Tonight 128th annual Clonliffe 2 mile was won tonight by Andrew Coscoran (Star of the Sea) in a time of 9.13. The was a good turnout of some 150 athletes for tonight’s race, thankfully the threat of rain held off and the athletes enjoyed favourable conditions for the race. The Clonliffe 2 was once again most generously sponsored by the Kavanagh family (the Grave Diggers in Glasnevin)
As the field was sent on its way at 8 PM sharp it was pleasing to see so many Clonliffe vests at the front end of the field as the athlete exited the stadium heading towards Northwood. Coscoran led from Clonliffe pairing Colm Rooney and Efrem Gidey as the race exited the stadium. At the Crowne Plaza crossing into Santry Demesne Croscoran held the lead with Rooney just on his tail and Efrem cut slightly adrift. As the leaders hit the track they were separated by a tiny margin but Coscoran’s superior track speed paid dividends as he came home opening the gap on Rooney with 200 to go to win the Historic Clonliffe 2, Coscoran breasting the tape in a time of 9.13, the 2nd fastest on the new Santry course with Colm Rooney 2 seconds adrift (9.15). Efrem held onto third place (9.28) with Sean Doran coming in fourth place (9.50) chased in by the fast finishing Clonliffe junior pairing of Aaron Cullen and Ben Guiden finishing two abreast in 5th and 6th with identical times of 9.51.
The women’s race was won for the second successive year by Nadia Power (Templeogue), 10.46 in second place from Donore Harriers was Ide Ni Dhomhaill (10.53) and Bronagh Kearns (St Sennans) third (11.18). The top six women completed by: 4th Laura McDonnell (Tallaght) 11.19, 5th Holly Brennan (Cillies AC) 11.29 and 6th Maura Kearns (Donore Harriers) 11.42.
In the junior race with Efrem, Aaron and Ben taking senior prizes the top three was another Clonliffe trio of Thomas Baltazar (10.32), Evan Foster (10.35) and Ian McElweney (10.42) whilst the top three junior women, again all Clonliffe, were Aoife Hession (12.24) , Sarah Bateson, after a bad fall on the start line, (12.29)and Orla O’Sullivan (12.53).
In the Masters categories firstly master men: M/35 David Brady (Clonliffe), M/40 Shane Casey (Clonliffe), M/45 Shane Larkin (Drogheda and District), M/50 Seanie Meyler (Omagh), M/55 Maurice McCrohan (Clonliffe), M/60 Desie Shorten (Parnell AC), M/65 Mike Mac Domhanill (West Limerick) and M/70 Matt Cooley.
In the master women W/35 Ailish Malone (Clonliffe), W/40 Laura Kiernan (Clonliffe), W/45 Deirdre Fitzsimons (Clonliffe), W/50 Aine McCann (Clonliffe) and W/55 Mary Waters (Navan AC).
Full results: Results Clonliffe 2mile 2019 (1)
To view photos of today’s Clonliffe 2: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmAGLjYx
NOTE: Uncollected prizes for Sean Doran, David Brady, Maurice McCrohan are behind the Bar!