Lindie Naughton
Dublin teams produced a number of fine results at the preliminary round of the National Track and Field League held at Santry on Sunday (June 25).
A new approach to qualification for the league final had seventeen club teams and a further seven county teams competing at the same time. That format resulted in up to four rounds in some races, notably the sprints, and with long delays due to technical difficulties, the programme ran over time, not helped by a spectacular thunderstorm mid-way through the afternoon.
Picking up full points for defending women’s champions, Dundrum South Dublin AC, were Cara Murphy 400m hurdles, Eimear Maher 800m, and Amy O’Donoghue 1500m. DSD finished top of the women’s table ahead of Ratoath AC, Raheny Shamrock AC and Clonliffe Harriers, with the top eight teams qualifying,
Defending men’s champions Clonliffe Harriers eased themselves into the final, also finishing top of the table. with the outstanding performance coming from Simon Galligan who won the hammer with a new club record of 63.52.
Winners for Clonliffe included Eoin Sheridan winner of both the shot and discus, Stephen Cashin in the 5000m, Leo Morgan in the 100m and the 4 x 100m relay team.
A sprint with 100m to go saw Louis O’Loughlin of Donore Harriers beating Harry Purcell of Trim AC in the A grade 800m at the fifth Dublin Graded Meet on Wednesday (June 21) – the first meet on the new blue Mondo track at Santry since its recent reopening under DCU management.
O’Loughlin , home from the USA for the summer, finished in 1;48.63 with Purcell second in 1:49.20 and Juan Ignacio Pena of Raheny Shamrock third in 1:51.07. Winning the B race in 2:0022 was Lorcan Benjacar of Clonliffe Harriers.
The women’s grade A 800m saw Susie Nestor of UCD AC beating her team mate Ellie Hartnett, with the pair timed at 2:08.83 and 2:10.63. Niamh Kelly of Clonliffe Harriers won the B race in 2:18.97.
Winning the men’s 5000m Dublin Championships race was Ieuan Hopkins of Brothers Pearse AC in 15:02.12. Eanna O Bradaigh of DSD AC was second in 15:36.86 and Dylan Wright of Lucan Harries third in 15:41.81. Winning the B 5000m in 15:53. 47 was Eamonn Morrissey of Dundrum AC in Tipperary. Anthony Sharkey of LSA AC was second in 16:14.69 and Ronan Dunphy of Skerries AC third in 16:29.02.
First home in the women’s A 3000m in 10:13.70 was Sorcha McAllister of Dundrum South Dublin AC.
Lauren Dermody of Castlecomer AC was second in 10:17.81 and Ellen Byrne of Dublin City Harriers third in 10:28.18.
In the 200m sprints, Andrew Egan of Galway City Harriers proved fastest of the A grade men in 21.67, with Aaron Keane of Tullamore Harriers second in 21.76 and Runo Ayavoro of Newbridge AC winning the B race in 21.83.
Winning the women’s AA 200 was Molly Hourihan of DSD AC in 24.26 secs. Angela Castell Rodriguez of Raheny Shamrock AC was second in 25.19 and Leah Bergin of Clonliffe Harriers third in 25.46.
In a closely-fought B race with only athletes from DSD and Clonliffe lining out, Aobh Forde of DSD was the winner in 25.from her clubmate Cara Murphy in 25.61 with Clodagh Dunbar of Clonliffe Harriers third in 26.05.
continued online at dublingazette.com
Simon Galligan of Clonliffe Harriers dominated the men’s hammer competition winning with a throw of 61.43. Junior athlete Matthew Flood of Fingallians AC was second in 42.75. Winning the women’s discus with a 45.92 throw was junior athlete Anna Gavigan of LSA, who was in the middle of her Leaving cert exams.
Cara Murphy (DSD) winning women’s 400m h League preliminary Round, Santry
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