It was a bright fresh morning that greeted the runners in Morton Stadium for today`s ERP Christmas Cracker 5k Road Race. The icy patches on the track were quickly dispatched by the salting team as the runners gathered at the start line for the 11.00am start and with a crack from Tom McCormack`s starters gun off they went.
After a lap on the track out through the stadium gates for a lap of Santry. The field was lead by a Clonliffe quartet consisting of Adam O`Brien, Craig Giles, Sean O`Leary and Liam Roarty as the runners streamed out heading uphill to the Northwood turn. Adam O`Brien held the lead and driving on the pace opened a gap that continued to yawn and by the end of the Northwood straight that gap had grown to 70m and then back into the stadium to 100 plus. At the finish it was a pretty comfortable win for Adam, the first Clonliffe winner of this race, in a time of 15.47. The battle for second was won by Sean O`Leary holding off Liam Roarty as they took the turn into the stadium gates almost side by side, at the line a mere second separating them: 16.14 to 16.15.
In the women`s race DSD Olympian Maria McCambridge was the class of the field winning in 16.53, and 10th place overall. Maria well clear of young Skerries AC athlete Isabel Carron (18.04) with Raheny`s vastly experienced Annette Kealy 3rd (18.14).
1st junior man was Craig Giles in 17.19 with Alannah Cooley completing a Clonliffe junior double winning in 20.04.
(Pictured: Adam O`Brien wins 2016 ERP Xmas Cracker)
Results ERP Christmas Cracker 5k:
Men: 1st Adam O`Brien (Clonliffe) 15.47, 2nd Sean O`Leary (Clonliffe) 16.14, 3rd Liam Roarty (Clonliffe) 16.15
Women: 1st Maria McCrambridge (DSD) 16.53, 2nd Isabel Carron (Skerries) 18.04, 3rd Annette Kealy (Raheny) 18.14
Junior M: 1st Craig Giles (Clonliffe) 17.19, 2nd Ciaran Crowther * (Tallaght) 17.30, 3rd Daragh Carter (Clonliffe) 18.20.
Junior W: 1st Alannah Cooley (Clonliffe) 20.04, 2nd Nora-Beth Collins (Clonliffe) * 24.36, 3rd Aoife Gleeson 24.54
M/40: 1st Gary Crossan (DSD) 17.16, 2nd Shane Larkin 17.30
W/40: 1st Suzanne Ryan * 20.41, 2nd Laura Kiernan (Clonliffe) 21.42
M/50: 1st Conor O`Reilly 18.40, 2nd Niall Markey (Clonliffe) 19.18
W/50: 1st Mary Purdue-Smith (Raheny) 23.31, 2nd Catherine Gilmore * 23.34
M/60: 1st Matt Cooley * 26.41, 2nd Gerard Murphy 34.49
M/70 1st Roy Corry (Willowfield) 25.00
(* prize not collected. Can be collect in club bar Weds to Sun from 7pm)
Full Results Click: xmas-cracker-2016
Clonliffe would like to thank ERP, Alone, St. John`s Ambulance, An Garda Siohana, Morton Stadium and all our club volunteers. We would also like to thank the athletes who took part and wish you all a very happy and sporting New Year.
