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28 November, 2009

World Trophy Trials - Galtees Race
Report by Douglas Barry
Following discussions, it was decided to abandon the format used over the last number of years in having separate uphill only trials for the uphill only World Trophy. A decision was taken to combine the trial with a more normal up and down Irish Championship race. The venue chosen was the Galtees and it was thought that its central location would attract a strong turnout from eligible runners who wanted to toe the line for Ireland in Austria.
The plan was to have all runners race up the mountains to the summits to determine the composition of the Irish team, whilst those interested in the championship round would turn around and continue on the descent back to the start/finish. Unfortunately, the numbers were less than anticipated and another side effect was the Irish Championship round which featured some notably non-competitive descents!
Anyway to focus on the trials, all runners started at the same time with the exception of the Junior women, or should I say Junior woman. Only one - Teresa Tierney - turned out. This was a major disappointment as we had a very competitive race in this category in the Irish Schools Championships in the spring. While the trial route chosen up Cush was shorter and much steeper than that to be used in Austria - 2.1 kilometres in length with 439 metres of climb as opposed to 3.3 kilometres with 334 metres of climb at the Worlds - this was not the major factor.
There is plenty of talent out there judging on the results of the Irish Schools but it has not come through. Working out why it didn't will no doubt engage many people over the coming months. While Teresa, a current international, won at a stroll, it was decided not to send a team - a major disappointment and a step backwards which shows Ireland up internationally.
The Junior men and the Senior women had a 4.4 kilometre course with 775 metres of climb as opposed to the 9.2 kilometres with 1,044 metres to be used in Austria. Unfortunately, the Austrian course does not feature any descent, whilst the route used on the Galtees had a steep descent of 160 metres down Cush to the start of the climb up Galtybeg. One runner complained that he found it hard to cope with this and it broke up his rhythm.
Be that as it may, a strong field of junior men assembled for what was the most competitive race of the day. Astonishingly, the fancied Peter Dalton winner of the 2001 British & Irish championships could only finish third as the virtually unknown 16 year old Colm Turner ran away with the race. Nearly 4 minutes behind him, James Doran who has improved immensely in the past year had in turn just short of a 2 minute margin on Peter Dalton.
Peter is off on a track scholarship to America and 5th placed Sean O' Heigeartaigh has to undergo an operation at the time of the Worlds so 4th placed Craig Longmore and 6th placer Seosamh O'Muircheartaigh have made up a strong Irish team. The women's trial was won comfortably by Nicky Cinnamond who was 2 minutes ahead of Blaithin Hannon and both of these have take the two automatic places for Austria. The remainder of the women's team will be finalised this week with third placer Roisin McDonnell likely to be given the nod.
The senior men's race continued on to the summit of Galtymore which gave them a route length of 5.6 kilometres with 975 metres of climb. This compares to 11.7 kilometres with 1,331 metres of climb in Austria. John Lenihan powered through to pass Junior winner Colm Turner who had led the entire field of juniors and seniors through the junior finish at Galtybeg and then decided to carry on! Hard on John's heels came another John - former junior international John Herlihy. Colm hung on to take an impressive third overall just ahead of Michael Kelly. Bob Lawlor and George Lonergan took 5th and 6th.
The runners doing the Irish Championship round then turned around at the summit of Galtymore and raced back to the finish. John Lenihan had a comprehensive lead at this stage and just jogged down Cush past me and the other spectators to take an easy win. Bernard Fortune moved up to take second while Paul Mahon took third after the fast closing John O'Reilly just failed to catch him. Nicky Cinnamond won the women's.
Full teams will be announced shortly.
Irish Team Selection Trials and Galtee Race results
Junior Women
Pos Num Name Cat Time
1 999 Teresa Tierney FJ 41.33

Junior Men
Pos Num Name Cat Time
1 537 Colm Turner MJ 38.57
2 407 James Doran MJ 42.47
3 171 Perer Dalton MJ 44.43
4 535 Craig Longmore MJ 45.07
5 124 Sean O' Heigeartaigh MJ 45.54
6 542 Seosamh O'Muircheartaigh MJ 47.28
7 534 Thomas Guilfoyle MJ 48.40
8 732 Sean Hehir MJ 49.02
9 540 Dan Mulhare MJ 49.30
10 541 Michael Lyons MJ 50.28
11 539 Ciaran Fitzpatrick MJ 52.02
12 692 Rory McDonnell MJ 53.20
13 405 Daniel O'Sullivan MJ 59.03

Senior Women
Pos Num Name Cat Time
1 715 Nicky Cinnanomd F 53.54
2 437 Blaithin Hannon F 56.02
3 361 Roisin McDonnell F40 58.03
4 134 Eva Mulleady F 62.30
5 117 Jane Watt F50 63.40
6 440 Julie Hilliard F50 83.14

Senior Men
Pos Num Name Cat Time
1 505 John Lenihan M40 50.30
2 504 John Herlihy M 50.57
3 537 Colm Turner MJ 52.28
4 497 Michael Kelly M 52.40
5 194 Bob Lawlor M 53.59
6 509 George Lonergan M 54.20
7 396 Bernard Fortune M 54.41
8 406 Mick McAuliffe M40 54.53
9 415 Sean Whelan M 56.41
10 397 Paul Mahon M 57.26
Galtees 18-Aug-02
Pos Num Name Club Cat Time
1 505 John Lenihan Riocht M40 89.36
2 396 Bernard Fortune . M 93.32
3 397 Paul Mahon Set M 95.16
4 112 John O'Reilly Bray Runners M40 95.22
5 409 Thomas Blackburn Bilboa M 96.10
6 194 Bob Lawlor . M 102.55
7 406 Micheal McAuliffe Riocht M40 109.50
8 422 Mike Cunningham Bilbo AC M 112.33
9 412 Michael Mullane Duhallow AC M 113.05
10 432 Conor Murray W. Waterford M 121.27
11 413 James Collins Duhallow M40 123.36
12 415 Sean Whelan Eagle M 126.15
13 537 Colm Turner MJ 126.20
14 115 Joe Lalor GEN M40 126.32
15 445 Willie Reidy Riocht M 126.40
16 541 Michael Lyons MJ 127.05
17 497 Michael Kelly Gowran M 127.54
18 446 Peter Murphy Riocht M 130.09
19 536 Thomas Turner M40 130.20
20 719 Nicky Cinnamond . F 130.32
21 361 Roisin McDonnell Crusaders F40 130.42
22 405 Daniel O'Sullivan Riocht MJ 132.12
23 141 Joe Feeney Civil Service M50 135.45
24 427 Joe Laffan Limerick AC M50 137.11
25 543 Darryl O'Toole M 139.52
26 106 Mick Kellett GEN M60 142.57
27 117 Jane Watt Crusaders F50 143.10
28 134 Eva Mulleady Crusaders F 146.24
29 417 Brian Byrne Riocht M50 148.07
30 146 Thomas Galvin Glenasmole M 154.49
31 193 John Fitzgerald Sportsworld M40 155.42
32 116 Graham Porter Crusaders M50 181.32
33 440 Julie Hilliard Riocht F40 186.46
Short Course
1 418 John Forde Cork M70 138.35