There was an outstanding turnout for the Horan Cup in Santry Demsene this afternoon. The Horan Cup is one of Clonliffe`s oldest club races dating back to 1908 the first race had a field of 17 starters, the 2012 version attracted a bumper entry of 41 athletes, truely outstanding for a club race with counter attractions all round the city this weekend. Today`s race was a sealed handicap meaning that the entire field was sent off together at high noon. A well thought out mile and a half loop was marked out in the Demesne with the course director managing to avoid most of the heavy churned ground left after last Sunday`s Dublin Cross Country. It was a great day for cross country running, fresh and sunny, and the athletes although working hard over the six mile duration of the race seemed in the main to enjoy the whole affaire with 90% of the field successfully negotating the full race distance. At the conclusion first man home was Ger Kirwan, showing no ill effects from the Dublins, however, the Horan Cup is a handicap race so the outcome remained unknown until the presentation an hour or so later.
Club President Paddy Marley made the presentation to the first three, with the prizes sponsored by Colm Brennan, 3rd Shay Byrne, 2nd Richie Barr and 1st Pat Devitt. Fastest man was Ger Kirwan 35.24 some 2 minutes 40 quicker than H. Mullally back in 1908. Later Pat Devitt commented on his first taste of glory as being a bit of a “Smash and grab” as he placed the 104 year old magnificent Horan Cup into a bag marked “Swag”!
Well done to the Grand Prix Committee on an excellent promotion and a big thank you to all who officiated and to Caroline for the well earned teas and coffees. Next club race is the Irwin Cup on Saturday December 1st.
RESULTS OF HORAN CUP 2012 actual times:
Gerard Kirwan 0:35:24
Clive Ahern 0:35:35
Ronan Reilly 0:35:44
Eoin Murray 0:35:59
Raymond Dunne 0:36:32
Dave Dunwoody 0:37:35
Desie Shorten 0:37:44
Shane Casey 0:40:54
Gerry McCabe 0:40:59
Liam Hennessy 0:41:31
Colm McDonnell 0:42:06
Alan Worrall 0:42:13
Richie Barr 0:42:20
Shay Byrne 0:42:42
Matt Slattery 0:42:45
Robert Scott 0:42:53
Pat Byrne 0:43:14
Pat Devitt 0:43:16
Declan Murray 0:44:22
Emma Dunne 0:44:40
F Wheatley jnr 0:44:56
Derek Reilly 0:45:02
Eugene McCarrick 0:45:02
Alan Smeaton 0:45:14
Brendan Donnelly jnr 0:45:22
Sinead Duffy 0:45:22
Geraldine Reilly 0:45:33
Paddy Tuite 0:45:36
Frank McCarthy 0:45:46
Aimee Ahern 0:46:19
Clodagh Whelan Moriarty 0:47:18
Fergus Wheatley 0:47:38
Martin Cavanagh 0:48:24
John McCormack 0:49:18