The Clonliffe athletes deserve huge credit for their performances at today’s national Masters and intermediate cross country in Abbottstown. The conditions were extremely testing after weeks and weeks of incessant rain in Dublin, although thankfully the rain held off until late in the afternoon, the underfoot conditions were exceptionally difficult with sucking mud draining the energy of all. In the intermediate Championships the Clonliffe women took deserved team bronze, Hope Saunders took individual silver, it was silver also in the men’s intermediate for Mahad Mohamed Egaal and team silver for the men and in the Masters Colm Rooney retained his Masters title with a convincing win whilst the M35 plus the team also took silver.
After the juvenile B championships it was the women’s master race that kicked off the afternoon, Natalia Lungu led the team home in 32nd, followed by Elaine McLaughlin 94th, Yvonne McDonagh 129th, Fionnuala Smith 130th and Mel Curran 142nd.
The M65 men, raced with the master women, Philip O’Doherty was 14th, Diarmuid Doyle 16th, Declan Murray 36th and Tom Monks 39th
Then it was the men where the Clonliffe M35+ team were defending champions. Colm Rooney quickly asserted his dominance, repeating his 2025 win taking 1st place, Sergiu Ciobanu was 5th, Cathal McHale 20th and Karl Nolan 29th, the scoring 4 took 2nd place and team silver behind North Belfast Harriers. Niall Sherlock was 49th, Tom Sherlock 57th, James Dunne 74th, Peter Bissett 124th and Alan Worrall 202nd. Inter county gold was also won by Colm Rooney, Sergiu Ciobanu and Cathal McHale.
The Clonliffe intermediate women’s team came into this race in good form and medal hopes were high. Hope Saunders was always in the lead trio and took a fine individual silver. There were great runs also by Alannah Cooley taking 8th place, Lauren McKiernan in 19th and Grace Twomey in 21st, the 4th scorer as the team took well-deserved bronze. The non-scoring athletes were Jenny Johnston 23rd, Sarah Hawkshaw 25th, Ailbhe Morgan 35th, Niamh Quinn 40th, Emma Campbell 42nd and Bronagh Greaney 60th. Hope also took intercounty gold on the Dublin team. The winning club was DCH with Galway City Harriers 2nd.
Then it was the intermediate men, racing over 6000m, again very bright start by the Clonliffe men with Mahad Mohamed Egaal, Malcom Kiplagat and Tom Breslin very much to the fore. Mahad made a bold bid to break away at the end of the 2nd lap but was reeled back in and then bided his time. Unfortunately Malcom was unwell and was forced out on lap 3. At this stage Tom Breslin was going well, despite a heavy cold last week, and ultimately finished in 7th position, both Ben Coughlan and Conor Fitzpatrick were making steady progress as the race wore on. On the final straight Mahad was in a 3 way sprint battle for the win, he gave it everything he had and was rewarded with silver with Tom 7th, Ben 12th and Conor 19th, team silver was secured. Damien Prendergast was only a fraction behind Conor in 20th position. Inter county gold went to Dublin with Mahad, Tom, Ben and Connor all scoring and securing national intercounty gold. The winning club team was Galway City Harriers with the Donore Harriers taking bronze.
So, it was some weekend, the men winning the indoor track and field league yesterday and today the intermediate men and master men taking team silvers and the intermediate women team bronze. Well done each and everyone.
Finally a huge thank you to all the Clonliffe volunteers who built the course on Friday, in very difficult freezing rain, and then to the 30 who came out today to marshall and officiate. A brilliant job done by all.