It was another great national road relays day for Clonliffe Harriers in Raheny today as the club’s men’s team regained the national road relay title last captured the year before last. The four team members, Ben Guiden, Fintan Kerins, Colm Rooney and Ian Guiden put in superb runs to win by pretty comfortable margin of 24 seconds.
The 1st 2 mile leg was the usual frantic stuff, after the 1st lap it was Ben Guiden and indeed Malcom Kiplagat, on the B team, that were well to the fore at the top of the field, a lap later down the avenue to the changeover zone Ben passed over in 2nd place to Fintan Kerins, Ben’s time was 9.23, although the proverbial blanket could have been thrown over the lead 3 of Clonliffe, Donore and Raheny. Fintan ran an excellent mile leg of 4.20 to take the lead and pass over to the ever dependable Colm Rooney. Colm ran a perfectly judged 3 mile leg clocking a superb 14.04 to pass on to Ian with a commanding lead of 20 seconds, then it was the turn of Ian to stay in control over his 2 mile leg and with a 9.19 clocking the team took 1st place in a time of 37.04. Donore were 2nd with DSD 3rd.
The B team of Malcom Kiplagat (9.51), Sean Carrigg (4.29), Ed Tottenham (15.06) and Conor Fitzpatrick (9.55) took an excellent 6th position in a time of 39.20.
In 10th position was the development team of Damien Prendergast (10.04), Rory Quill (4.40), Tom Breslin (15.13) and Matei Ursachi (10.02), in overall time of 39.57. The C team took 24th (45.03) – Greg Hosseny (11.04), Jack Quinn (4.50), Eoin Keating (14.23) and Andrew D’Arcy (12.47).
The Clonliffe senior senior women were very well represented, it was most pleasing to see 4 teams in action. The A team once again came so close to securing bronze, they missed out by a margin of only 4 seconds. Excellent performances by the team of Niamh Kelly (5.04), Helena Butterly (10.45) and Hope Saunders (5.10) clocking a time of 20.58. Race winners were DCH, St Abbans took silver with DSD bronze.
The B team of Laura Tuite (5.18), Caitriona Bregazzi (11.43) and Alannah Cooley (5.28) finished in 12th (22.28). 17th was the C team: Isla Duncan (5.27), Chloe Heaslip (12.09) and Ailbhe Morgan (5.34), in a total time of 23.09. The development team of our U/20s were 18th (23.53) – Lucy McFetridge (5.40), Ayana O’Callaghan (12.24) and Sophie Kernan (5.50).
In the women’s master race the W35 team were also close to medalling as they finished in 5th position – Eleanor Alexander (5.31), Jenny Johnston (12.24) and Aisling Andrews (5.59) for a combined time of 23.54 as Raheny took 1st, Longford 2nd and Crusaders 3rd. The B team of Aideen O’Connor (6.29), Pamela Kavanagh (14.32) and Sinead DeBello (6.39) took 8th position.
Likewise there was no precious metal for our men’s M35 team with Donore, Raheny and Liffey Valley filling the top 3 positions. The Clonliffe team of Mark McDonald, making his Masters debut, (4.45), Cathal McHale (9.51) and Niall Sherlock (5.01) finished in 6th place. The B team of James Dunne (5.13), Tom Sherlock (10.30) and Ray Dunne (5.13) finished 11th and in 22nd the C team of Robbie Burns (5.43), Ross Ringwood (11.37) and Peter Bissett (5.50).
In the M50 race it was DSD that took 1st followed by Raheny and Drogheda and District. The Clonliffe A team finished in 10th – Fergal O’Shea (5.45), Brian O’Callaghan (14.57) and Arturas Kvietkus (5.47) with the B team of Brian Connolly (5.44), Alan Worrall (15.15) and Mick Gleeson (6.16) finishing in 12th position.
Congratulations and sincere thanks to all our athletes for today and of course our club’s coaches.
