Dublin Marathon report

The headline successes of Sunday’s Dublin marathon were the women’s Senior A team of Anne Curley, Grace Kennedy and Sinéad Graham winning team silver out of 123 teams and Anne Curley’s gold in the W45 age-group in the National Marathon Championships, incorporated into the Dublin marathon.

Conditions were excellent with no wind or rain but the Dublin marathon course is not one to be trifled with – a lot of long drags in the first half can be deceptive and take their toll.

First man home was the now seasoned marathon man Fergal Whitty and he was not that far off his best time in 2.34.45 despite foot problems in the lead up to the race and he left in all on the line here. He was unlucky too to just miss out on an M40 top 3 placing, finishing 4th in his category. Sean Fox was only seconds off the PB he set in Rotterdam earlier this year in 2.47.07. Next in was Tony Barry 2.53.24 and Niall O’Reilly who did an ironman triathlon this year and smashed his PB in 2.55.31. Chris Muldoon ran 2.56.25 and Fergal Roche got a PB of 2.57.11.  Just outside the 3 hours was Declan Lynch in 3.00.45.

It’s great to see Anne Curley back doing what she does best – severely hampered by injury the past 2 years and a virus last week she still pulled out a 3.02.05 here in her 12th marathon, picking up pace in the second half and breezing past dozens in the last few miles.  Paul Cummins and Neil Hand finished in the 3.06 bracket.  Grace Kennedy got a big PB here of 3.08.02 showing the distance running flair and grit she has always had.

Stephen Dawson was next in 3.22.41.  Niall O’Reilly’s fiance Sinead Graham got it tough in the last few miles but still did a PB of 3.24.38 so a double PB going to the O’Reilly/Graham house!  Tony Griffin was well pleased with 3.26.31 and training partner Ken Cronin did really well in his debut in 3.30.33.  Kevin Odgers was next in 3.30.43.

Angela Eustace lowered her PB yet again in 3.31.42 after a great season on the roads.  Paul Graham was next in 3.32.11.  In her first marathon for Donore, Audrey Gahan was delighted with a 3.38.06.  Michael Barry has ran a few marathons this year and did 3.40.33 today and played the good samaritan in the last stages when he and another competitor helped an exhausted fellow runner to the line.  Ariana Ball came up trumps here after a disappointing roads season and aced a PB of 3.43.05.  Giovanni Borza ran 3.48.41.  Elaine Verdon had a nightmare leadup to the marathon needing surgery a few weeks ago so getting to the start line was touch and go but she was delighted with her 3.53

One of the happiest finishers of the day was Michelle Dawson who finally broke the 4 hour mark in 3.57.26.  Peter Bonnar had one of the feats of the day when he also got a PB of 3.58.52.  2 weeks ago he ran the Amsterdam marathon in just seconds over 4 hours so he came back to fix that on the streets of Dublin.  Another marathon debutante was Linda Curtin in 4.12.13.  Laura Murray hoped to break 4 hours today but still got a big PB of 4.12.59. Arthur Connick was next in 4.14.51.  Michele Murphy was well pleased with her 4.39.54 debut.

The Fit 4 life group had a good contingent here today with Andrew Maguire 4.14.28, Anna McMahon 4.35.23, Mark Cullivan 4.45.46 and Orlaith McMahon 5.07.17

Provisional team results show the enormous number of club entries:
123 senior women’s teams with our teams 2nd and 46th.  The women’s masters had 233 teams and we were 31st and 167th. In the men’s senior competition our teams were 49th and 80th out of  215. There was an incredible 433 teams in the master event with our men 9th and 25th.

There were more than 40 Donore people – members, parents, juniors and friends of members working very hard at the Chapelizod water station, another team distributing medals at the finish line and Joan McTernan and Dave Hudson of course who have been working hard for months on the event. Support around the course by members was magnificent – missing this year was of course the late Jim McNamara who always crisscrossed the course and was ever present at the finish.  He inspired a lot of the runners out there today and was remembered in the post-marathon celebrations in O’Donoghues afterwards.

Meanwhile in Frankfurt, George Brady was first home with another sub-3 in 2:58:32, followed by Fred Kiernan in 3:19:14 and John Gleeson in 3:30.54.

Full list of DCM Finishers.

Fergal Whitty 2.34.45
Sean Fox 2.47.07
Tony Barry 2.53.24
Niall O’Reilly 2.55.31 (PB)
Chris Muldoon 2.56.25
Feargal Roche 2.57.11 (PB)
Declan Lynch 3.00.45
Anne Curley 3.02.05
Paul Cummins 3.06.06
Neil Hand 3.06.53
Grace Kennedy 3.08.02 (PB)
Stephen Dawson 3.22.41
Sinead Graham 3.24.38 (PB)
Tony Griffin 3.26.21
Kevin Odgers 3.30.43
Ken Cronin 3.30.33 (debut)
Angela Eustace 3.31.42 (PB)
Paul Graham 3.32.11
Audrey Gahan 3.38.06 (PB)
Ariana Ball 3.43.05 (PB)
Giovanni Borza 3.48.41
Michelle Dawson 3.57.26 (PB)
Peter Bonnar 3.58.52 (PB)
Linda Curtin 4.12.13
Laura Murray 4.12.59 (PB)
Andrew Maguire 4.14.28
Arthur Connick 4.14.51
Declan Raftery 4.17.46
Joe McDonnell 4.24.35
Dana Mackey 4.26.45 (PB)
Anna McMahon 4.35.23
Michele Murphy 4.39.54 (debut)
Mark Cullivan 4.45.46
Ian Redican 5.03.06
Orlaith McMahon 5.07.17

Leinster Novice XC Report

The weekend wasn’t just about the Dublin marathon – we had a large number of competitors in the Leinster Novice cross country championship today at Tyrrellspass Co Westmeath.

The course was at New Forest Golf Club – good underfoot conditions, nice weather but a lot of short sharp hills and big numbers from all corners of the province in both races.

The ladies 4k race (1 small lap, 2 big laps) had 100 finishers.  Alma Hanevy had a super run, working her way through the field with a very strong last lap and she was passing runners right to the end to finish in 9th place – this also earned her county gold on the Dublin team.  Aine Mahony ran her first cross country race and finished in 50th place with Amy Dodd in a solid run in 57th.  Jona Kalemi improved on her run in the Dublin novice to finish in 72nd with Marianne Dunlevy in a good finish in 82nd.  The ladies finished in 8th place out of 12 teams – this was one of the most competitive Leinsters in a long time.

There were 9 Donore runners in the men’s 6k race – 151 finishers.  There was a powerful run from Rossa Hurley in 5th place – just 2 places off the medals and he won a gold on the Dublin team.  Next was Phil Hennessy 40th, Des Tremble 52nd, Fergal Swaine 61st, Patrick Byrne 72nd, Alan Farrell 84th, Andrew wilson 116th, Joe Murphy 143rd, Des Gill 146th, Ken McKeown  148th (he fell ill mid-race but bravely finished).  The team was 8th in a field of 22 teams -like the women’s race, a very competitive day.