Lindie Naughton brings a report that is mostly about running in the mud, but there’s some road running. Some short, some longer. All the Irish action from this weekend. 

With the Dublin Senior Cross-Country Championships returning to Santry for the first time since 2019 on Sunday (November 5), it was a great day for the resident club, Clonliffe Harriers.

Club man Efrem Gidey not only made it a back-to-back victory in the men’s 9km race, he also helped his team to a fifth consecutive victory.

On the first of five laps, Gidey quickly broke away making light of the muddy conditions and a heavy shower midway through to finish in a superb time of 28 mins 50 secs.

Second in 30:03 was David Scanlon of Rathfarnham WSAF, followed by Colm Rooney and Jayme Rossiter, both Clonliffe, who were third and fourth in 30:10 and 30:12. Eoin Pierce in eight place ensured that team victory went to Clonliffe ahead of Rathfarnham WSAF and Dundrum South Dublin AC.

They were followed by Brothers Pearse, Raheny Shamrock and Donore Harriers. Just six teams finished the race.

Photo: Lindie Naughton

Following international rules, women ran the same distance as men for the first time and it was Dublin City Harriers who dominated from the start, taking the top three places. Edel Monaghan was first in 34:49, Faye Dervan second in 35:25 and Cliona Murphy third in 35:40. Fourth in 36:06 was Niamh Kearney of Raheny Shamrock.

DSD took the next three places, with Eimear Maher fifth, the ageless Maria McCambridges sixth and Serena Tuffy seventh. DCH, with Sorcha McAllister the fourth counter in 11th place, won the team title, with DSD second Raheny Shamrock third.

A day earlier, a different DCH team had won the Leinster cross-country title over a shorter distance.

The juniors provide exciting racing too

A clear winner or the junior women’s race was Sadhbh Mohan of Metro St Brigid’s AC in 21.00 minutes. Edel McCreery of Rathfarnham WSAF AC was second in 21:36 and Laura Nunan of Donore Harriers third in 22:03. Dundrum South Dublin AC, led by Saoirse O’Brien in fifth place, was first team ahead of Donore Harriers with only two teams finishing the race.

Sean Cronin of Clonliffe Harriers won a more competitive junior men’s race, with his time of 17 mins 40 secs, giving him five seconds to spare on his team mate Mahad Egaal who finished in 17:45. Louise Woodger of Metro St Brigid’s AC was third in 17:51. Clonliffe, with four finishers in the top ten, was the winning team. DSD AC was second and Raheny Shamrock AC third.

In Conna, Co Cork, Edmond Byrne of Togher AC was the winner of the men’s novice race at the Cork Novice and Inter Cross-Country Championships. His time of 25:33 put him comfortably clear of Joseph Daly of Carraig na bhFear AC second in 25:41.

Cian Kelly third in 26:22, was leading St Finbarr’s AC to team victory over Carraig na bhFear and Togher AC, Just seven points separated the top three teams, with six teams finishing. Anthony Forristal of East Cork AC was a clear winner of a poorly-supported intermediate race.

Aoibheann Lawton of Durrus AC took the women’s novice title with a time of 18:28, followed by Sarah Mulcahy of St Catherine’s AC in 18:55 and Emer Delargy of Cork Track Club in 20:27.

Togher AC was the first of the five teams that finished only narrowly beating St Finbarr’s AC on count-back. St Catherine’s AC were third. Noémie Leduc of Grange Fermoy took the intermediate women’s title, with Leevale AC winning the team title from Fionnbarr’s AC.

Winners of the U19 races were Aoife Callanan of Courcey AC and Bill Healy of Midleton AC. North Cork AC won the girls’ team title with Bandon AC best of the boys.

Saturday racing too means busy weekend for some

On Saturday, Clare Fagan of Mullingar Harriers was a comfortable winner of the women’s race at the Leinster Senior Cross-Country Championships in the Cowpark, Dunboyne, Co Meath.

Fagan, who finished in 23 mins 51 secs, was followed across the line by Dublin City Harriers pair Avril Deegan and Orla Duffy who finished in 24:25 and 24:26. DCH took the team title with 34 points. For second place, Mullingar Harriers beat Sportsworld on count-back.

Despite the Dublin Championships taking place a day later, the event was well supported by Dublin clubs, with Crusaders fourth and Liffey Valley fifth five teams finished. Dublin was the winning county from Meath and Westmeath, with just three county teams signing up.

For Mullingar Harriers, Vinny Connolly and Kevin Moore finished first and second in the men’s 9km in times of 33:14 andn 33:29.

Third was the 2022 Irish marathon champion Martin Hoare of Celbridge AC in 33:42. Fourth and first U23 was Marcus Clarke of Ratoath AC in 33:46. Mullingar Harriers took the team title in some style with 19 points. Ratoath AC was second on 68 points and Liffey Valley AC third with 83 points.

Conall McCambridge of North Belfast Harriers was the winner of the men’s five-mile race at the McConnell Shield Cross-Country, Sixmilewater Park, Ballyclare, Co Antrim, also on Saturday.

McCambridge finished in 26 mins 46 secs; Gary Crummy of Newry AC was second in 26:58 and Luke Dinsmore of Annadale Striders third in 27:11. John Black of North Belfast Harriers was first M35 in 28:32, Other age group winners were Connor Magill M40, Michael Kelly (Armagh AC) M45, Paul Carroll (Annadale Striders) M50 and Francis Marsh (North Down AC) M55.

With four in the top eleven, Annadale Striders took the team title ahead of North Belfast Harriers and North Down AC. Best of the women’s teams was City of Derry Spartans.

Winners at NI and Ulster Novice Cross-Country in Stranorlar, Co Donegal were Sean McGinley and Amy Greene. Tafelta AC took the women’s team with Finn Valley AC.

Roads

At the New York Marathon on Sunday (November 5), Patrick Monahan of St Coca’s AC finished eighth in the men’s elite wheelchair race with a time of 1:40.22.

Winning the Corofin Loop 10-mile in Co Galway on Sunday (November 5) was John Kinsella of Bilboa AC in 54 mins 50 secs. First woman was Dee Collins of Ennis TC in 61:23. Greg Lundon of South Galway AC was first in the 8km with a time of 27:48. First woman in 32:57 was Clare Rowe of Galway City Harriers.

Well over three hundred turned out for the Paul Brunnock Memorial Run 50km ultra, marathon, half marathon, 10km 5km, at the Waterford Greenway on Saturday (November 4).

Winning the 50km ultra inn 3 hrs 38 mins 11 secs was Alex O’Shea. Sixth and first woman was Anne Jennings in 4:30.46. John Cronin was the marathon winner in 2:58.28, with Yvonne Sheehan in 4:18.05 the first woman. Half Marathon winners were Donough Barrow in 85:29 and Clare Ryan in 88:33.

Kyle Walsh won the 10km in 37:16. M70 master Joe Gough of West Waterford AC was fourth in 41:22. First woman was Marina Seymour in 45:55.Winner of the 8km were Senan O’Reilly in 17:24 and Sharon Cantwell in 20:05.

Catch-up

Sinéad Diver (Glenhuntly AC/Mayo AC) was the women’s winner in an excellent 32:48 at the annual Strait Link 10km in Burnie, Tasmania on Sunday, October 29.

It was third time lucky for Diver, who finished second in the race in both 2021 and 2022 and is aiming to make the Australian team for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Photo: John O’Regan

Ultra

Caitriona Jennings of Letterkenny AC finished 12th in the IAU World 50km Championships held in Hyderabad, India, on Sunday (November 5)

With temperatures hitting 29 degrees, Jennings finished in 3 hrs 29 mins 25 secs. Race winner 3:18:23 was Great Britain’s Carla Molinaro.

Last year, Jennings won the inaugural European 50km Championships, and also finished third at the 100km World Championships in a world W40 record time of 7 hrs 7 mins 16 secs.

In September, she ran a time of 2:48.26 at the Sydney Marathon. Jennings is based in Hong Kong.