Nov 1, 2010 [Noel Guiden] The highlight of the junior and senior championships held in Santry Demesne on Sunday was the performance of the junior men who performed excellently to take gold by a considerable margin with individual silver and bronze taken by Jamie Rossiter and Ian Guiden respectively.
The first race on the ‘senior’ programme after the juvenile championships was the junior women’s race and it was great to see a full black and amber clad team of junior women in this race. The ever improving Lorna Begley led home the girls with a very good run over the 3000 metre distance. There were also great runs from Ailish Ahern, Roisin Leahy, Laura Brennan, Irene Falvey and Niamh Hussey. Although the girls placed out of the medals this was a young squad and it is really only a matter of time before the hard training they are putting in pays off.
The juniors men’s team, which raced over 6000 metres, included a mix of seasoned junior runners who are coming to the end of their junior careers along with an influx of newer runners to this rank. From the off there was a tight pack of Clonliffe runners up with DSD’s Emmett Jennings which included Fintan Doherty, Jamie Rossiter, Ian Guiden and Eric McCann, however, as Emmett Jennings upped the pace the chasing pack was worn down to Jamie Rossiter, Ian Guiden and Raheny’s Donal Foley, soon Foley was dropped and with Jennings some metres up ahead it was a battle between Jamie and Ian for second and third place in which Jamie prevailed to take silver with Ian in third place. These two were very well backed up by Conor McGuinness (5th) and Eric McCann (9th) and these scoring four finishing well ahead in the battle for team gold. Excellent runs also from Jordan Logue, Johnny Bradley-Ward, Ronan Doyle and Herbert Innocent.
In the senior women’s race once again it was great to see a full Clonliffe team. Becky Woods ran a tremendous race particularly over the closing stages when she pulled herself up into the top seven or eight and as the runners rounded the final bend she showed unbelievable determination in taking several places up to sixth, fifth, fourth and then unbelievably third, however, only five yards from the line she stumbled and fell literally a foot short of the line and then diving across the line to finish an agonising fourth place. It was, however, a truly excellent and inspirational effort. There were other good runs in this race from Ailish McDermott (11), Emma Cooper (16), Maura Matthews (20) and Christine Hannelly. The girls placed 4th, only 4 points off a medal.
The final race of the day was the Dublin senior men’s championship over 10,000 metres. A weakened Clonliffe team were led home by John Hennigan who continues to get himself back into full fitness after a road traffic accident a matter of weeks after the Nationals last March, this was only John’s second or third race since and although he was in the top three over the early stages his lack of races caught up on him, however, he finished 8th with Aidan Bailey in 11th place. A very good run from Masterchef Owen Pearse (24th), third scorer and also from the other team members Niall Sherlock (38), Ernie Ramsey (43) and Anthony Malone (47). The Dublin’s uniquely at this stage requiring six scorers. DSD courtesy of first and second places from Joe McAllister and Brendan O’Neill comfortably won the Senior title from Raheny and Rathfarnham with Clonliffe 4th.
Presentation of team medals was made in the Clonliffe bar by Padraig Keane who was called upon to do so by the Dublin County Board Chairman Pat Hooper. Pat commenting that Padraig Keane had probably won more Dublin Championship medals than any other athlete.
Congratulations to the Clonliffe athletes who performed so well on the day and congratulations also to Paddy Marley and his team for their sterling work in constructing a magnificent course which was fitting of these championships.