HIGHLIGHTS: Sorcha & Ide NicDhomhnaill won silver and bronze in the NATIONAL SENIOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS 5,000m. Caoimhe Mackey 5th in the final and again lowered her 400m Hurdles club record. Louis O’Loughlin 6th in the 1,500m. Oliver Hopkins won TAILTEANN INTERPROVINCIAL GAMES 1,500m and gained selection to the Ireland SIABs team. Robert Murphy 1st M40, Des Tremble 2nd M50 and several PBs in the ST. COCA’S 5KM ROAD RACE. Laura Nunan 2nd Ireland finisher in the UNDER 18 INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIPS in Italy. We remember the Late TOM O’RIORDAN, among one of Donore Harriers and Ireland’s finish ever athletes
REPORT: <report/results by Gerry Naughton & Florence Curley>
Sorcha and Ide NicDhomhnaill were the club’s star performers in the 150th NATIONAL SENIOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS held at a wet and windy Santry over the weekend. The sisters act took silver and bronze medals behind the irrepressible Fionnuala McCormack of Kilcoole AC in the women’s 5,000m final on Saturday afternoon.
McCormack (16.07.75) set out her stall early and took to the front as early as the first lap. The NicDhomhnaill sisters kept composed and ran at the front of the chasing pack. At the half-way stage Sorcha was in a clear 2nd place, but Ide slipped behind Sinead O’Connor of Leevale and Nakita Burke of Letterkenny AC. However, Ide rallied over the final 2km and not only caught up with Sorcha but went into the silver medal position. It all came down to the final 150 metres when Sorcha (16.19.71) narrowly edged out Ide (16.20.51) for the runner-up spot. It was history made as this was the first time that sisters took podium places for a distance event in these championships.
Lara O’Byrne didn’t get out of the blocks in the final of the Women’s 100m Hurdles. As the athletes composed themselves on the blocks ready for the starters’ gun both O’Byrne in Lane 8 and the athlete in Lane 9 twitched as they faced into a strong headwind. O’Byrne stalled, expecting the race to be re-called, but all she could do was watch as athletes went over the first hurdle and onwards to the finish line. Lara said afterwards: “I moved in the blocks, and I was expecting to be made stand up. I just stayed there, and they pressed the gun to go… the strong winds was a factor for what happened”.
Claudia Sofia Andre qualified to the final of the women’s 200m when she came 2nd in Heat No. 3 in a time of 25.77. She came 8th in the final in 26.45.
Caoimhe Mackey (1.05.58) automatically qualified to the final of the Women’s 400m Hurdles when she came 3rd in Heat 2. Daragh McAuley (58.75) narrowly failed to progress to the final in the Men’s 400m Hurdles. He was pipped to the line for 3rd place by Eoin Sharkey of Tir Chonaill AC with just 3-hundredths of a second separating the two.
In the 200m heats David Campbell (25.96) came 7th in Heat 5 and Conor Fox (25.06) 5th in Heat 6 – both failed to progress. Zak Higgins (50.54) also failed to make the final when 4th in Heat 5 of the 400m.
Also, on Saturday Louis O’Loughlin (3.58.42) went from 5th to 3rd in the closing 50 metres of Heat 3 of the 1,500m and booked his place in Sunday’s final.
In the field rising young star Chinonye Okwara (10.01m) came 9th in the Women’s Shot Putt.
Sunday’s DAY 2 of the championships started on a positive note. Lara O’Byrne put behind her disappointment from the previous day to jump 5.29m in the 3rd round of the Long Jump, thus qualifying to take 3 more efforts as a top 8 contestant. O’Byrne pulled out a super 5.47m in her 6th and final jump. The new mark would have been a personal best and a club record but the wind reading of 4.7m/s was over the limit and disallowed the mark. She placed 8th overall behind winner Ruby Millet of St. Abban’s AC.
Lara O’Byrne later threw 30.15m in the 3rd round of the Javelin and placed 9th.
The wet and windy conditions were not conducive to fast times and made it difficult for sprinters to keep warm, etc. Paul McDermott ran 11.60 into a strong wind to finish 3rd in Heat 3 of the 100m and qualified to the semi-finals. McDermott, who missed a large block of training due to injury, could only manage 6th place in the 1st semi-final in a time of 11.43 and thus failed to reach the final.
Eva McPartlan came 5th in heat 3 of the women’s 100m in a time of 13.19.
Caoimhe Mackey just keeps chipping away at her times – and arguably ran her best race yet in the final of the 400m Hurdles. She was never going to be in contention for a medal given the level of the opposition, but she rose 6th over the final hurdle and ran strongly to the line to gain to 5th in a new personal best and club record time of 1.02.79.
Louis O’Loughlin was the slowest of the 15 athletes on paper going into the final of the 1,500m having recently stepped up from the 800m event. The race proved to be a tactical affair with a slow pace thru the first 900 metres. When the pace did eventually pick up O’Loughlin was slow to react and found himself towards the back of the field. He was 12th. However, he rallied over the final 120 metres to finish a very creditable 6th. The race was won by Cathal Doyle of Clonliffe Harriers in 3.59.36 as O’Loughlin ran 4.01.95.
Kane Collins ran in the ‘B’ final of the 5,000m. The Cork native put in a solid performance to place 6th in 15.04.42.
The 5th DUBLIN OPEN GRADED MEETING took place at the Tallaght Track last Wednesday on what was a balmy mid-summer evening. Four club athletes competed. In the Men’s 800m A race Jack Byrne (1.58.76) came 7th, and he was followed home by Sean Kinsella in 8th. Kinsella, an Under 19 athlete, finally broke the 2 minutes barrier with a 1.59.89 personal best.
Emmet O’Briain M40 is clearly making improvement after an injury layoff with a time of 2.07.83 and 5th place in the 800m B grade race.
Daragh Keegan narrowly failed to get a personal best when 6th in the Men’s 5,000m race. His time of 16.07.47 was just one-second short of his time set in the National League last month. Keegan came 6th from 9 competitors.
In the TAILTEANN SCHOOLS INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS at Tullamore on Friday afternoon Oliver Hopkins (St. Declan’s College) had a fine win in the Boys 1,500m recording a time of 4.03.79 in blustery conditions. Hopkins took an early lead but came under pressure mid-race from Frank Buchanan of St. Michael’s School (4.06.48) in Enniskillen. However, a big last lap saw Hopkins win comfortably and book his place on the Irish team for the School’s track & field international (SIABs) at Santry on the 16th of July.
The ST COCA’S 5KM ROAD RACE continues to grow in popularity and 13 club athletes were on Friday evening’s start line. The race started at the local athletics track at Bawnogues, then took a country roads route thru Courtown, Gragadder and Branganstown before finishing in the Fair Green via Connaught Street.
Robert Murphy (15.06) came home in 6th place and won the M40 category with 26 seconds to spare over Paul Smith of Drogheda & District AC. Next club finisher was Des Tremble (17.02) in 78th position and 2nd in the M50 category. Just on his shoulder was Gavin Keogh (17.02) in 79th and 28th in the M40s.
New club member Adam Foy (17.15) came 89th closely followed by Simon O’Toole (17.16) in 92nd.
Alan Keogh M40 (17.25) placed 107th, Maura Kearns (18.06) 139th and 7th woman, and Peter Gaffney (18.05) 142nd and 8th in the M50 category.
An improving Audrey Gahan W40 (19.47) ran within 10 seconds of her 2017 personal best time when finishing in 238th position. One place behind was JP O’Hanlon who ran a new persona best time of 19.53.
The next 3 club finishers all set PBs. Pamela White (20.43) retained her running composure after suffering a rib injury in the scramble across the starting mat went on to place 280th overall and 27th senior woman in a new PB time. A delighted Suzie Henley-Willis (21.34) smashed her previous best time and now has her sight set on a sub-20-minute time. She came 337th. Katernine Marsh (22.01) came 351st of the 471 finishers.
The DOCKLANDS 5KM ROAD RACE organized by Crusaders AC was held last Thursday evening with an out and back route that started on Lime Street, crossed the Liffey at Matt Talbot Bridge, then reached and returned from the 3 Arena, and finally finished at the Sir John Rogerson’s Quay.
Didier Da Costa M45 completed the route in a PB time of 17.55 to place 37th overall. Next came Ray Armstrong 77th in a new PB time of 18.57. Also among the 1,039 finishers was Julia Hackett W50 who came 292nd in 22.03.
On the same evening David McGrath came 24th in the CLONEE 10KM ROAD RACE running a PB time of 40.10. There were 229 finishers
Aisling Kirby (45.23) came 89th overall and 10th woman in the COURTMACSHERRY 10KM ROAD RACE (24.06.2022). Aisling was 3rd in the senior women’s category. The West Cork race was held on a damp Friday evening and had 246 finishers
Cliodhna Carthy came 3rd woman in the SPORTIVAMENTE 10KM RACE at Bois De La Cambre near Brussels on Saturday.
Laura Nunan competed for the Republic of Ireland team in the 15th edition of the INTERNATIONAL UNDER 18 MOUNTAIN RUNNING CUP at Saluzzo, Italy on Sunday morning. The race was held over an uphill/downhill course on two loops composed of a short 550m circuit followed by a second loop of 3800m. The 4350m race had a total ascent descent of +/- 155m with a mixed terrain that included cobblestone, grass, and a small section of asphalt. The race passed close to historical monuments such as the ancient residence of the Marquises and the Civic Tower.
Laura (23.45) was the 2nd scorer on the Irish team that finished 12 of 12 competing nations. The team event was won by England.
Donore Harriers had 4 members compete in the THOROUGHBRED RUN KILDARE HALF-MARATHON on Sunday 19th of June. Oliver O’Hara M45 (1.37.36) came 32nd of the 286 finishers. Next home was Jo Hughes W50 who ran 1.44.53 for 75th place. Neil Maddox M40 came 132nd in 1.54.20 and Deirdre Healy W50 was 181st in 2.01.32.
Terry Mee, an M75 runner, recorded a season’s best of 30.59 in the CORKAGH PARKRUN. At the WATERSTOWN PARKRUN Dylan McKenna U17 came 1st overall in 19.58 and Katie Delaney U16 was 5th overall & 1st woman.
In the ERRIS HEAD PARKRUN in Co. Mayo James Bolton U19 won in 15.56 to take one-second of the previous course record set by Gary Thornton (Galway City Harriers) in 2017. His brother Thomas U17 came 2nd.
More results below.
We remember the Late TOM O’RIORDAN R.I.P. 12 July 1937 to 20 June 2022.
Tom O’Riordan (Donore Harriers), from the little village of Ardfert in North Kerry, was one of Ireland’s greatest athletes. He achieved the highest honour when he represented Ireland in the 5,000 meters at the Tokyo Olympics 1964. He went on to become a noted sports journalist with the Irish Independent.
In 1957, Tom O’Riordan was offered an athletic scholarship to Idaho State University U.S.A. where he went on to become a world-class athlete, winning both the National Inter-Collegiate cross-country championship and the 3,000m steeplechase title. He dominated many events in the white-hot competition of America, winning nine Conference championships in the mile and two-mile distances.
He returned to Ireland in 1962 and joined Donore Harriers where he came under the coaching influence of the legendary Eddie Hogan. In all he set 14 national records – 4 in the 3,000 metres, 4 in the 2 miles distance, 4 over 3 miles, and 2 in the 5,000m – including 1st Irish athlete to break 14 minutes.
Tom won 18 national individual senior titles – 11 were national track titles & 7 in national cross-country titles plus multiple club team titles with his beloved Donore Harriers. He was on the club’s national senior cross-country winning teams in 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1974 and 1975.
He was capped 21 times for Ireland, including the Olympic Games 5,000m in Tokyo 1964, the European track championships 5,000m in Budapest 1966, 11 times on the International cross-country team, and 8 other international track & field including Europa Cup teams.
He also narrowly failed to win the British A.A.A. title as he was just beaten by the great Bruce Tulloh.
Tom O’Riordan ranks with Ronnie Delaney, Eamon Coghlann, John Treacy, Sonia O’Sullivan, and others, as one of Ireland’s all-time greats.
Here is Tom O’Riordan being interviewed by Radio Kerry in 1999 – with thanks to his former Donore Harriers clubmate John Phelan for the link.
Results in brief:
DUBLIN OPEN GRADED TRACK & FIELD MEET NO. 5 at Tallaght (22.06.2022)
MEN’S 800m A GRADE RACE: 7th Jack Byrne (1.58.76), 8th Sean Kinsella (1.59.89 PB)
MEN’S 800m B GRADE RACE: 5th Emmet O’Briain (2.07.83)
MEN’S 5,000m A GRADE RACE: 6th Daragh Keegan (16.07.47)
DOCKLANDS 5KM ROAD RACE at Georges Quay, Dublin (23.06.2022)
37th Didier Da Costa M45 (17.55 PB)
77th Ray Armstrong M40 (18.57 PB)
292nd Julia Hackett W50 (22.03)
1,039 finishers
CLONEE 10KM ROAD RACE (23.06.2022)
24th David McGrath (40.10 PB)
229 finishers
TAILTEANN SCHOOLS INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS at Santry (24.04.2022)
BOY’S 1,500m: 1st Oliver Hopkins (4.03.79)
ST. COCA’S 5KM ROAD RACE at Kilcock (24.06.2022)
6th & 1st M40 Robert Murphy (15.06)
78th & 2nd M50 Des Tremble (17.02)
79th & 28th M40 Gavin Keogh (17.02)
89th & 45th SNR Adam Foy (17.15) club debut
92nd & 46th SNR Simon O’Toole (17.16)
107th & 41st M40 Alan Keogh (17.25)
139th & 7th SNR Maura Kearns (18.06)
142nd & 8th M50 Peter Gaffney (18.05)
238th & 20th W40 Audrey Gahan (19.47)
239th & 76th SNR JP O’Hanlon (19.53 PB)
280th & 27th SNR Pamela White (20.43 PB)
337th & 40th W40 Suzie Henley-Willis (21.34 PB)
351st & 40th SNR Katherine Marsh (22.01 PB)
471 finishers
COURTMACSHERRY 10KM ROAD RACE in County Cork (24.06.2022)
89th, 10th woman & 3rd senior Aisling Kirby (45.23)
246 finishers
SPORTIVAMENTE 10KM RACE at Bois De La Cambre, Brussels (25.06.2022)
3rd woman Cliodhna Carthy
NATIONAL SENIOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS DAY 1 at Santry (25.06.2022)
WOMEN’S 200m HEAT 3: 2nd Claudia Sofia Andre (25.77) Q.
WOMEN’S 200m FINAL: 8th Claudia Sofia Andre (26.45)
WOMEN’S 100m HURDLES FINAL: DNS Lara O’Byrne
MEN’S 200m HEAT 5: 7th David Campbell (25.96)
MEN’S 200m HEAT 6: 5th Conor Fox (25.06)
MEN’S 400m HEAT 5: 4th Zak Higgins (50.54)
WOMEN’S 400m HURDLES HEAT 2: 3rd Caoimhe Mackey (1.05.58) Q.
MEN’S 400m HURDLES HEAT 2: 4th Daragh McAuley (58.75)
MEN’S 1,500m HEAT 3: 3rd Louis O’Loughlin (3.58.42) Q.
WOMEN’S 5,000m FINAL: 2nd Sorcha NicDhomhnaill (16.19.71) SILVER, 3rd Ide NicDhomhnaill (16.20.51) BRONZE
WOMEN’S SHOT PUTT FINAL: 9th Chinonye Okwara (10.01m)
NATIONAL SENIOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS DAY 2 at Santry (26.06.2022)
WOMEN’S 100m HEAT 3: 5th Eva McPartlan (13.19)
MEN’S 100m HEAT 3: 3rd Paul McDermott (11.60) Q.
MEN’S 100m SEMI FINAL 1: 6th Paul McDermott (11.43)
WOMEN’S 400m HURDLES FINAL: 5th Caoimhe Mackey (1.02.79 PB and club record)
MEN’S 1,500m FINAL: 6th Louis O’Loughlin (4.01.95)
MEN’S 5,000m ‘B’ FINAL: 6th Kane Collins (15.04.42)
WOMEN’S LONG JUMP FINAL: 8th Lara O’Byrne (5.47m) wind 4.3m/s
WOMEN’S JAVELIN FINAL: 9th Lara O’Byrne (30.15m)
INTERNATIONAL UNDER 18 MOUNTAIN RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIP at Saluzzo, Italy (26.06.2022)
4.35KM COURSE: 43rd Laura Nunan (23.45)
THOROUGHBRED RUN KILDARE HALF-MARATHON at Kildare Town (19.06.2022)
32nd Oliver O’Hara M45 (1.37.36)
75th Jo Hughes W50 (1.44.53)
132nd Neil Maddox M40 (1.54.20)
181st Deirdre Healy W50 (2.01.32)
286 finishers
PARKRUNS 5km (25.06.2022)
CASTLETOWN: 38th Joan McTernan W60 (26.40)
BUSHY: 167th Thomas Halton M65 (31.54)
CORKAGH: 73rd Terry Mee M75 (30.59), 137th Nicola Dowdall W45 (51.23)
ERRIS HEAD: 1st James Bolton U19 (15.56), 2nd Thomas Bolton U17 (17.03)
NEW ROSS: 27th Liz McCurtain W55 (29.13), 28th Eugene McCurtain M55 (29.13)
WATERSTOWN: 1st Dylan McKenna M15-17 (19.58), 5th & 1st woman Katie Delaney W15-17 (25.44)
