The final club track championship of the season, the 10,000, took place in Morton Stadium last night. The championship was incorporated into the latest round of the ever popular Clonliffe Grand Prix series. Thankfully the wind and rain which had whipped up around Santry at 7 PM had calmed considerably by the time the field lined up just before 8 PM and although it was a cold night it was perfect for 25 laps of the blue Mondo track.
From the off defending men’s champion Sean Doran tore into lead, a 72 second opening lap well and truly throwing down the gauntlet, ‘catch me if you can’ was the tactic. By lap 3 Sean was already lapping some of the backmarkers and although, not unnaturally, he did slow slightly mid race he came home having lapped the entire field in an impressive 32.14. This is one of the fastest times recorded in the club 10,000 in a number of years and was the latest in maybe half a dozen wins by Sean in this race. Second-place finisher was Paul Keenan (35.01) with Niall Sherlock really going up and distance, taking 3rd place in 36.31.
The women’s championship saw both Meghan O’Keeffe and Clodagh Galvin making their debut over the distance on the track, and both ran excellent races as Meghan came home 1st, bettering her 10k road PB by well over a minute recording a time of 40.24. Clodagh chased her all the way home and likewise bettered her road 10k as she recorded a time of 40.53. Defending champion Aisling Andrews came home in 3rd place in 43.23.
Results of club 10,000 championship:
| Place | First Name | Surname | Time |
| 1 | Sean | Doran | 00:32:14 |
| 2 | Paul | Keenan | 00:35:01 |
| 3 | Niall | Sherlock | 00:36:31 |
| 4 | Anto | Doran | 00:37:20 |
| 5 | Robert | Dowling | 00:37:41 |
| 6 | Peter | Bissett | 00:38:59 |
| 7 | Megan | O’Keeffe | 00:40:24 |
| 8 | Tom | Griffin | 00:40:26 |
| 9 | Clodagh | Galvin | 00:40:53 |
| 10 | Fergal | O’Shea | 00:41:10 |
| 11 | Steve | Barnes | 00:41:31 |
| 12 | Mick | Bermingham | 00:41:48 |
| 13 | Aisling | Andrews | 00:43:23 |
| 14 | Tom | Moran | 00:43:26 |
| 15 | Richie | Barr | 00:43:43 |
| 16 | Philip | Richards | 00:43:53 |
| 17 | Shane | Rooney | 00:43:54 |
| 18 | Maurice | McCrohan | 00:43:59 |
| 19 | Tom | Monks | 00:44:07 |
| 20 | Mick | Gleeson | 00:44:33 |
| 21 | Declan | Grant | 00:44:36 |
| 22 | Joe | Fowler | 00:45:17 |
| 23 | Diarmuid | Doyle | 00:45:20 |
| 24 | Carl | Fleming | 00:45:33 |
| 25 | Declan | Murray | 00:47:26 |
| 26 | David | Hanley | 00:47:28 |
| 27 | Dermot | Breslin | 00:47:38 |
| 28 | Clodagh | Moriarty | 00:48:01 |
| 29 | Pat | Devitt | 00:49:02 |
| 30 | Deirdre | Fitzsimons | 00:50:27 |
| 31 | Yvonne | McDonagh | 00:50:58 |
| 34 | Ciara | O’Regan | 00:52:05 |
| 36 | Shey | Byrne | 00:55:05 |
In the Grand Prix Ciara O’Regan took the plaudits and maximum points with Philip Richards 2nd and Declan Murray 3rd. The results of the Grand Prix are being held back at present as the excitement mounts with the Grand Prix series heading towards its climax. Next up is the club 10 mile championships for the Ahern cup in Malahide Castle grounds on Saturday October 7 at 10:30 AM
Club Captain Noel Guiden presented the prizes in the clubhouse after the event, with Pat Bonass presenting the Bonass Cup to Meghan and the Bonass trophy to Sean Doran (in absentia).
Many thanks to all involved last night, in particular Caroline Tuite, who sponsored the Grand Prix prizes and to the race officials who no doubt slept soundly last night counting laps instead of sheep!