Lots of action in Abbotstown and Amsterdam

17/10/2022

Kieran Little

After Sunday’s Autumn Open Cross-Country event in Abbotstown we are hopeful that at least two of our runners have made it on to Irish masters’ teams for the upcoming 5-Nations tournament to be held on 12 November.

Because Ireland, and specifically Abbotstown, will be hosting the tournament this year, there was keen interest among runners to earn a chance to wear the Irish vest and the fields for every age category were exceptionally strong. For some of us, it was also a good opportunity to see where we might rank among our peers.

The first adult race involved junior, senior and masters’ women as well as the men aged over 65. This included James Cottle. The race was 6k long for the senior and masters’ women and the men, whilst the junior women ran 4.5k. 6k involved 4x1.5k loops of the purpose-built course which has one reasonably steep, but relatively short hill followed by a drag towards the end of the loop. Conditions were dry underfoot and all the races were held before the rain and the gale-force winds appeared in the late afternoon. Ideal conditions in other words. There was also fantastic and invaluable Cru support out on the course too.

There were 13 runners in the men’s O/65 category and James had to work his way through the field, finding himself in no-man’s land for both of the 3rd and 4th laps after having had to pull away from a group of 4 or 5 runners who were bunched going into the second lap, eventually placing 6th, but 5th in the competition for a place in the 4-man Irish team (the 4th-placed runner overall likely being the strongest from Northern Ireland, running as a guest) in a time of 25:28, 16 seconds off the 4th place qualifier. At time of writing, it is likely that James will be first reserve for the Irish team. The field was extremely strong and nearly all the runners have worn the Irish vest before in international competition. It also helped to have the faster masters and senior women in the race to pull everyone round the course.

The men’s masters’ race of 8,000m enjoyed a substantial field of nearly 200 runners that also included senior and junior athletes. Indeed, all the races on the day involved the crème de la crème of Irish cross-country athletics, and it was amazing to see how spread out the fields became so quickly.

We had 5 runners who completed the race. Kieran Little led our men home in 26th place overall (11th M35) in 25:51, and he was followed by Ciaran Diviney (31st overall and 3rd M50 (his new age category!) in 26:18, Vinnie McGuinness (46th overall and 14th M40 in 26:55), Paul Cowhie (62nd overall and 4th M55 in 27:40) and Daniel Lowe (76th overall and 16th M35 in 28:12). Many congratulations should go to Ciaran and Paul on getting automatic selection into their respective age category teams. Members may also be interested to learn that ex-Crusader Shane Collins placed 2nd in the M35 category in 24:33 and will also be representing Ireland next month.

Also, on Sunday, several Crusaders took part in the Amsterdam marathon. The course can be considered quite fast although it does have at least one hairpin bend in it, but it is also a course where recreational runners can get sight of the leaders quite a few times as they run back and forth along different sides of the same canals. The course also appeared to be quite narrow in places, but it seems this did not create any issues.

Our first runner home on a rainy and cool day (12 degrees) with a breeze in places was Brian O’Kelly, who, despite having had patchy training for the event and indeed experiencing a stitch for 6km after 22k, managed a highly respectable time of 2:36:14. Brian was followed by Tim Francony with an equally impressive time of 2:51:55. Conor Macguinness was next, completing the race in a solid 3:12:04, followed by Bob Manson (3:44:15) and by Cliodhna O’Reilly whose finishing time of 4:21:35 was a PB improvement of at least 10 minutes. Members may also be interested to hear that recent Crusader (now in Kilkenny) Conor Greenan ran 2:57:35 on the back of little preparation and Fergal Martin, the twin brother of Kieran a Crusader who is preparing for the Dublin marathon in two weeks’ time, ran 2:54:48.

On Saturday, Amy Wright (McGuinness) and Gill Earley took part in the Donadea 10k, where in a field of 169 runners, they placed, respectively 26th and 27th, and being advised that they were the 5th and 6th women to cross the finish line. However, it is more likely they were 4th and 5th respectively, since the F50 woman who finished ahead of them was much younger and a different gender! Amy ran 41:36 and Gill’s 42:30 was enough to give her first place in the F40 category, with the 2nd placed F40 just behind her at the line on the same time (but 1s ahead on chip...yet another example of how being close to the front at the start can be critical!). Having run in the Ballincollig parkrun the day before (placing 11th in a field of 243 and a time of 20:47), Toby Benham went on to take part in the Stone Mad Blarney half marathon. The course was an out-and-back straight north-south route mostly along the New Mallow Road and runners having had to work hard on the outward leg were helped by the return being largely downhill. Toby ran a great time of 1:21:20 for 14th place in a field of 289.

Further afield, Brian McGuckin, on holiday in Sicily, did much the same as Toby did in Cork. Brian took part in the Foro Italico parkrun on Saturday morning, placing 2nd in a field of 34 in 22:18. The heat in that event gave him a taste of what was to come in the following day’s Palermo Half marathon where, in 26 degrees and on a testing course, Brian ran a decent time of 1:36:48 for 95th place in a field of 436. Elsewhere, our exile in Canada, Ian Kinsella, ran 1:15:35 in the Toronto Waterfront half marathon, whilst, in Spain, Pablo Sanchez took 2nd place in a time of 4.49 in the Mille M35 on the streets of Madrid.

There was an increase in participation in parkruns on Saturday morning and we had some podium finishes as usual. In Cabinteely, Louise Dobbyn joined 113 other participants where she placed 17th overall and first female finisher in 24:11. Stephen Mulligan came in closely behind in 19th place (24:18). Karl Walsh ran in the 85-strong field in Naas, where he took 2nd spot in 19:37, whilst Rachael Yorke ran with 47 other runners in Longford, placing 3rd and 2nd in 21:09. As usual, we had a good turnout from the club in Poolbeg. At least 14 took part in the field of 146. Stephen Hurley was the fastest for us on the day, placing 3rd in 17:29. He was followed by John Lohan (20th in 21:06), Alby Allan (26th in 21:56), Sharon Woods (41st and 6th in 23:08), Tanja Narancic (45th and 9th in 23:39), Russell Murphy (49th in 23:52), Olwyn Dunne (51st and 11th in 23:55), Paula Bradshaw (67th and 18th in 25:44), Emer Kenny (76th and 25th in 26:05), Miriam Logan (77th and 26th in 26:08), Franky Keane (84th in 26:20), Tara Murphy (85th and 29th In 26:24) and Una McCullagh (103rd and 38th in 28:28). Darina Scully also found herself on the podium again, placing 18th and 2nd in the 113-strong field in Avondale Forest.

Rob Glascott joined 104 other participants in Fairview, where he placed 4th in 20:10, whilst Eoghan Corrigan ran in the 171-strong field in Corcagh where he placed 15th in 23:44. Fiona Shine ran in Malahide, taking 4th spot in 22:22 (26th overall). In a field of 216, Fiona was joined by Mairin Shine (121st and 35th in 28:16) and by Orlaith de Burca (148th and 49th in 30:06). Lisa Shine also placed 4th in Tramore Valley, Cork (42nd overall) in a time of 25:02 and in a field of 123, whilst Enda Currid performed the same feat, placing 4th in Brickfields in a time of 21:56. The field there measured 96. In Glen River, Mairead Cashman placed 27th and 8th in a field of 44. Her time was 30:39, whilst Carina Davidson took 105th spot (42nd female finisher) in the 125-strong field in Shanganagh in a time of 34:40. In Poppintree, with its field of 132, Diarmuid Byrne finished in 64th place in 27:58, whilst his partner Maria Pertl took 96th and 29th in 33:01. Kevin Flynn placed 72nd in Porterstown with its field of 95, and in a time of 32:36, whilst in Pollok, Glasgow, our exile in Scotland, Aidan Hudner, placed 63rd in 24:02. The field there measured 236.

Stone Mad Blarney Half Marathon (289)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Denis Hegarty 1 01:09:43
4 Aoife Cooke 1 01:16:36
Crusaders AC runner
14 Toby Benham 01:21:20
Full results here: https://www.corkathletics.org/latest-results/2022/423-october/2682-stone-mad-blarney-half-marathon-results-october-2022.html
Donadea 10k (169)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Sean Hehir 1 00:31:41
12 Sarah Mulligan 1 00:37:25
Crusaders AC runners
26 Amy Wright 00:41:36 (5)
27 Gillian Earley 00:42:30 (6)
Full results here: https://www.popupraces.ie/race/donadea-10km-2022/
Ballincollig Parkrun (95)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
Patrick Geary 1 00:18:33
5 Niamh Cronin 1 00:19:32
Crusaders AC runner
11 Toby Benham 00:20:47
Malahide Parkrun (216)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Kenneth Nolan 1 00:17:38
3 Áine Crimin 1 00:18:55
Crusaders AC runners
26 Fiona Shine 00:22:22 (4)
121 Mairin Shine 00:28:16 (35)
148 Orlaith de Burca 00:30:06 (49)
Avondale Forest Parkrun (113)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Ed Byrne 1 00:18:54
13 Helen Winterbotham 1 00:23:25
Crusaders AC runner
18 Darina Scully 00:24:26 (3)
Corkagh Parkrun (171)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Cillian O’Loughlin 1 00:19:47
20 Vivienne Stewart 1 00:24:46
Crusaders AC runner
15 Eoghan Corrigan 00:23:44
Poolbeg Parkrun (146)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Dermot Kenny 1 00:16:19
6 Ava Rose Clarke 1 00:19:56
Crusaders AC runners
3 Stephen Hurley 00:17:29
20 John Lohan 00:21:06
26 Alby Allan 00:21:56
41 Sharon Woods 00:23:08 (6)
45 Tanja Narancic 00:23:39 (9)
49 Russell Murphy 00:23:52
51 Olwyn Dunne 00:23:55 (11)
67 Paula Bradshaw 00:25:44 (18)
76 Emer Kenny 00:26:05 (25)
77 Miriam Logan 00:26:08 (26)
84 Franky Keane 00:26:20
85 Tara Murphy 00:26:24 (29)
92 Una McCullagh 00:27:31 (33)
103 Maureen McGinley 00:28:28 (38)
Longford Parkrun (48)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Adrian Wrobel 1 00:19:29
2 Michelle O’Neill 1 00:20:26
Crusaders AC runner
3 Rachael Yorke 00:21:09 (2)
Fairview Parkrun (105)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
2 Oliver Warren 1 00:19:27
14 Sara Ricci 1 00:22:12
Crusaders AC runner
4 Rob Glascott 00:20:10
Shanganagh Parkrun (125)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Stephen McGuinn 1 00:17:34
14 Isla Graham 1 00:21:45
Crusaders AC runner
105 Carina Davidson 00:34:40 (42)
Cabinteely Parkrun (114)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Killian Mooney 1 00:16:11
17 Louise Dobbyn 1 00:24:11
Crusaders AC runners
17 Louise Dobbyn (1)
19 Stephen Mulligan 00:24:18
Naas Parkrun (85)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Paul Nagle 1 00:19:25
25 Gabrielle Aspell 1 00:24:18
Crusaders AC runner
2 Karl Walsh 00:19:37
Poppintree Parkrun (132)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Cameron Mitchell 1 00:19:13
5 Aisling Killilea 1 00:20:46
Crusaders AC runners
64 Diarmuid Byrne 00:27:58
96 Maria Pertl 00:33:01 (29)
Tramore Valley, Cork Parkrun (123)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Nick Hogan 1 00:17:38
15 Niamh Sheehan 1 00:21:50
Crusaders AC runner
42 Lisa Shine 00:25:02 (4)
Porterstown Parkrun (95)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Robert Gilligan 1 00:18:15
7 Patricia McLoughlin 1 00:21:04
Crusaders AC runner
72 Kevin Flynn 00:32:36
Glen River Parkrun (44)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Finbarr O’Dwyer 1 00:18:06
14 Mags Hassett 1 00:24:58
Crusaders AC runner
27 Mairead Cashman 00:30:39 (8)
Brickfields Parkrun (96)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Tony Steele 1 00:20:07
16 Ann Collins 1 00:25:35
Crusaders AC runner
4 Enda Currid 00:21:56