Lindie Naughton
Íde Nic Dhomhnaill of West Limerick AC, who is well known in Dublin, continued her exceptional year with victory in the women’s 6km at the Autumn Open Cross-Country at Abbotstown on Sunday.
Nic Dhomhaill, a 38-year old teacher in Lucan, began her running career about ten years ago with Donore Harriers before joining a club that was founded by her family.
With Nic Dhomhnaill heading for a clear win, the battle was on for the minor placings. In the chase for the line, Leevale AC’s Louise Shanahan used her 800m speed to pass Nadine Donegan of Tullamore Harriers with Nakita Burke of Letterkenny AC third. Just three seconds separated them, while a close fourth was Aoife O Cuill of St Coca’s AC.
Winning the Dublin U18 title was Julie Cleary of Donore Harriers, followed by Clara Kinsella of Rathfarnham WSAF AC and Eden Brangan Walsh of Donore Harriers. With Laura Nunan fourth and Eva Crowe 10th, Donore Harriers were team winners ahead of Clonliffe Harriers, led by Hazel Kenny in fifth place.
In the men’s 8km race, Pierre Murchan finished second behind pre-race favourite Keelan Kilrehil of Moy Valley AC in 24 mins 27 secs.
First in the Dublin U18 Championships was Sean Cronin of Clonliffe Harriers. Charlie White of Donore Harriers was second and Leon Brady of Clonliffe Harriers third. Clonliffe Harriers dominated the team competition with Donore Harriers was second and Dundrum South Dublin AC third. Both Clonliffe and DSD had entered teams with the maximum number of twelve. Also running were individuals from Rathfarnham WSAF AC, Marino AC, Raheny Shamrock and Metro St Brigid’s.
As has become traditional, the race was used as a trial for the annual British and Irish Masters International with master athletes travelling from all over the country to race and far outnumbering senior athletes.
Among the Dublin athletes vying for selection included Colm Rooney (Clonliffe Harriers), who was running his first cross-country in four years and finished second M40, David Kirwan and John Dunne, both Raheny Shamrock who finished second and third M45, Lea Fulcher (Plant-Based AC) and Ciaran McCarthy (Raheny Shamrock AC) third and fourth M50, Paul Cowhie (Crusaders AC) and Paul McCreery (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) first and third M55.
Tom Cuddy (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) fourth M60 and Michael Walsh (Brothers Pearse AC) fourth M65.
In the women’s categories, Zoe Quinn (Raheny Shamrock AC) and Caoimhe Kilroy (MSB AC) were third and fourth W45, Mary Browne (Lucan Harriers) and Grainne Grennan (Blackrock AC) second and fourth W65 and the ageless June Comiskey (Raheny Shamrock AC) first W75.
Teams for the British and Irish International to be held at Tollcross Park, Glasgow, Scotland on Saturday November 11 will be announced in the next few days.
Earlier in the day an open mixed relay race had taken place ten teams entered and Rathfarnham WSAF the winners Two Dublin City Harriers teams finished second and third with Lucan Harriers A fourth. The top two teams will travel to the European Club Cross-Country Championships early next year.
Winner of the An Cosantóir 10km for members of the armed forces in Dublin’s Phoenix Park on Wednesday (October 11) was Josh O’Sullivan-Hourihan, a member of Donore Harriers and an international orienteer, in 30 mins 27 secs.
* Big event next weekend is Sunday’s 132nd Clonliffe 2-mile, the oldest road race in the world (probably…) now back on the Glasnevin roads, starting at Met Eireann and finishing at the Gravediggers pub. If you haven’t entered already, you may be too late!
Limerick’s Íde Nic Dhomhnaill, a teacher in Lucan, wins the Autumn Cross Country in Abbotstown last weekend
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