Surprise Win for O’Neill In the Park

While Fionnuala Britton was the big draw and had a comfortable win in the open 8km at the Autumn Open Cross-Country in the Phoenix Park, it was the men’s race that provided the drama. Galway’s Gary Thornton had led them out on the opening lap, but was soon swallowed up by Mullingar’s Mark  Christie, Kevin Maunsell of Clonmel, Liam Brady  of Tullamore and Breandan O’Neill of Dundrum South Dublin.  By halfway,  it looked like a show-down between  Christie and O’Neill, with Christie making  what looked like a decisive break on the second lap. A determined O’Neill’s never gave up and produced a burst of speed to pass Christie and take the race in the closing stages. An exhausted Christie was then pipped by Maunsell for second.

Of the women, Michelle Finn of Leevale ran a fine race to finish in second place behind Britton, with Sarah Mulligan of DSD third.

Closest race among the masters came in the M45 age group, where Mick Traynor squeezed out his Raheny clubmate  Des Kennedy,  with Damien Martin making it a Raheny hat trick by finishing six seconds behind for third. There was a bit of confusion in the open 5km when some of the older age group athletes were directed to the finish line a lap early. All sorted out now!

* Photos at www.lindie.zenfolio.com, with a few un-watermarked ones at www.flickr.com/lindie

Sunday October 19

Autumn Open Cross-Country, Magazine Hill, Phoenix Park, Dublin.

Open 5km (96 finishers) – Men: 1 James McAssey (St LOT) 18.06, 2 Maria O’Sullivan (Raheny) 19.01, 3 Mary Mulhare (Portlaoise) 19.22, 4 Orna Murry (Ferrybank) 19.27, 5 David Grange (Raheny) 19.36, 6 Packie Enwright (Sportsworld) 19.43, 7 Jackie Carthy (Kilmore, W40) 19.46, 8 Aislinn Mac Dhomhnaill (Donore, W35) 19.52. W35: 2 Paula Grant (Portlaoise) 20.03, 3 Justine O’Connell (DSD) 20.14. W40: 2 Sylvia Malone (Waterford) 20.09, 3 Cathy McCourt (Nth Belfast Hrs) 20.20. W45: 1 Colette Tuohy (Mayo) 20.44, 2 Annette Kealy (Raheny) 21.52, 3 Cathryn Brady (DSD) 21.58. W50: 1 Niamh O’Sullivan (Riocht) 20.09, 2 Mary Sweeney (St Finbarr’s) 22.06, 3 Angela McEvoy (St Finbarr’s) 25.04. W55: 1 Carmel Parnell (Leevale) 21.27, 2 Ann Sullivan (DMP) 22.12, 3 Pauline Moran (Mayo) 22.23. W60 (provis): 1 Josie Power (Fingallians) 23.12, 2 Eileen O’Brien (Lucan) 23.26, 3 Carmel Mac Dhomhnaill (Limerick) 24.21. W65: 1 Phyllis Browne (Star of the Sea) 21.01, 2 June Comiskey (Raheny) 23.12, 3 Roisin Lynch (City of Derry) 26.26. W70: Geraldine Walsh (Mullingar ) 41.30.

M65: 1 Martin McEvilly (GCH) 20.49, 2 Pat Collins (Liffey Valley) 21.37, 3 Barry Potts (Donore) 22.15. M70: 1 Terry Mee (Donore) 23.36, 2 Christy McMonagle (City of Derry) 23.41, 3 Pat Healy (Portmarnock) 24.38. M75: 1 Joseph Maguire (Donore) 27.16, 2 Tom Waldron (Mayo) 40.25, 3

Open 8km (165 starters)– Men: 1 Breandan O’Neill (DSD) 25.54, 2 Kevin Maunsell (Clonmel) 26.01, 3 Mark Christie (Mullingar Hrs) 26.07, 4 Liam Brady (Tullamore Hrs) 26.09, 5 Mick Clohisey (Raheny) 26.20, 6 Conor Dooney (Raheny) 26.43, 7 Gary Thornton (GCH, M35) 26.51, 8 Andrew Connick (Ferrybank) 26.56, 9 Adam Clarke 27.02, 10 Gary Murray (St Malachy’s) 27.13. M35: 2 Philip Harty (W Waterford) 27.28, 3 Mark Ryan 9Rathfarnham WSAF) 27.45. M40: Niall Lynch (Donore) 28.44, 2 Frank Quinlan (Waterford) 29.13, 3 Pat Byrne (Tinryland) 29.16. M45: Mick Traynor (Raheny) 29.32, 2 Des Kennedy (Raheny) 29.34, 3 Damien Martin (Raheny) 29.40. M50: 1 Mick Byrne (Sli Cualann) 29.38, 2 Patrick Malone (Newbridge) 29.59, 3 Paul Cowhie (Civil Service) 30.20. M55: 1 Tommy Payne (Tinryland) 30.18, 2 Jim Stafford (Slaney Oly) 31.15, 3 Martin McDonald (Ballyroan Abbeyleix) 32.09. M60: Paul Eliott (Nth Belfast Hrs) 32.15, 2 Eamonn McEvoy (St Finbarr’s) 33.03, 3 John Todd (Tullamore Hrs) 35.00.

Women: 1 Fionnuala Britton (Kilcoole) 28.09, 2 Michelle Finn (Leevale) 29.35, 3 Sarah Mulligan (DSD) 29.55, 4 Anne Marie McGlynn (Letterkenny) 30.06, 5 Teresa Doherty (Finn Valley) 30.51, 6 Barbara Cleary (Donore) 30.59, 7 Siobhan O’Doherty (Borrisokane) 31.17, 8 Michelle McGee (DSD) 31.19, 9 Sinead O’Connor (Leevale) 31.33, 10 Fiona Clinton (DSD) 31.43.

Jun women’s 4km (23 finishers); 1 Isabel Carron (Skerries) 15.30, 2 Jessica Coyne (Dooneen) 15.48, 3 Rhona Pierce (Skerries) 15.55, 4 Avril Deegan (Ballyroan Abbeyleix) 15.56, 5 Sorcha Humphries (DSD) 16.04, 6 Orlaith Moynihan (Clonmel) 16.06.

Jun men’s 6km (34 finishers): 1 Con Doherty ( Wesstport) 19.59, 2 Jack O’Leary (Mullingar Hrs) 20.16, 3 Andrew Wright (Willowfield) 20.24, 4 Killian Mooney (DSD) 20.32, 5 Andrew Coscoran (Star of the Sea) 20.35, 6 Peter Lynch (KCH) 20.4.5.

Longwood Village GAA 10km/5km, Co Meath ( www.precisiontiming.net)

10km (224 finishers) – Men: 1 Declan Power (M40) 33.38, 2 Luke Forde (Dunboyne) 34.07, 3 Peter Mooney 34.24. Women: 1 Charlotte Kearney (Donadea) 38.44, 2 June O’Reilly (Mullingar Hrs) 39.17, 3 Imelda Clarke (Na Fianna,W40) 43.11.

5km (166 finishers) – 1 Andrew Nevin 18.10, 2 Pauline Curley (Tullamore Hrs, W45) 18.24, 3 Paddy Mangan (Dunshaughlin, M50) 18.54, 4 Bernard Heaney (Garda) 19.07. Women: 2 Mary Hanley (Na Fianna, W40) 20.10, 3 Amy Clarke (Na Fianna, WJ) 20.15.

Kearney and McBride 6km,  Bush Track, Cooley, Co Louth (96 finishers; www.precisiontiming.net)

Men: 1 Gary O’Hanlon (Clonliffe, M40) 18.53, 2 Brian McCluskey (Nth East Runners) 19.40, 3 Shane Toner (Glenmore) 19.41. Women: 1 Mary Laverty (Nth East Runners) 23.08, 2 Gerrie Short (Beechmount Hrs) 23.32, 3 Kana Akimoto (Nth East Runners) 24.17.

Leisure World Rebel Run 10km, Bishopstown, Co Cork (484 finishers; www.corksports.ie.

Men: 1 Ben Thistlewood (Leevale) 32:07, 2 John Meade (St Finbarr’s) 32:21, 3 Cathal O’Donovan (St Finbarr’s) 32:22, 4 James McCarthy (East Cork) 32:52, 5 A ex O’Shea (St Finbarr’s, M40) 34:59, 6 John Shine (Leevale) 34:32. M50: Kevin Boag (Mallow) 41:57. M60: Richard Piotrowski (West Muskerry) 41:48.

Women: 1 Grainne O’Donnell (Serpentine) 39:02, 2 Laoise Ni Thuama 39:35, 3 Orla Crosbie (St Finbarr’s, W40) 41:22, 4 Siobhan Dempsey (W40) 42:26, 5 Dolores Duffy (W40) 44:49, 6 Debbie McCarthy (W40) 44:59. W50: 1 Deirdre Quinlan 50:50. W60: Padraigin Riggs 57:57.

Cork Cross-Country Championship, Castlelyons, Co Cork

Men – Intermediate: 1 Michael Harty (East Cork), 2 Michael Dullea (Skibbereen), 3 Owen Casey (Leevale). Teams – 1 Leevale 22; 2 St Finbarr’s 45, 3 Mallow 51. Women: 1 Niamh Allen (UCC), 2 Fiona Santry (East Cork), 3 Ronnie Barry (Bandon). Teams – 1 Mallow 22; 2 East Cork 34.

Novice B – Men: 1 Ian Dorgan (St Finbarr’s), 2 Dennis O’Driscoll (St Finbarr’s), 3 Paul Dean (Clonakilty). Teams – 1 St Finbarr’s 64, 2 Eagle 8, 3 Leevale 71. Women: 1 Ruth Mellerick (Youghal), 2 Mary Fitzgerald (Carrig Na bh Fear), 3 Edel O’Connell (Carrig na Bhfearr). Teams – 1 Carrig na Bhfearr 22, 2 Midleton 47, 3 St Catherine’s 73.