Rene Borg

07 May, 2009

TEAM RESULTS

MEN

1. Clonliffe Harriers 27 (4 Stephen Cleary, 9 Paul Duffy, 14 Dermot Murphy)
2. Bilboa AC 38 (7 Thomas Blackburn, 15 Mike Cunningham, 16 Joe Aherne)
3. Boards AC 70 (18 Mick Hanney, 22 John Ahern, 30 Eamonn Hodge)

No women's team had three scorers.

OVERALL LEAGUE

1. Bilboa AC 56 (Croagh Patrick 38, Ben Gorm 18, 1 win)
3. Boards AC 106 (Croagh Patrick 70, Ben Gorm 36)
3. Clonliffe Harriers 27 (Croagh Patrick 27, Ben Gorm -, 1 win)

Vivian O'Gorman

07 May, 2009

Race Report for Croagh Patrick 2nd May 2009

A sunny,windy May Bank Holiday Saturday and 50 hardened (!!) mountain runners are waiting for the off. Trish Nunan sets off early to brave the cold wind and take the numbers at the top.She was bloomin freezin when she came back down!

First to the top was Peter O’Farrell followed by Colm Mullen and (the now vet!) Bernard Fortune.Peter just kept on goin to win his first Croagh Patrick in 48.38.Bernard picked up a place and just pipped Jason Reid for second.

Tish McCann from Newcastle Co.Down led the ladies from the start and won comfortably in a very good time of 59.19.The ever smiling Caroline Reed came in a good second.It was nice to see Majella Diskin back to her running ways and easily winning the over 50 ladies.

The race of the day was for the mens over 60s between the auld fellahs Diarmuid O’Colmain and Ercus Stewart.Diarmuid was ahead at the top by a few seconds.But Ercus made up the ground and soon sailed by.Despite a fall – must have seen the nurses at the finish! – Ercus stayed ahead until the steps.A huge sprint finish saw Diarmuid take it on the last bend!

Former Munster Chairman Tom Blackburn won the vets while Munsters everpresent Joe Aherne easily took the over 50s.No sprint finish for the bandana wearing Mick Kellett who won the over 70s from Charlie O’Connell.Well done should also go to Tiarnan Muldoon from Co.Tyrone and James Griffin from Co.Carlow who both ran the Junior race.

A big thank you to our race sponsors,who through Ercus Stewart,gave us some wounderful prizes.

Joan Geraghty – who has two books on running out at the moment.
Cabots Source Restaurant – Westport
James Murtagh – Jewellers
John Clarke – Fishmonger
Westport House

In fact Redmond Cabot, of the Source Restaurant, ran the race and finished a very good 28th in 69.13 – and a well earned pint of Guinness afterwards!

Thanks also to our favourite First Aid man Paul O’Malley and Owen Campbell and Michael of Campbells Bar for all the water and to the “auld” stalwarts commonly called volunteers who gave me a dig out.

So see you all and hopefully more of you next year.

Vivian

Dermot Murphy

06 May, 2009

It was a warm sunny day that greeted us at Croagh Patrick for the first race of the 2009 Connaught Championships. Croagh Patrick is a tough race, an unrelenting climb over rocky ground. Vivian summed up nicely before the race – he said if you want to admire the views (and they are stunning) then stop first. If you are looking at the views when moving, you will fall and pay for your sins! So just after 2:30pm, Vivian started the race and we trotted off up the mountain. My first aim was to get up and down in one piece, I suspect that many others had a similar strategy. My secondary aim was to try to get under 1 hour – could I do it? Time would tell…

For others, of course, winning is the main aim and on the day, Peter O’Farrell built a good lead on the climb and held on to it until the end. Bernard Fortune, 4th when he passed me on his descent, finished well to come in 2nd. Jason Reid had the best descent of the day and moved from 7th at the top to 3rd. I was reasonably happy with my own climb and was 13th to the top. Coming down, especially for that first 200 meters, I just did not want to fall and my cautious approach cost me a few places, including first woman on the day Tish McCann, who flew by me on the descent. Once I got to the shoulder, I was able to descend more confidently and was not passed again and was happy to finish in 15th place. But did I get under the hour – no, I just missed out! Ah well, will have to try again next year.

As to the rest of the results, Caroline Reid had a fine run to finish runner up in the ladies category and first timer Helen Lavin was third. You picked some race to make your debut, Helen! The rest of the category winners can be seen on the results page.

Finally, the injury count was totted up. A few runners were sporting cut knees and elbows – Tommy Galvin and Paul Cullen particularly come to mind on that count. There was also the blistered feet as the unforgiving surface makes its mark – I suffered here a bit myself (nothing too bad) and Ercus Stewart was a noticeable sufferer here too. And although he appeared fine after the race, Jason Reid did not look well at all the following day – he claims to have had only 2 pints that evening but I don’t know…

I must also mention the last pleasure of the day – watching Leinster beat Munster in the Rugby to reach the Heineken Cup final! Although obviously not a pleasure for all…

Sinéad Roche

04 May, 2009

Summit Times - Croagh Patrick 2 May 2009

1 Peter O'Farrell 31:56
2 Colm Mullen 33:57
3 Bernard Fortune 34:26
4 Stephen Cleary 34:38
5 Donal Coffey 35:18
6 Jason Reid 36:26
7 Leo Murray 36:47
8 Paul Duffy 37:56
9 Thomas Blackburn 38:06
10 Diamaid Collins 38:26
11 James Kenny 38:54
12 Jason Kehoe 39:51
13 Dermot Murphy 39:62
14 Mike Cunningham 40:16
15 Francis Cryan 40:36
16 Tish McCann 40:48
17 David McBride 41:50
18 Joe Aherne 42:18
19 Mick Hanney 42:31
20 Padraig Muldoon 42:52
21 Marko van der Voort 42:59
22 Cormac O'Ceallaigh 43:22
23 Paul Cullen 43:27
24 John Ahern 43:37
25 Redmond Cabot 44:06
26 Caroline Reid 44:16
27 Peter Dooley 44:31
28 Tiarnan Muldoon 45:11
29 Helen Lavin 45:22
30 Diarmuid O'Colmain 46:25
31 Majella Diskin 46:33
32 Ercus Stewart 46:44
33 Eamonn Hodge 47:06
34 Richard Nunan 48:16
35 Thomas Galvin 49:08
36 Loretto Duggan 49:11
37 Paddy Syron 49:31
38 David Duffy 50:25
39 Justin Rea 50:44
40 Michael Boyce 52:08
41 Niamh Ni Cholmain 52:57
42 Don MacKinnon 54:46
43 Alan Hughes 54:47
44 Gerry Moran 54:64
45 Clare Lawson 55:08
46 Mick Kellett 59:29
47 Colin Doyle 61:51
48 Kathleen Aherne 63:42
49 Charlie O'Connell 64:49

Gerry Brady

04 May, 2009

COUNTY RESULTS

There was a large field of 50 finishers in Croagh Patrick with individual victories for Peter O’Farrell (Rathfarnham) and Tish McCann (Mourne Runners) who both led at the summit. Tiernan Muldoon (Armagh) was first junior on the long course and James Griffin (St. Laurence O’Toole) won the short course after running in the first half dozen to the foot of the cone climb. James won the Irish intermediate schools mountain race in March. Selector Joe Aherne (Bilboa) led home the M50 category. Diarmuid O'Colmain (Crusaders) narrowly won the M60 from Ercus Stewart (Glenasmole). Majella Diskin (Riocht) won the F50 and evergreen Mick Kellett (GEN) won the M70.

Dublin were first county team led home by the overall winner. Limerick were second county with Thomas Blackburn showing a return to form. Cork and Wicklow were third and fourth county teams.

1. Dublin 13 (1 Peter O’Farrell, 3 Jason Reid, 9 Paul Duffy)
2. Limerick 38 (7 Thomas Blackburn, 15 Mike Cunningham, 16 Joe Aherne)
3. Cork 46 (4 Stephen Cleary, 8 Donal Coffey, 34 Richard Nunan)
4. Wicklow 48 (6 Colm Mullen, 18 Mick Hanney, 24 Cormac O’Ceallaigh)

5. Tyrone 36 (13 Padraig Muldoon, 23 Tiernan Muldoon)
6. Wexford 40 (2 Bernard Fortune, 38 Gerry Moran)
7. Mayo 43 (12 Francis Cryan, 31 Paddy Syron)
8. Kildare 54 (14 Dermot Murphy, 40 Colin Doyle)
9. Meath 59 (29 Michael Boyce, 30 Eamonn Hodge)