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28 November, 2009

Mc Intyre In Control On Slieve Bearnagh!
A Clare victory was the order of the day on Sunday when James Mc Intyre of Tulla AC skated back to Ballycuggaran car park near Killaloe after completing the taxing 10.4 KM Munster Championship course in the fine time of 51.07 considering the humid and extremely hot conditions that prevailed.
Keith Ryan of Limerick AC led out the race at a very quick pace with Martin Bradshaw of Bilboa AC and Mc Intyre on tow. This pecking order prevailed as far as the Coillte Barrier at Knockabranner when Mc Intyre made his move and suddenly sprinted forward building a lead of some 50 metres which he maintained to the summit of Moylussa. His clubmate Tom Walshe was 3rd at the summit. Tom Blackburn of Bilboa AC called in all his his experience at this point and descended very fearlessely to take out Tom Walshe at the foot of the mountain. Bradshaw, how-ever, was still very much in touch with Mc Intyre up front and was fighting every inch of the way. This was the order that prevailed to the line when Mc Intyre was followed home by Bradshaw on a time of 51.52 with Blackburn filling the 3rd slot on a time of 52.51.

Edel Mooney (Un-Attached) from Geashill Co Offaly, a seasoned mountain runner, who has returned home after spending a number of years in Canada,had a run-away victory in the Ladies race, when she virtually led from start to finish. Edel covered the the tough un-forgiving course in the amazing time of 60.35.
Clare-woman, Loretto Duggan of St Mary?s, the pre-race favourite was 2nd lady home on a time of 75.45 which was well outside her capabilities and largely due to her mis-interpreting a directional sign which caused her to partially double-lap Feenlea. Defending Munster champion Maureen Foley of Bilboa AC , back from a long lay-off was 3rd on a time of 85.05. Paul Lenihan of Riocht was best of the Juniors when he finished on 60.45 ahead of Sam Hand of West Limerick AC who came in on a time of 61.50. International rower Brendan Lyons of Grange-Fermoy AC found the course over taxing and did not finish.

The organizers would like to thank Joe Duffy and Jerry Cosgrave of Coillte for their help.They would like to thank Mike and Glynnis Quinlivan and family for their support. Many thanks to our good friends from Tulla AC who stewarded at critical points on the day. Our thanks to those who marked the course on Saturday evening. A very special thanks to John Joe Gorman and staff at Molly,s Ballina for the generous hospitality extended on our return visit to the roof-top restaurant. Finally and certainly not least we would like to thank Seamus Hayes of The Clare Champion and Mike Mc Cartney of Clare FM for the superb publicity.
Results:
First 6 Men
1st James Mc Intyre Tulla AC S/M 51.07
2nd Martin Bradshaw Bilboa AC S/M 51.52
3rd Tom Blackburn Bilboa AC M/40 52.51
4th Tom Walshe Tulla AC S/M 53.13
5th Keith Ryan Limerick AC S/M 56.24
6th Mike Mc Auliffe Riocht AC M/50 56.30
Ladies:
1st Edel Mooney Un-attached S/F 60.35
2nd loretto Duggan St Mary?s S/F 75.45
3rd Maureen Foley Bilboa AC S/F 85.05
4th Sandra Hammersley Bilboa AC S/F 91.24
M/40:
1st Tadhg Vaughan Coolquill AC 57.40
2nd Pat Murphy Eagle AC 60.02
3rd David Hand West Limerick AC 71.55
M/50:
1st Joe Aherne Bilboa AC 64.05
2nd Bernard Collins Limerick AC 65.41
3rd Sean Whelan Ennis Track Club 65.50
M/60:
1st Joe Laffan Limerick AC 81.24
Junior Men:
1st Paul Lenihan Riocht AC 60.45
2nd Sam Hand West Limerick AC 61.50