Dublin Marathon 2013 Report

By Sligo AC PRO Paul Deering

Marathon post mortems and sore legs are the order of the day this week but one thing is certain, Sligo AC can look back proudly on its efforts on Bank Holiday Monday in Dublin.

There were plenty of personal bests and some excellent debut marathons with national category wins as well.

Blustery conditions made for a tricky, challenging day for the 34th annual running of the marathon but at least the rain held off having been serious concerns about a possible storm in the days leading up to the event.

The first three men home for the club were Seamus Somers in 2.48 followed by Damien Kennedy in 2.58 and Mel Casserly in 3.01, a brilliant effort by all three.

Lucy Brennan led Sligo's first three women home in 2.58 followed by Deirdre Deering in 3.41 and Cathy McCarthy in 3.42, the latter completing their second marathons.

The result placed the team an excellent sixth in the national marathon masters womens' category.

Lucy finished in the top ten overall women and she was also national over 50 winner. Congratulations are also extended to Enda Whelan, national over 60 champion who came home in 3.25. He was pushed all the way by another Sligo AC athlete, Ray Flynn who clocked 3.27, who was fourth. Well done too to Olivia Seery who was national over 65 champion, completing the course in 5.06. Rose Young was fourth in the over 60 national category.

Photo courtesy of Michael O'Connell - more great photos can be found here.

Cross Country Report Connacht Even Ages and Seniors

Richard Gorman's second place in the Senior Connacht Cross Country was the highlight of a good day for Sligo AC as was the silver medal for the under 18 boys team of James Lynch, Oisin Harney, Thomas Delahunt, and Declan Martin. The mens team of Richard Gorman, David Kearins, Kevin Mc Gloin, Tom Meehan, and Rory Connor were well up in the League Event.

Unfortunately the missing Athletes far outweighed those present.

In the girls under 12, three athletes from an entry of of 8 turned up and Maedh Mooney was first to finish in the top ten, a situation replicated in the boys race where Michael Morgan was first home.

The girls under 14 took bronze with Ailbhe Morgan and Aoife Morris leading the team home.

The Boys under 14 took silver led by Cathal Corcoran and Leo Doherty.

The Girls under 16, missing their best Athlete still managed to finish second while the Senior Ladies did well with Mari Johnston just ahead of Trish Foy and Cindy Mc Carthy.

County Sligo Cross Country 2013

COUNTY SLIGO CROSS COUNTRY 2013

SLIGO RACECOURSE SUNDAY 20th OCTOBER 2013 @ 1.00pm

• U10 Girls (must be born 2004) 800m
• U10 Boys (must be born 2004) 800m
• U11 Girls 1500m
• U11 Boys 1500m
• U12 Girls 2000m
• U12 Boys 2000m
• U13 Girls 2500m
• U13 Boys 2500m
• U15 Girls 3500m
• U15 Boys 3500m
• U17 Girls 4000m
• U17 Boys 5000m
• U19 Girls 4000m
• U19 Boys 6000m

Registration is €3 per athlete and is payable on the day.

Registration opens at 12.00 noon.

Medals to 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each event.

Sligo Road Race League Awards

The various winners of the Filan Centra and Sligo Credit Union County Sligo Road Race League were presented with their prizes at IT Sligo on Saturday.

Sligo AC extends its best wishes to men's winner Liam Feely of North Leitrim and women's winner, Mari Johnston.

Full results for the league are here: Ladies - Mens

Collooney 5K Results

On Sunday last, Richard Gorman, was in club colours once more, winning the Collooney 5k in a new pb with Seamus Somers also achieving a new best over the distance. Cindy McCarthy was first woman home.

 Full results can be found here.

Cross Country League

Sligo AC's master men's team put in a top class performance to get the new cross country league format off to the perfect start for the club.

Richard Gorman, in his first cross country run for the club was second with Michael O'Connell fourth.

Tom Meehan, back after injury, David Kearins and Rory Connor also finished well up the field.

Connacht Primary Schools XC & Walks 2013

Some younger members of the club competed at the Connacht Schools Primary Cross Country in County Longford on Saturday last. Racewalker Roisin Clarke followed up her gold medal winning performance at the County Sligo event in Calry with another win.

Eva Delahunt was also in the racewalking event and did very well.

Runner Ross Doherty, winner of the junior boys event in Sligo was an excellent fifth in Longford while Robin Kennedy, another gold winner in Sligo put in a strong performance when finishing seventh in the senior girls event.

Caoimhe Connor and Amy Deering also put in excellent runs, finishing well up the large field in the junior girls race in the Connacht finals.

Results can be found here.

IT Sligo 5K

The road race season is drawing to a close and on Saturday last one of the more popular 5k runs was held at IT Sligo.

Sligo AC's David Harper made a welcome return from illness to record a resounding win and a new course record (15:15), with Patricia Timpson (pictured), also of Sligo AC, first woman home in a new PB (18:48).

There were also other PBs on the day with a good showing too from the club's juvenile athletes. In particular, Oisin Harney, Thomas Delahunt, Philip Hunter, Leo Doherty, Jack Cawley and Keenan Deering all performed strongly and should ensure the club has a bright future.

Full results can be found here.

Grange 10K

The final race in the County Sligo Road Race League saw yet another exciting tussle for first between North Leitrim's AC Liam Feely and Sligo AC's Richard Gorman. Feely triumphed by the narrowest of margins, one second to claim victory in 32.57. Patrick Brennan was third in 33.56 with Sligo AC's Seamus Somers fourth in 34.57. Sligo AC's Lucy Brennan turned back the clock to be first female home, securing her fifth win in the event, the last being in 2005. Second woman across the line was League winner Marie Johnston who was followed in third by Sligo AC colleague, Patricia Foy. The unseasonably warm weather meant testing conditions for the 130 strong field. Sligo AC claimed the honours in the team events. Richard Gorman led home the men in first place with Seamus Somers, Ultan McNasser and Danny Hannon. Lucy Brennan led home the Sligo AC women's team to victory with Marie Johnston, Patricia Foy and Deirdre Deering. Conal Sexton, Ross Downey, Michael Casey and Nicky Davey claimed 3rd in the team event for Sligo AC and Catherine Bradley, Ashling Cawley, Cathy McCarthy and Pauline Henry were third for the women. It was a day of few pbs but there were some, most notably from Nicky Davey and Fintan Whelan who are both Dublin City Marathon bound like so many of the runners today. The full results can be found here.