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Club NewsUlster win on the Mountains23 Mar 2009 Saturday March 21 - Crone Wood Fiercely competitive battles saw out the final event of the 2009 Winter league on an extended Crone Woods course that took in Maulin summit. In 2008 the course was 6 kilometres, five of those were kept for 2009 and two new ones added to introduce a summit and two more technical descents. The pictures of the race largely describe the toughness of the climbs and the agility required for the descents. I will leave it to the competitors to describe their suffering in their race reports ………Not that Kevin Keane (Rathfarnham) noticed the extra kilometres or the climbs as he powered his way to an impressive victory. He had already established a lead as the climb up the steep grassy bank began and he further extended it on this stretch. Peter O’Farrell (Rathfarnham) showed a return to form with a strong run in 2nd place. Eoin Keith (Boards), with victory in the overall Winter league at stake, stayed in contention throughout to finish third. His main rival, newcomer Keith Heary (Carlow), was only eight seconds behind Eoin in sixth place. Emmet Jennings (DSD) was first junior in a very creditable eight place. Colm Mullen (Sli Cualann) made a welcome return to competition in 13th. The individual race in the college championship was a very close affair with Stephen Cleary (DCU) edging it ahead of orienteer Colm Hill (DIT) after a recount! In between them was Vincent O'Sullivan, a former UCD student and currently studying in England, The team event went to University of Ulster who were led home by Philip Goss in third place. The Military College and UCD tied on points for the silver medals but the Military had their third runner home first. In the women’s race Donna Mahon (Rathfarnham) led throughout the race but she was never far ahead of Ciara Largey (Queens), Niamh O’Boyle (TCD) and Mags Greenan (Clonliffe). Greenan gave Mahon a hard chase. Behind her Largey and O’Boyle had a titanic tussle for the colleges title and eventually they passed Greenan on the last technical descent. Both are orienteers so they were well matched in their strengths with Largey holding a narrow lead throughout the race. Mary Dawson (Sli Cualann) and Maureen Lowther (Trim) are tied on 12 points in the overall women’s winter league provisional results with Mary winning the overall title by virtue of having most wins. In the club race Sli Cualann won with 30 points while only two points separated the next three clubs. Clonliffe won the women’s team race as well as the overall winter men’s team league. Crusaders were overall winners of the women’s winter league. Thanks to all of the volunteers who did tremendous work and to all runners who were competing in their first ever IMRA race. A sizeable contingent from Metro St. Brigid’s turned out thus renewing a link back to 1980 when Metro runners were to the fore in the newly started fell races. Notable newcomers were Elizabeth Cuskelly (Tullamore) and Kate O’Neill (Metro) who are well-known for their cross-country performances and they look set to become contenders for the Irish international mountain-running team. As indeed will Ciara Largey (Fermanagh orienteers) and Niamh O'Boyle (CNOC). Colleges individual men 1. Stephen Cleary (DCU) 36.24 2. Colm Hill (DIT) 36.59 3. Philip Goss (UU) 40.21 4. Jason Wilson (UU) 41.00 5. John Kirwan (UCD) 43.04 6. Sean Downey (TCD) 43.22 7. Jarlath Falls (UU) 44.45 8. John Maye (NUIM) 45.35 9. Daire Roche (Military College) 47.39 10. Liam Fannon (Military College) 48.49 11. Kian Jennings (UCD) 50.27 12. Gavin Egerton (Military College) 54.39 13. Paul Morrissey (UCD) 57.38 Colleges individual women 1. Ciara Largey (Queens) 43.06 2. Niamh O’Boyle (TCD) 43.16 3. Sarah Heal (TCD) 53.21 4. Lisa McMahon (WIT) 54.43 Colleges team men 1. University of Ulster 14 (3 Philip Goss, 4 Jason Wilson, 7 Jarlath Falls) 2. Military College 31 (9 Daire Roche, 10 Liam Fannon, 12 Gavin Egerton) 3. UCD 31 (5 John Kirwan, 11 Kian Jennings, 13 Paul Morrissey) |
