 570th and 18th W50. Tommy Halton (32.04) was 729th overall and 16th in the M60 age-group.
Ann Woodlock only decided to compete as the sun began to shine. “Mary Hanley was a great friend and she died so young. I wanted to do the race in her memory” she explained. Now in her 80s the popular Donore Harriers athlete came 2nd in the W70 category when placing 758th in 35.30.

It was a busy week with Juvenile athletics. On Day 1 of the LEINSTER SCHOOLS TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS at Santry last Wednesday there were 3 gold medals for our club athletes. Eva Crowe (St. Edmund Rice School), coached by Declan Bolton, ran a club outdoor record for the 800m when winning the Junior Girls race in a time of 2.16.34. Her training partner Emily Bolton (Mount Sackville) had a convincing win in the Junior Girls 1,500m in 4.38.24.
Alex Leonard (CBS Lucan) continues his steady progression as a sprinter of note and will be encouraged by his fine win in the Under 16 Boys 200m in a time of 24.35.
Silver medals were won by Amber Lynch (Loreta Stephen’s Green) in the Minor Girls Javelin with a PB effort of 22.58m – and by Isabella Jackson and Roisin Kirby who were on the Mount Sackville 4 x 100m relay team that came 2nd in the Junior Girls category.
Reuben McCormack won bronze for St. Patrick’s Cathedral GS in the Junior Boys 800m with a time of 2.10.56.
Liam Morris (4.37.72) and Daire McCarthy (4.59.63) were in a highly competitive Junior Boys 1,500m. Morris (Colaiste Chillian) was in the thick of the action until the race heated up but having struggled the week before with a hamstring injury he was unable to keep pace and finished in 5th spot. McCarthy (Belvedere College) came a creditable 10th.
Other club athletes who competed were Arlen Szabo (3.23.84) 4th in the Minor Boys 1,100m, Rory O’Farrell (20.94) 8th in the Junior Boys 80m Hurdles, and Roisin Kirby (4.60m) 5th in the Junior Girls Long Jump.

The outstanding performance on Day 2 of the LEINSTER SCHOOLS TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS at Santry on Saturday came from Oliver Hopkins in the Intermediate Boys 1,500m. Hopkins, representing St. Declan’s College, led the race from the start and opened a sizeable gap on his nearest opponents over the closing lap to win in 4.04.25. Thomas Bolton (Belvedere College) came 8th in the same race in a time of 4.24.35.
Julie Cleary was the other club medal winner on the day when she came 3rd in the Intermediate Girls 3,000m in a personal best time of 10.35.23. Cleary was representing Loreta Stephen’s Green and is a young athlete with great prospects. Laura Nunan (Mount Sackville) came 9th in the same race in 11.38.11.
James Bolton was unlucky not to pick up a medal of any colour in the Senior Boys 5,000m. He was in a leading group of 4 athletes but made his big move too early and was narrowly edged out of the bronze medal by a Mullingar athlete. Bolton’s time of 15.22.69 compares well with that of the winner Jonas Stafford (ETS) who ran 15.20.50.
Thomas Bolton ran 2.07.88 for the 4th place in the 800m before doubling up to compete in the 1,500m.
Oisin Cummins-Weiss came 8th in the Intermediate Boys 5kg Shot Putt with a best throw of 10.37m. He was representing the St. Killian’s German School.

Some of our younger members were contesting for medals in the 4th and final fixture of the DUBLIN JUVENILE TRACK & FIELD LEAGUE at the Irishtown track on Saturday. Very much in the thick of the action was talented Anna Whelan, who hopes to make top stop when the points are concluded. She won her U/11 Girls 400m race, came 2nd in the Long Jump, and 5th in the 60m sprint. Another super young contender is Anabella Omozee (U/12) who won the 60m, 500m and Long Jump. Ruby Blake also chalked up more points with 1st place in the U/13 Shot Putt and 3rd in the 60m Hurdles. Zion Osawe has been moving up the table in the Under 14 Girls and a win in the 80m Hurdles and 5th place in the 80m adds another 9 points to her tally. Melody Omozee came 2nd in the U/14 80m Hurdles and 5th in the 80m sprint.
Liam Morris (3.30 h-t) chalked up his 4th middle-distance win in the Under 15 Boys in the 1,200m, with his clubmate Arlen Szabo making steady progress after injury in 4th place in 3.42 (hand-timed). Adam Mulhall had a strong run with 4th in the Under 16 Boys over 1,200m.
Final league results to follow.

Laura Nunan has been selected to represent Ireland in the WORLD UNDER 18 MOUNTAIN RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIPS in Italy in July. This is a fantastic achievement, and we wish Laura all the best in her preparation for the event.

Niamh Clifford (1.03.21) returned to her native Co. Kerry to win the AN RIOCHT AC KINGDOM COME 10 MILE ROAD RACE at Castleisland on Sunday morning. Clifford, a former member of the Star of the Laune club, who is now coached by Lee Van Haeften within the Senior & Academy group came 10th overall and won the women’s category with 5 minutes to spare over runner-up Mary O’Shea of Gneevguilla AC. There were 95 finishers.

The club had 3 members compete in the WHEELWORX FASTLANE HALF-MARATHON & 10km ROAD RACES at Clondalkin on Sunday morning. The races were held on flat straight-line routes along the Grand Canal and in the vicinity of the Grange Castle Business Park. Grace Kennedy-Clarke (40.03) came 15th overall and 1st woman in the 10km race, with Blathnaid Hughes (59.05) placing 196th of the 308 finishers in a time of 59.05. Dean Fullston contested the half-marathon and came 5th in the M50 category. He placed 63rd overall of 350 finishers in a new PB time of 1.36.40.

Alan Keogh completed the 7 SISTERS SKYLINE CHALLENGE in the Derryveagh Mountain in Co. Donegal. It’s a 30km race over 7 mountains with boggy and uneven terrain. The weather conditions was cold and drizzly. The race is part of a series of races in the World Mountain Running Cup. Keogh timed 5.46.49 and was the 62nd male finisher. An injury in the early part of the course caused a lot of discomfort and he has to walk some of the route.

We have a result missing from a couple of weeks ago. Matthew Fabbro competed the PRAGUE MARATHON on the 8th of May in a time of 2.48.32. He placed 78th of the 4,611 finishers. He came 30th in the senior men’s category.

We had 3 second-placed finishers in the PARKRUN series this week. Juvenile member Lucas Collender was runner-up at Waterstown, master athlete Fergal Whitty 2nd at Hartstown and M35 master Owen Robinson was 2nd at Tolka Valley. Also, at Waterstown juvenile athlete Katie Delany came 8th and 1st woman and Jean Murphy 12th and 2nd woman. A result missing from last week is Sinead Lambe 6th overall and 1st woman home at the Inch Beach Parkrun. See results below.

Results in brief:
BOB HEFFERNAN & MARY HANLEY 5KM at Johnstownbridge, Co. Meath (17.05.2022)
12th & 2nd M40 Robert Murphy (14.57)
132nd Simon O’Toole (17.27 PB)
169th & 5th M55 Ciaran O’Flaherty (17.54)
244th David McGrath (18.56 PB)
570th & 18th W50 Mary McDermott (24.03)
729th & 16th M60 Tommy Halton (32.04)
758th & 2nd W70 Ann Woodlock (35.30)
782 finishers
LEINSTER SCHOOLS TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS DAY 1 at Santry (18.05.2022)
MINOR GIRLS JAVELIN: 2nd Amber Lynch (Loreta Stephen’s Green) 22.58m PB
MINOR BOYS 1,100m: 4th Arlen Szabo (MCS) 3.23.84
U/16 BOYS 200m: 1st Alex Leonard (CBS Lucan) 24.35
JUNIOR BOYS 80m Hurdles: 8th Rory O’Farrell (Belvedere College) 20.94
JUNIOR GIRLS 800m: 1st Eva Crowe (St. Edmund Rice) 2.16.34 new club outdoor record
JUNIOR BOYS 800m: 3rd Reuben McCormack (St. Patrick’s Cathedral GS) 2.10.56
JUNIOR GIRLS 1,500m: 1st Emily Bolton (Mount Sackville) 4.38.24
JUNIOR BOYS 1,500m: 5th Liam Morris (Colaiste Chillian) 4.37.72, 10th Daire McCarthy (Belvedere College) 4.59.63
JUNIOR GIRLS LONG JUMP: 5th Roisin Kirby (Mount Sackville) 4.60m
JUNIOR GIRLS 4 x 100m RELAY: 2nd Mount Sackville w/ Isabella Jackson & Roisin Kirby (52.74)
LEINSTER SCHOOLS TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS DAY 2 at Santry (21.05.2022)
MINOR
INTERMEDIATE BOYS 800m: 4th Thomas Bolton (Belvedere College) 2.07.88
INTERMEDIATE GIRLS 3,000m: 3rd Julie Cleary (Loreta Stephen’s Green) 10.35.23 PB, 9th Laura Nunan (Mount Sackville) 11.38.11
INTERMEDIATE BOYS 5KG SHOT PUTT: 8th Oisin Cummins-Weiss (St. Killian’s German School) 10.37m
INTERMEDIATE BOYS 1,500m: 1st Oliver Hopkins (St. Declan’s College) 4.04.55, 8th Thomas Bolton (Belvedere College) 4.24.35
SENIOR BOYS 5,000m: 4th James Bolton (Belvedere College) 15.22.69
DUBLIN JUVENILE T&F LEAGUE FIXTURE 4 at Irishtown (21.05.2022)
U/11 GIRLS 60m: 5th Anna Whelan
U/11 GIRLS 400m: 1st Anna Whelan
U/11 GIRLS Long Jump: 2nd Anna Whelan
U/11 GIRLS: Cliodhna McMahon no result available
U/12 GIRLS 60m: 1st Anabella Omozee
U/12 GIRLS 500m: 1st Anabella Omozee
U/12 GIRLS Long Jump: 1st Anabella Omozee (result to be confirmed)
U/13 GIRLS 60m Hurdles: 3rd Ruby Blake
U/13 GIRLS SHOT PUTT: 1st Ruby Blake (7.84m)
U/14 GIRLS 80m: 5th Zion Osawe
U/14 GIRLS 80m Hurdles: 1st Zion Osawe
U/14 GIRLS 80m: 5th Melody Omozee
U/14 GIRLS 80m Hurdles: 2nd Melody Omozee
U/14 GIRLS 80m: semi-final Lola Blake
U/14 GIRLS Long Jump: Lola Blake no result available
U/14 GIRLS 400m: Lola Blake no result available
U/15 BOYS 1,200m: 1st Liam Morris (3.30 h-t), 4th Arlen Szabo (3.42 h-t)
U/16 BOYS 1,200m: 4th Adam Mulhall
Some results may be missing.
The events held at Irishtown were – 60/80/100m, 60m/75m/80m/100mH, 300m/400m/500m, 1,200m, Long Jump, High Jump, Shot Putt, Discus & Javelin.
NATIONAL TRACK & FIELD LEAGUE 1st QUALIFYING ROUND at Templemore (22.05.2022)
WOMEN’S PREMIER DIVISION:
100m HURDLES: 1st Lara O’Byrne (14.55) 9 points
1,500m WALK: 4th Anne Gormley (10.49.63) 5 points
HIGH JUMP: 3rd Eva McPartlan (1.50m) 6 points
SHOT PUTT: 1st Lara O’Byrne (9.90m) 9 points
400m HURDLES: 2nd Caoimhe Mackey (1.06.12) 7 points
4 x 100m RELAY: 2nd <Eva McPartlan, Sophie O’Farrell, Andie Maguire, Lauren Flaherty> (50.94) 7 points
HAMMER: 3rd Anne Gormley (9.99m) 6 points
TRIPLE JUMP: 4th Andie Maguire (10.45m) 5 points
1,500m: 4th Audrey Gahan (5.30.33) 5 points
400m: 2nd Caoimhe Mackey (1.02.65) 7 points
POLE VAULT: 2nd Ailbhe Healy (2.40m) 7 points
JAVELIN: 2nd Sophie O’Farrell (14.16m) 7 points
3,000m: 4th Deirdre NicCanna (11.19.65) 5 points
200m: 4th Lauren Flaherty (29.03) 5 points
DISCUS: 3rd Andie Maguire (10.90m) 6 points
LONG JUMP: 1st Lara O’Byrne (5.32m) 9 points
3,000m STEEPLECHASE: no competitor (0)
800m: 3rd Margaret O’Brien (2.58.10) 6 points
28LB WEIGHT-4-DISTANCE: no competitor (0)
100m: 4th Sophie O’Farrell (13.73) 5 points
4 x 400m RELAY: 4th <Lauren Flaherty, Ailbhe Healy, Audrey Gahan, Caoimhe Mackey> (4.38.29
TOTAL TEAM POINTS (best 15 scores): 1. Tipperary County (122), 2. Galway County (114), 3. Raheny Shamrocks AC (103), 4. Donore Harriers (100), 5th St. Abban’s AC (4)
MEN’S PREMIER DIVISION:
110m HURDLES: 3rd Sean Chan (20.60) 6 points
3,000m WALK: no competitor (0)
HAMMER: 5th Alex Conway (12.61m) 4 points
POLE VAULT: no competitor (0)
400m HURDLES: 1st Daragh McAuley (58.50) 9 points
4 x 100m RELAY: 4th <Sean Chan, Simon Ayres, Conor Fox, Liam Tobin> (45.48) 5 points
LONG JUMP: 4th Bobby Amandi (5.42m) 5 points
SHOT PUTT: 3rd Oran O’Brien (11.26m) 6 points
1,500m: 1st Louis O’Loughlin (3.57.44) 9 points
400m: 2nd Zak Higgins (51.64) 7 points
HIGH JUMP: 3rd Daniel Hernon (1,70m) 6 points
DISCUS: 3rd Niall Allen (31.10m) 6 points
3,000m STEEPLECHASE: 2nd Matt Fabbro (11.27.86) 7 points
200m: 6th Simon Ayres (24.18 club debut) 3 points
TRIPLE JUMP: 3rd Michael McCarthy (11.59m) 6 points
800m: 1st Louis O’Loughlin (1.55.99) 9 points
5,000m: 3rd Daragh Keegan (16.06.78 PB) 6 points
JAVELIN: 3rd Daniel Hernon (22.11m) 6 points
56LB WEIGHT-4-DISTANCE: 3rd Niall Allen (6.33m) 6 points
100m: 5th Liam Tobin (11.73 club debut) 4 points
4 x 400m RELAY: 2nd <Conor Fox, Simon Ayres, Zak Higgins, Louis O’Loughlin> (
TOTAL TEAM POINTS (best 17 scores): 1. Nenagh Olympic (128), 2. Leevale AC (115), 3. Donore Harriers (110), 4. Raheny Shamrocks AC (84), 5. St. Abban’s AC (21)
FASTLANE HALF-MARATHON at Clondalkin (22.05.2022)
63rd & 5th M50 Dean Fullston (1.36.40 PB)
350 finishers
FASTLANE 10KM ROAD RACE at Clondalkin (22.05.2022)
15th & 1st woman Grace Kennedy-Clarke (40.03)
196th & 37th woman Blathnaid Hughes (59.05)
308 finishers
AN RIOCHT AC KINGDOM COME 10 MILE ROAD RACE at Castleisland (22.05.2022)
10th & 1st woman Niamh Clifford (1.03.21)
95 finishers
7 SISTERS SKYLINE CHALLENGE in Derryveagh Mountains, Co. Donegal (22.05.2022)
MEN’S RACE: 62nd Alan Keogh (5.46.49)

EARLIER RESULT:
PRAGUE MARATHON (08.05.2022)
78th & 30th Senior male Matthew Fabbro (2.48.32)
4,611 finishers
PARKRUNS 5km (21.05.2022)
INCH BEACH (14.05.2021) 6th & 1st woman Sinead Lambe W35 (19.59)
HARTSTOWN: 2nd Fergal Whitty M45 (17.53)
NEW ROSS: 23rd Eugene McCurtain M55 (23.50), 50th Liz McCurtain W55 (28.56)
POPPINTREE: 85th Eilish Joyce W40 (33.13)
TOLKA VALLEY: 2nd Owen Robinson M35 (20.29)
WATERSTOWN: 2nd Lucas Collender M11-14 (20.21 PB), 8th & 1st woman Katie Delaney W15-17 (23.32), 12th & 2nd woman Jean Murphy W35 (25.55)