10th February 08

MASTERS WIN FOR PAULINE CURLEY
The AAI Intermediate and Masters Cross-Country Championships were held in ideal conditions on a tough hill course in Piercestown Co Wexford last Sunday. Once again our ladies took home medals with Pauline Curley the gold medal winner in the Masters and the Intermediate team taking silver medals for both the club and county. Jim Langan was our only medal winner among the men taking bronze in the V7 master category. Pauline had to shake off the challenge of Annette Kealy from Raheny to move ahead in the closing stages and win by 3 seconds in a time of 14.23 over 4k. Next across the line was Ann Carroll in 24th place 16.29, with Deirdre Lambe 37th 17.05 and Mary Daly 44th 17.48. Unfortunately the team finished just outside the medals in 4th place on 106 points with Rathfarnham winning the club and Dublin the county. The Intermediate team also ran 4k and were led home by Maire-Triona Keane 10th 15.49, Pauline Lambe 13th 15.59, Georgina Touhey 24th 16.37, and Katie Vance 32nd 16.57 for 79 points which gave them the silver medals. Raheny Shamrock took the club title on 39 points and Dublin the county title on 57 points. The Masters men put in a great performance for the 7k in a very competitive race just missing the club bronze medals by 2 points. Led home by Catch Grennan 23rd 24.10, Declan Fahey 26th 24.18, John Harkin 40th 24.55, John Donegan 46th 25.04, Martin Carroll 58th 25.36, Joe Wrafter 100th 27.37, John Todd 103rd 27.48, Brendan Kennedy 134th 31.58 and Jim Langan 141st 35.28. Finn Valley took the club title on 48 points and Donegal the county title on 103 points with Offaly 6th on 293 points. The final event of the day was the Intermediate men’s race over 10k. The club team of Mike Murphy 60th 38.16, John Scanlon 80th 39.46, John O’Connell 94th 41.25 and Barry Lambe 99th 41.49 finished 15th club on 333 points with Raheny Shamrock taking the title. The county team with Paul Buckley of Ferbane 10th 34.41 and Barry Minnock of Rathfarnham 13th 34.50 finished 6th on 356 points with Dublin winning.                

HANNON FOR JUMPS INTERNATIONAL
Athletics Ireland have selected Eoin Hannon to compete as a guest in the long jump at the Great Britain versus Netherlands jumps international on Wednesday 13th February at the Lee Valley Stadium in London. Gordon Kennedy was in Cardiff on Sunday 3rd February for the Celtic International Indoor Cup and was part of the winning Irish team (3.17.20) in the 4 x 400m relay.  

RACE ROUND UP
Pauline Curley travelled to Dungarvan on Sunday 3rd February for the West Waterford promoted 10 mile road race which attracted 700 runners. On a fast course Pauline had a great battle all the way with Mary Margaret Meade of North Belfast Harriers, but in a sprint finish had to settle for the runner up spot in a time of 59.02 just 3 seconds behind the winner.                

Fixtures :
Saturday 16th February, AAI Masters Indoor Championships, Nenagh.
Sunday 17th February, AAI Junior Indoor Championships, Nenagh.
Sunday 24th February, P Devery Shield, Emo Court.
Saturday 1st March, AAI Senior & Junior Cross Country Championships, Queen’s University, Belfast.
Sunday 9th March, Leinster Senior, Junior & Masters Indoor Championships, Nenagh.             

Training : Tuesday and Thursday at 6.30pm, Sunday morning at 8.30am (except on a race day) all are welcome.

Circuit training led by Adrian Brennan every Wednesday at 7pm.