On Your Marks – From Herald Nov 19

For the past eight years or so, DCU, with its well-organised athletics scholarship programme, has understandably dominated college athletics. It wasn’t always so – in the past,  that role fell to the University of Limerick when it attracted most of the country’s budding PE teachers. They were succeeded  by UCD, pioneers of sports scholarships in this country.

In the mid 1990s, under the supervision of the late Noel Carroll, UCD had become the college to beat, nurturing a stream of top-class athletes – including high number Deirdre Ryan, who received her athlete of the year award last Saturday.

Now, with ex-Olympian James Nolan, a UCD past pupil, in charge, the aim is to bring back the glory days.

Since the return to campus a month or so ago, the UCD athletics club has been training hard and – even better – attracting record numbers to its sessions.

DCU, aiming for a fifth consecutive title, were the clear pre-race favourites, with Irish international athletes of the calibre of John Coghlan, Mark English and Paul Robinson to call on.

On the day, the UCD captain Richard Owen made a great start, running 4 mins 23 secs for the opening mile and finishing just a second behind DCU’s Joe Warne. Dan King took over the baton for the first of the two-mile legs and held on to that position, with Darren McBrearty falling back to fourth for DCU. Next off was Irish cross-country champion Joe Sweeney on the three mile leg. He soon moved into the lead, with John Coghlan doing well to regain  second place for  DCU, athough UCD still had over half a minute in hand.  Cian O’Reilly and finally Timothee Francony held on to give UCD its first victory in the race since 2006.

In the women’s race DCU beat UCD for an eighth consecutive win, with great legs from Ciara Durkan and Deirdre Doyle. They will have to look to their laurels next year, when UCD expects to have Ciara Mageean (currently injured) and Ciara Everard in its line-up.  

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL ‘HALF’ FOR DUBLIN

Are Irish runners ready to rock? Coming to Dublin on August  as part of a first ever European tour is the Rock’n’ Roll Half Marathon – an American running series that now has 24 North American “stops” since it started 13 years ago.

The European tour starts in Edinburgh on April 15 and  then heads for Madriid on April 22. Dublin is next , followed by Lisbon on September 30. Competiors can expect a street party atmosphere, with live music at every mile, a post-race concert and the usual goodies  – plus, of course,  rock solid  organisation. Entry will cost you about the same as a ticket to an average gig at the Point! 

OWN GOAL  FOR PRISONERS

Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year is the GOAL mile, an indispensible part of Christams for sportspeople. While the final list of venues is yet to be finalised, the GOAL Mile will break new ground this Christmas when the prisoners of Cloverhill Prison stage a run. All funds from the GOAL Mile go to supporting the poorest of the poor in Africa and Asia. Want to stage an event? Talk to Karen O’Shea at 01-2809779.

CLONLIFFE AND RAHENY ARE MARATHON CHAMPIONS

Beating a record 33 other teams to retain their National Marathon team title was the Clonliffe trio of Sergiu Ciobanu, Gary O’Hanlon, Mark Bermingham. Their combined time of 7 hours 36 minutes 16 seconds put them 24 minutes ahead of  Donore’s Diarmuid O’Shea, Davis Heffernan and Ken Nugent, with Sportsworld a fighting third. Rathfarnham’s  Paul Moran, Edwin Keville and Owen McLoughlin won the over 40 team class beating 23 other teams, while Sli Cualann beat defending champions Tallaght to take the over 50 medals.

Last year, just 10 women’s senior teams had entered; this year the number had doubled, with Raheny’s Lorraine Manning, Lorraine Byrne and Aileeen Hooper coming home first ahead of North Belfast Harriers and North East Runners. Making it an over 40 double for Rathfarnham were Maria Dolan, Norita Murphy and Vanessa Sallier, with Tallaght in second place.

LEINSTER INTER TITLE FOR HOEY

Star of the Sea’s Mark Hoey continued his amazing season when he won the Leinster Intermediate Cross-Country title in Adamstown, Co Wexford. Hoey won the National Lottery Half Marathon in September and on Sunday, he beat Kilkenny’s Thomas Hayes for the Leinster title. Dublin clubs  dominated the women’s race with Liffey Valley’s Leona O’Reilly the winner ahead of Dervilla Holmes from Donore with Sportsworld the winning team.

RYAN LOOKS FORWARD TO LONDON 2012

Deirdre Ryan, winner of the Athlete of the Year  award at the National Athletics Awards in association with Woodie’s DIY and Tipperary Crystal,  is already looking forward to the London Olympics next year. “It is crucial that I manage my training very carefully. I have to mind myself and not get injured.”

She is undecided about the indoor season. “I may compete at one or two meets, but I won’t be taking it too seriously – London is my priority.”

She will stay in Dublin until after Christmas, working on her strength and fitness with Martina McCarthy in DCU.

Ryan’s club Dundrum South Dublin took the Club of the Year award after dominating cross-country last season and their women taking the National League title for the first time since 1987. Official of the Year is  Dublin athletics mainstay Aine Pobjoy  of Mid Sutton.