All posts in National Relay Championships

The Clonliffe U/16 girls 4 x 100 squad had a great run today at the GloHealth Nationals in Tullamore today. The team of Rebecca, Success, Rapha, Jessica and Caitlin took bronze in 51.30. The U/14 girls were just out of the medals as Holly, Emma, Kristin and Katie placed 4th.

The National Road Relays in Raheny today brought mixed fortunes for Clonliffe. While the senior men medalled once again there was heart break for the women who finished in 4th place.

As always the Road Relays are great for team spirit building coming after the conclusion of the cross country season and just before the forthcoming track season. Once again there was a good turn out from clubs supporting this event, hosted once again by Raheny Shamrocks.

The Clonliffe senior men put in a spirited display with a team blend of youth and experience. Leading off on the 2 mile leg Ian Guiden took things by the scruff of the neck from 400m as he took the lead and ran a very positive leg (9.36) to pass over the lead to Kristaps Valters on the mile, another good leg (4.32) as Kris held off the chasing pack passing onto Colm Rooney for the make or break 3 lapper. Colm was up against sub 4 minute miler Alberto Sanchez of defending title holders Sligo AC, at the hand over the Sligo team lead from Ennis TC and Clonliffe, Colm`s leg was 14.22. On the final 2 lap leg Brian MacMahon did all that was possible chasing Ennis TC hard but in the end had to be content with holding off a fast finishing Raheny team. Brian running 10.00 was enough to hold onto bronze. Sligo AC successfully defended their title winning in 38.36, Ennis TC were 2nd 38.50 with Clonliffe 3rd 38.55.

The Clonliffe B squad put in some fine runs. Edgars Sumskis ran a fine 2 mile leg (9.44), passing onto Andrew Jenkinson, running his first team race for Clonliffe in some time, (4.40) and then to junior athlete Cathal Doyle on the tough 3 miler, a fine run by young Cathal of 16.23 and then onto another of the club`s juniors Brian Flanagan (11.05). the B team placing 11th (41.57)

The senior women put in a real battling performance and were so close to glory. Becky Woods, in the form of her life was superb on the mile leg running 5.00 to hand over in the lead to Eleanor Alexander, Eleanor held the lead for her 2 mile leg (11.09) and then passed onto Bernadette Kiernan. Bernadette ran an excellent leg, but was over hauled by more experienced athletes to finish a fraction off the medals in 4th. Winners were Leevale 21.24, 2nd Crusaders AC 21.35, defending champions DSD were 3rd 21.39 with Clonliffe 4th (21.56)

Finally the Master men O/50s team of George Maybury (6.01), Philip O`Doherty (11.14)and Pat Byrne (5.50) put in a good shift but also out of the points paying position.

Gallery:

At today`s National Road Relays in Raheny the Clonliffe senior men got back to medalling ways with bronze behind Sligo AC 1st and Raheny 2nd. The Clonliffe team in the 2 x 1 x 3 x 2 was: Aaron Hanlon  (9.39), Kris Valters (4.40), Dave Fitzmaurice (14.47) and Michael MacDiarmada (9.49). The B team placed 8th: Mark McDonald (10.01), Liam ashton (4.55) Ian Guiden (15.08) and Cathal Doyle (10.43).

The senior women were out of the medals this year. A team placed 5th: Michelle English (5.40), Becky Woods (11.06) and Roisin Leahy (5.42). The B team: Orlaith Durkan 96.02), Sinead Hartnett (12.43), Emma Harding (6.20) were 17th. The winning team was DSD from Raheny 2nd and Crusaders 3rd.

Likewise the Master men placed out of the points paying position, 4th in the O/35, the times for the 1 x 2 x 1 were: Munia Bouzine (4.41), Chris Muldoon (10.25) and Ciaran McCarthy (4.57). The O/50 team were also in that unlucky 4th position: Pat Byrne (5.50), Philip O`Doherty (10.59) and Liam Hennessy (5.48). 1st team in the masters was Rathfarnham.

In other weekend action : Eoin Murray was 18th in the BHAA Dublin City Council 4 Mile road Race in St. Anne`s, Raheny, yesterday in 22.33 with tom Sherlock breathing down his neck 19th in 22.35. Overseas Declan Power was in Prague for yesterday`s Half Marathon where he ran an impressive 72.28 placing 2nd O/40. In the U.S. Graham Mahon was running for Clarke University in the Ashford University Spring Inviational, recording a 10th place finish in 4.22.66.

Gallery:

Raheny village is once again the venue for Sunday`s National Road Relays with Rathfarnham and DSD expected to put up strong defences of the senior men and women`s titles won last year. After a period in the mid to late 2000s when the Clonliffe men were dominent the road relays have not been a happy hunting ground in recent years,  however the men will look to improve on last year`s 5th place showing by what was a very youthful team. Word in Santry is of stiff competition to make the A team with 2 teams to start. The club captain after much deliberation and consulation with his staff confirmed the 2 senior and master  men`s teams:

Senior A : A. Hanlon, K. Valters, D. Fitzmaurice, M. MacDiarmada

Senior B: M. McDonald, C. Healy, I. Guiden, L. Ashton

Masters A: N. Bouzine, C. Muldoon, P. O`Doherty

Masters B: L. Hennessy, P. Byrne, McCarthy

The women`s teams look strong, in particular Pamela Cooper has named an impressive A team that looks well capable of repeating 2012`s medalling performance. The A team is Michelle English, Ailish Malone and Becky Woods,  the B team is Sinead Hartnett, Roisin Leahy, and Orlaith Durkan.

Timetable:

2.00pm Master women  1 x 2 x 1

2.30pm Master men     1 x 2 x 1

3.00pm Senior women  1 x 2 x 1

3.30pm senior men 2 x 1 x 3 x 2

All support on Sunday will be greatly appreciated by the athletes.

At today`s National Road Relays in Raheny the senior women took bronze with a great performance from the Clonliffe trio of Eleanor Alexandra, Ailish Malone and Louise Reilly behind a crack DSD squad 1st with Raheny 2nd. Eleanor had an outstanding run in leg 1 recording a time of 5.06.5 handing over in 1st to Ailish who record an excellent 11.23 for the 2 mile leg with Louise running 5.33 to take team bronze.

The B team also ran very well: Emma Cooper 5.35.6, Fionnula Doherty 12.05 and Lorna Begley 5.47, only 2 days after her superb Versities 1500 bronze. The C`s recorded Tara Whyte 5.48.3, Kerri Page 13.32 and Sinead Hartnett 6.26.

The senior men`s A team was mainly comprises of up and coming Clonliffe athletes indeed the old man of the quartet was Conor Healy, the other 3 are still juniors. The team put in an excellent performance with fine runs by all four to finish in 5th place. Conor Healy ran 9.42.6 for the opening 2 mile leg, followed by a 4.42.7 mile from Fintan Doherty, Ian Guiden put in a strong 15.32 in the tough 3 mile leg and Aaron O`Hanlon a fine 10.00.5 for the final 2 mile leg. The B team also put in a good day`s work: Darren Reilly 10.21.7, Mark McKenzie 4.52, Ernie Ramsey 16.16 and Niall Sherlock 11.13.

At the front of proceedings there was a fantastic battle between Raheny and Rathfarnham as both squads ran shoulder to shoulder until Sean Hehir`s super finish to take the National title for the southsiders.

The National Road Relays take place once again in Raheny this Sunday April 22nd from 2 p.m. There are Clonliffe teams running in the championship races with a particularly fine turnout from the ladies section of the club with no less than three teams entered in the senior women’s championship. The men’s squad has been decimated with athletes unavailable as a result of marathon commitments, last weekend’s National 10k, the weekend’s Irish University’s Track and Field and injuries. The club captain has been forced to shuffle his pack but like all these things every cloud has a silver lining and the road relays present an opportunity for some of the junior athletes to get a first taste of senior competition. The Clonliffe teams for Sunday are as follows:

Senior Women (1 mile x 2 mile x 1 mile):

Team A: Louise Reilly, Ailish Malone, Eleanor Alexander

Team B: Emma Cooper, Fionnula Doherty, Lorna Begley

Team C: Tara Whyte, Kerri Paige, Sinead Hartnett

Master Women (1 mile x 2 mile x 1 mile): Geraldine Keogh, Bernie Byrne, Karen Kinsella

Senior Men (2 mile x 1 mile x 3 mile x 2 mile):

Team A: Aaron O’Hanlon, Conor Healy, Mark McKenzie, Ian Guiden

Team B: Darren Reilly, Ernie Ramsey, Niall Sherlock, Stephen Harkness/Fintan Doherty

The action gets underway at 2 p.m. sharp in Raheny village. Needless to say all Clonliffe support would be most welcome by our athletes.