9th November 2008 - Results and Fixtures

Harriers Clean Up In the Mud
Last Sunday Tullamore Harriers traveled to Haywood college in Abbeyleix to compete in the Leinster Intermediate Cross Country Championships.After the recent rain the course was in a very wet condition with six inches of mud in many places. However this did not deter the Tullamore athletes as their recent good form with the men’s team taking gold in both the club and county competitions. The womens team completed a memorable day by finishing in second place in both club and county categories.

The women’s race was 4000 metres in distance run over two laps that was badly cut up from the preceding juvenile races. Soon after the start a group of three broke away consisting of Aoife Brady from Sportsworld, Metro-St Brigids Kate O Neill and Tullamore’s Liz Cuskelly. This group continued to build up a lead on the chasing group that included Maire-Triona Keane. Mary Daly, Georgina Touhey and Sharon Leonard were packing well in the twenties. Going into the last lap Aoife Brady had broken clear with Liz Cuskelly disputing second place with Scully. Maire-Triona Keane was battling hard in fourth place. Dublin girl Brady held her form to win the race and behind her Liz Cuskelly dug deep and showed great strength to finish in second. Maire-Triona Keane also finished strongly and pulled away from Mullingar girl Mary Scully to finish in a great fourth place. Now all eyes were on the other Tullamore women and here Georgina Touhey running her first cross-country race in a year finished in 23rd just pipping Mary Daly who came home in 24th position. Sharon Leonard ran on strongly to finish in 29th place. In the club team competition Tullamore finished in second place with 53 points just 6 points off the winners Sportsworld. Meath won the County with Offaly finishing second.

The men’s race was over 10000 metres and consisted of five laps.Tullamore native Barry Minnock who now lives in Dublin runs for Rathfarnham club but was running for Offaly in the county competition was always up in the leading group and finished in 2nd place. Declan Fahey and Adrian Curley were running well and always up near the head of the field. Fahey had a great run considering his recent marathon and finished in a great 7th place. Just behind in 8th was Adrian Curley who had his best race in along time. Catch Grennan who is improving with every race after coming back from injury worked his way through the field to finish strongly in 13th place. Mick Murphy showed all his strength to overcome the heavy going to finish a fine 26th position. John O Connell also ran well to finish 32nd followed closely by Barry Lambe in 38th. When the points were added up the Tullamore team of Fahey, Curley, Grennan and Murphy combined to record a great win in the club competition with a total of 54 points edging out Rathfarnham who had a total of 58 points. This Quartet was joined by Barry Minnock and John
O’Connell to also win the county team event, with 88 points with Laois second and Wicklow third.

Full results; Womens 4k. 2 Liz Cuskelly 15.49, 4 Maire Triona Keane 16.21, 23 Georgina Touhey 17.59, 24 Mary Daly 18.01, 29 Sharon Leonard 18.17.

Club. Ist Sportsworld 47 points, 2nd Tullamore Harriers 53 points, 3rd Mullingar 55 points. County. 1st Meath 39 points, 2nd Offaly 53 points, 3rd Kilkenny 107 points.

Mens 10k. 2 Barry Minnock 34.48, 7 Declan Fahey 37.57, 8 Adrian Curley 38.08, 13 Catch Grennan 38.34, 26 Mick Murphy 40.17, 32 John O Connell 41.14, 38 Barry Lambe 41.57, 49 Joe Wrafter 43.24.

Club: Tullamore; 54, Rathfarnham; 58, Tinryland; 78.

County: Offaly; 88, Laois; 185, Wicklow; 319.

News Roundup
Last Saturday, Martin Carroll competed in the European Prison Officer’s Cross Country Competition. Martin ran well to finish 14th overall in a field of 120 and was the first Irish finisher. He finished 4th in his age category, 40 – 50 years.

Business Houses Athletic Association:
6 km combined ladies and men's beach race, on Dollymount Strand (Saturday); John Todd was 21st overall and 1st O/55 in 24:13. (191 finishers). John also got a gold individual medal in the Leinster Masters Championships in the over 55 category in Rathdrum Sunday 26th October.

Last Sunday week Jim Langan competed in the Riocht Athletic club 4 mile road race in Castleisland in Kerry. Jim came home first in the over 60 category in a time of 30.24.

Pauline Curley has been named as one of the nominations for the AAI Cross-country/Road Athlete of the year award. The other nominations along with Pauline are Mullingar man Martin Fagan, Fionnuala Britton and Garry Murray. The awards night is on November 15th in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dublin where Eamon Coghlan will be presented with the Hall of Fame Award.

This weekend sees 7 members of Tullamore Harriers competing in The British and Irish Cross-Country International in Swansea, Wales. Members competing: Liz Cuskelly, Ann Carroll, Noel Kelly, Martin Carroll, John Todd, Johnny Feery, Jim Langan. (Pauline Curley will not take part due to prior commitments). This is an experienced group, none more so than Ann Carroll who took a gold medal in this race in 1997 in Ballymena. Best of luck to all taking part, report will follow next week.

Memberships are now due and cost 35 euro for the year.

Fixtures.
23rd November: National Inter-counties Cross-country, Tramore, Co Waterford
27th November; Winter league- first leg at 7pm.
30th November: Winter League-second leg at 10am in Charleville Estate
7th December; National novice Crosscountry championships; Ballyhaise Co. Cavan
11th December; Winter league- 3rd leg at 7pm
16th December; Grand National at 7pm. Presentation of prizes afterwards in Euguenes.

Training: Tuesday and Thursday at 6.30pm, Sunday morning at 8.30am (except on a Race day). New members always welcome. On these dark evenings, it is important that all members wear reflective clothing when running on the roads.