Much happening in the Royal County

26/2/2023

Dee Ni Chearbhaill

It was an altogether quieter weekend for Crusaders participating in races compared to last week, although there were plenty of races on offer, particularly 5 and 10k events being held together in the same venue.

Nevertheless, we did see some excellent results from those who did take up the challenge, particularly in Co. Meath. One of the runs of the weekend came from Kathryn Gibbons on Sunday in the McNally’s Duleek and District AC 5k. On a relatively flat one loop course in Co Meath without too much exposure to the biting easterly wind that we have had all weekend, Kathryn placed 34th overall among a field of 304, crossing the line in a group of 3 women competing for second place. Although, Kathryn ultimately officially placed 4th female finisher on guntime, her super PB chiptime of 18:51 showed she'd actually run the 3rd fastest time, just one second behind the 2nd placed runner. That was the first time Kathryn had even broken 20 minutes, but was on the cards from her recent training. Dee Ni Chearbhaill also ran in the race and recorded a strong time of 21:42 for 81st and 19th places.

The previous day, Tim O’Donnell joined 63 other runners in Stephenstown, Co. Kildare, just south of Naas. The 10k race was held alongside a 5k event and was run on a moderately hilly course that enjoyed two linked loops (one small and one large) in an anti-clockwise direction. Tim placed 17th in a time of 41:56.

There was a notable achievement in the mountains on Saturday with Becky Quinn recording her 100th IMRA win in a tally of 204 races in which she has competed over the years. The race was the 10.8k Mullaghmeen Hill Run, also in Co. Meath, an event in the Leinster Spring League. It involved a 423m climb on difficult terrain but on an otherwise marked course, winding its way round the hill in Mullaghmeen Forest, west of Oldcastle. Becky, running as an F45, placed 12th overall and first woman home in 55:28, just behind Donatas Jocius (9th in 53:50) and ahead of Clare Sullivan, in her third IMRA event in a row (29th, 5th woman and 2nd F40 in 59:56).

Further afield, Chris Russell travelled back to Scotland this weekend to take part in the Scottish National XC Championships, held in Callendar Park in Falkirk. On an undulating and quite twisty course but with only a light NNE wind, Chris ran in a large (senior and masters) men’s field of 672, ultimately placing 168th in a time of 39:03 for the 10.5k distance. Earlier in the week, Thomas Vogée and Hector Jimenez Perez took on the challenge of the Transgrancanaria 24k “Starter” race (part of an ultra contested over mountainous trails for 128k on Gran Canaria. Despite getting lost at 21k and running an extra 1.6k, Thomas completed the event (with its net gain of 1700m) in 2:45:33 for 33rd place in a field of 384 finishers. Hector finished a little further back in 65th place with a time of 3:11:09. The temperature was a balmy 14 degrees Celsius for the event. Then on Sunday, one of our Italian exiles, Italo Giancaterina took part in the technically extremely challenging Campionato Italiano Master Cross M35 (national masters). Along with usual mud and undulations, the XC course also required runners to run up a long flight of steps. Italo completed the race, which measured around 5.6k, in 20:47 to place 9th out of 60 finishers.

The parkruns were quite busy this weekend and again we can report some podium finishes. Once again we had two first finishers in Poolbeg. Stephen Hurley (1st in 17:28) and Emily Sheils (13th and 1st female over the line in 19:15) led a large contingent of at least 17 Crusaders home. They were followed by John McDowell (18th in 19:30), Kenan Furlong, at last coming back into decent health and fitness (19th in 19:41), Paul Campbell, in training for the Manchester marathon (29th in 20:42), Pat Quill (33rd in 21:06), John Lohan (34th in 21:10), Franky Keane (48th in 22:08), Kevin Lambe (51st in 22:19), Tanja Narancic (68th and 7th in 23:19), Josie Ward just behind (69th and 8th in 23:24), Tara Murphy (90th and 17th in 24:59), Kevin Kenny (91st in 25:04), Sharon Woods (104th and 23rd in 25:44), Gillian Curran (118th and 26th in 27:02), Maureen McGinley (132nd and 33rd in 27:37) and Mari Hansen (192nd and 71st in 35:51). Another podium finisher was our London-based exile, Kate O’Malley, who ran once again in Highbury Fields and on her birthday she ran 18:42 in a field of 391 for 11th and 2nd, only 4 seconds behind the female first finisher. Closer to home, Alban Coghlan placed 2nd in Marlay Park with its field of 425 runners. Alban ran 17:50 and was followed by Luke Davis who also enjoyed a strong run for his 5th place with a time of 18:14. Susanne English placed 33rd and 3rd in the 74-strong field in Oldbridge with a time of 26:48, whilst Ross Neill took 5th place in Ormeau park in Belfast, with its field of 533. Ross’ time was 17:15.

Darina Scully placed 23rd and 4th in a time of 24:37 in River Valley Park with its field of 150, whilst Caroline Crowley and a few other Crusaders joined the field of 450 in St. Anne’s, Raheny. Caroline placed 36th and 7th in 20:37, followed by William Ralph (37th in 20:44), Irene Gorman (73rd and 14th in 22:15), Emer Kenny (117th and 25th in 23:50), Eoghan Corrigan (186th in 25:54) and Tim Hyland (285th in 29:09). Mary Noelle Rohan ran alongside 71 other participants in Waterstown, placing 44th and 17th in 33:20, whilst Olwyn Dunne took advantage of a visit to Exeter to see son Jack play in the Chiefs’ winning game against Sale in the English rugby premiership, to run in the Exeter Riverside parkrun, where she paced the 30 minute finishers, finishing herself in 211th and 65th places in 29:57 and a field of 300.

Down in Tramore Valley in Co. Cork, Toby Benham and Helena O’Keeffe joined 197 other runners, where Toby placed 21st in 21:14 and Helena, 94th and 27th in 26:16, whilst, in Sligo, John Rooney was our sole representative in a field of 104. John placed 19th in 24:43. Lisa and Máirín Shine took advantage of a visit to North Wales to run in Wepre Park near Connah’s Quay. Both enjoyed a gentle run recording identical times of 46:46 for 89th and 90th (31st and 32nd female finishers) in a field of 98.

Kate Murray ran in Bushy Park, where, alongside 223 other participants, she placed 73rd and 17th in 25:30, whilst Diarmuid Byrne ran with 156 other runners in Poppintree where he placed 58th in 26:33. Andy Deuser placed 9th in the 218-strong field in Fairview with a time of 22:04, whilst Lima Lyster took 26th spot in Strokestown. In a field of 61, Liam ran 28:01. We had at least 3 runners in Brickfields. Brian McGuckin was the first Crusader across the line in 8th place in a time of 20:40, followed closely by Rob Glascott (9th in 20:49) and Mairead Cashman (58th and 13th in 29:40). The field measured 95. Our Australian exile, Kris Ryan, found another parkrun to take part in. This time she ran in Gainsborough Greens in Queensland, where she placed 65th and 31st in 31:10 in a field of 127. Finally, we had at least two runners in Shanganagh with its field of 177. Carina Davidson placed 77th and 12th in 26:20, followed by Orlaith de Burca (111th and 27th in 28:07).

Two Mile House GAA 10k (64)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Niall Sheil 1 00:35:28
6 Sarah Mulligan 1 00:38:09
Crusaders AC runner
17 Tim O’Donnell 00:41:56
Full results here: https://www.popupraces.ie/race/two-mile-house-gaa-5k-10k-2023/#2_9D70EA
IMRA Mullaghmeen 10.8k (107)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Killian Mooney 1 00:48:25
12 Becky Quinn 1 00:55:28
Crusaders AC runners
9 Donatas Jocius 00:53:50
12 Becky Quinn 00:55:28 (1)
29 Clare Sullivan 00:59:56 (5)
Full results here: https://www.imra.ie/events/results/id/2290/
McNally’s Duleek and District AC 5k (304)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Eoin Smyth 1 00:15:07
21 Laura Tuite 1 00:18:00
Crusaders AC runners
34 Kathryn Gibbons 00:18:51 (PB) (4)
81 Dee Ni Chearbhaill 00:21:42 (19)
Full results here: https://www.myrunresults.com/events/mcnallys_duleek__district_ac_5k_/4709/results
Sligo Parkrun (104)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Declan Kerr 1 00:20:00
8 Aoife Burns 1 00:22:11
Crusaders AC runner
19 John Rooney 00:24:43
Ormeau Parkrun (533)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Niall Ward 1 00:17:04
18 Caitlin Malone 1 00:19:35
Crusaders AC runner
5 Ross Neill 00:17:15
Oldbridge Parkrun (74)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Andrew White 1 00:19:27
23 Nicola Veale 1 00:24:11
Crusaders AC runner
33 Susanne English 00:26:48 (3)
Shanganagh Parkrun (177)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Andrew Lawless 1 00:17:31
21 Suzanne Foot 1 00:21:42
Crusaders AC runners
77 Carina Davidson 00:26:20 (12)
111 Orlaith de Burca 00:28:07 (27)
Brickfields Parkrun (95)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Alexander Mackay 1 00:18:16
16 Grainne Cullen 1 00:23:06
Crusaders AC runners
8 Brian McGuckin 00:20:40
9 Rob Glascott 00:20:49
58 Mairead Cashman 00:29:40 (13)
Bushy Parkrun (224)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Ciarán Fleming 1 00:18:47
9 Laura Cullen 1 00:19:59
Crusaders AC runner
73 Kate Murray 00:25:30 (17)
Poppintree Parkrun (157)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Sean McGrath 1 00:17:46
13 Ciara McGrath 1 00:21:49
Crusaders AC runner
58 Diarmuid Byrne 00:26:33
Tramore Valley Parkrun (199)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Ben Leen Smith 1 00:15:16
19 Sorcha Kearney 1 00:20:50
Crusaders AC runners
21 Toby Benham 00:21:14
94 Helena O’Keeffe 00:26:16 (27)
River Valley Parkrun (150)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Stephen Ryan 1 00:19:33
13 Siobhan McCarthy 1 00:23:02
Crusaders AC runner
23 Darina Scully 00:24:37 (4)
Poolbeg Parkrun (208)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Stephen Hurley 1 00:17:28
13 Emily Sheils 1 00:19:15
Crusaders AC runners
1 Stephen Hurley 00:17:28
13 Emily Sheils 00:19:15 (1)
18 John McDowell 00:19:30
19 Kenan Furlong 00:19:41
29 Paul Campbell 00:20:42
33 Pat Quill 00:21:06
34 John Lohan 00:21:10
48 Franky Keane 00:22:08
68 Tanja Narancic 00:23:19 (7)
69 Josie Ward 00:23:24 (8)
90 Tara Murphy 00:24:59 (17)
91 Kevin Kenny 00:25:04
104 Sharon Woods 00:25:44 (23)
118 Gillian Curran 00:27:02 (26)
132 Maureen McGinley 00:27:37 (33)
192 Mari Hansen 00:35:51 (71)
St. Anne’s Parkrun (450)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Jamie Rankin Whelan 1 00:17:15
9 Aine Crimin 1 00:19:05
Crusaders AC runners
36 Caroline Crowley 00:20:37 (7)
37 William Ralph 00:20:44
73 Irene Gorman 00:22:15 (14)
117 Emer Kenny 00:23:50 (25)
186 Eoghan Corrigan 00:25:54
285 Tim Hyland 00:29:09
Marlay Parkrun (425)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Philip Simpson 1 00:17:27
11 Lynne Hennessy 1 00:19:08
Crusaders AC runners
2 Alban Coghlan 00:17:50
5 Luke Davis 00:18:14
Waterstown Parkrun (72)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Eoin Downing 1 00:17:27
5 Fiona Hayden 1 00:22:32
Crusaders AC runner
44 Mary Noelle Rohan 00:33:20 (17)
Fairview Parkrun (218)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Wojciech Lizak 1 00:18:41
18 Sinead Currie 1 00:22:36
Crusaders AC runner
9 Andy Deuser 00:22:04
Strokestown Parkrun (61)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Shane Hennelly 1 00:19:3
2 Therese Hanly 1 00:19:26
Crusaders AC runner
26 Liam Lyster 00:28:01