After 3 laps or 6000m of the Men’s Inter-Club Cross Country Championship race at Dundalk IT on Sunday March 2nd, the team placings were very much in the mix. Clonliffe Harriers, the reigning champions, were coming under pressure from Dundrum South Dublin for the team prize. Raheny Shamrocks 59 (2, 13, 20, 24) were holding a slender 4 point advantage over Donore Harriers 63 (4, 11, 21, 27) in the competition for the bronze team position.

Another lap further on, at 8000m, the race for bronze was nip and tuck! John Travers had consolidated 4th position behind Mick Clohisey, who was not only leading the race – but was spearheading the Raheny team. An in-form Lee Van Haeften had marginally slipped back from 11th to 13th, whilst Eric Keogh had gained 3 places to lie 18th. John Dunne, who had placed 3rd overall in the National Master’s cross-country championship a week earlier, was running gutsy to hold onto 27th spot. The 3rd place team score with 2 laps remaining was Raheny 61(1, 16, 20 & 24) and Donore 62 (4, 13, 18, 27).

At the start of the penultimate lap the two teams were tied on 62 points. Raheny’s 3rd man had slipped two places, whilst their 4th man had gained one. It was all down to the last lap! 2000 more metres of mud and undulations and Donore supporters screaming the team scores from the side-line: “keep digging, every point counts”. This was the great sport of cross-country at its very best!

Mick Clohisey of Raheny Shamrocks maintained his lead and won his first National XC Championship in a time of 39.09s – ahead of Gary Thornton of Galway City Harriers (39.18s). John Travers held onto 4th position in the time of 40.12s. Lee Van Haeften (41.07s) ran a brilliant race to place 13th, 3 places ahead of the second Raheny finisher. Eric Keogh (42.00s) gained to 17th position with a fast finish. In the points marker Donore held an advantage, but it was all down to the 4th and final man for each team.

And there he was! Digging deep into his reserves of human endeavours, John Dunne (42.40s) rounded the final bend and fought for each place with a gritty determination! The ‘Dunner the Runner’ had done good! He gained to 25th (although he was really 24th after diving over the finish line and losing a place or two in the funnel), whilst the last scorer for Raheny had slipped back to 29th. The final teams scores were:
1. DSD 34
2. Clonliffe Harriers 35
3. Donore Harriers 59
4. Raheny Shamrocks 68
5. East Cork 84
6. Rathfarnham 105
This was Donore’s first team medal in the Men’s National Inter-Club XC since 1993.

The scoring 4 runners were well complimented by the other members of the team. Ken Nugent (44.09s), who is still getting back after a long lay-off through injury, had a fine run to place 37th. Gavin Keogh (44.37s), having lost weeks of training due to illness, dug deep to come home in 42nd spot. Michael McMahon (44.45s), a newcomer to the team and running in only his second race for the club following last week’s National Intermediate XC, came a more than creditable 45th. Colm Hill placed 59th in 47.08s in only his second race of the season.

The ladies also sent a team to Dundalk, the 3 NicDhomhnaill sisters, the Curley sisters and Breda Mahony took to the line in a high quality field which saw Clonliffe’s Sarah McCormack, Michelle McGee of Brothers Pearse and DSD’s Maria McCambridge sprinting it out for top honours.

In a tough 8000m course, the Donore ladies worked well together with Ide NicDhomhnaill first home in 33:06, right behind Ide was Anne Curley 33:12, Aisling NicDhomhnaill ran brilliantly as she continues to rebuild following injury in 33:55. Florence Curley and Sorcha NicDhomhnaill came home close together again with 34:36 and 34:43 and Breda Mahony followed up a strong run after last weeks National Masters Championships with another great run in 36:01.

The Bohermeen half marathon is growing in popularity, especially for those building towards Spring marathons and Donore didn’t disappoint with the numbers turning up to battle it out on a wet morning in Meath. Niall Lynch and Philip Hennessy battled it out for club honours finishing just 4 seconds apart in 1:15:37 and 1:15:41 respectively. Barry Potts took to the road and pulled out a strong run to finish in a very impressing 1:33:24 which was enough for second male place in his category.

Over in Kinvara, Deirdre Healy and Des Tremble donned their Donore vests. Des ran a great time of 1:18:27 to finish in 6th place, while Deirdre ran 1:54:23, while Maura Kearns battled it out in the BHAA Cross Country at Dublin Airport, continuing her good form just missing out on a 3rd place finish.