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28 November, 2009

Sugarloaf Barbeque race
Report by Douglas Barry
Former Irish Champion Francis Cosgrave defied his notorious sense of direction to win the Sugarloaf Barbeque race. "No, no, no, this way Francis!!" He listened and won. Behind the dislocated Francis who made a couple of crucial navigational errors at speed on the rough ground, Mark Doyle came in in a comfortable 2nd, giving him second overall in the Leinster League. The League winner Hugh McLindon couldn't run the race, but slipped in for a quiet pint at the barbeque later.
Doyle who closed up on Francis at the summit after an error by the speedy Blackrock man was followed closely by Brendan O'Brien. The Ajax runner had a good run to emphasise his return to form after injury, but Conor McGrath ran the race of his life to take fourth. A close battle between junior Mayo runner Michael Morris and experienced veterans Justin May and Simon Walters gave the junior another favourable result.
Eva Mulleady came back from her defeats at the hands of Jane Watt in the Connaght championship three days earlier to turn the tables on her rival. She won the race despite trying to discover how high she could bounce when she failed to make a tricky turn on the final stages of the rough descent. Jane was first vet with Caitlin Bent first in the over 50 section. Lyndall Lohman was first junior woman. Graham Porter took the over 50 men's category from League winner Ercus Stewart still suffering the after effects of his Croagh Patrick outing.
Eoghan O'Gorman won the under 14s race ahead of James Caslin, but the consistant Brendan O'Reilly who finished third took the League championship. The race was the final race in the 13 race Leinster League and attracted 90 runners.