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Ennis on track at Michael Egan Memorial race

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THE 40th anniversary of the Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare Athletic Club and the Michael Egan Memorial four-mile road race and fun walk attracted a huge turnout of athletes from all over Ireland and the world, along with a fine number of walkers to Quilty.
The Michael Egan Memorial Road Race gets underway in Quilty. Photograph by Declan Monaghan
In the senior men’s event a star-studded field of athletes went to the start and a four and a half minute first mile from Galway City Harriers’ athlete Garry Staunton saw the Irish international athlete beat Rory Chesser, Ennis Track, in a very fast time of 19mins.10secs with Jason Fahy, Olympic Harriers, coming third.
The team title and the Michael Egan Shield went to Ennis Track ahead of Galway City Harriers, Craughwell and last year’s title-holders West Limerick.
First time visitor to Quilty, Andrea Viger from Boulder Express Colorado, USA, recorded a big win in the senior ladies race in a time of 24mins.13secs she had just 20 seconds to spare over Eimear Martin, Sportsworld, with Tracy Guilfoyle third. St Mary’s took the team title ahead of last year’s title-holders Ennis Track and the host club Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare.
The Clare AAI president, Tommy McCarthy, started the race and the leaders went through the first mile in four and a half minutes at a blistering pace set by Garry Thornton, Galway City Harriers. Right on his shoulder for that first mile was Jason Fahy, Olympic Harriers; Labeta Dabela, Limerick AC, and Rory Chesser, Ennis Track, with a gap to Brian McGinley, Ennis Track; Fergal Geraghty, Galway City Harriers, and Patrick Cassidy, Glaslough Harriers, Monaghan.
Hitting the two-mile mark in 9mins.10secs, Garry Thornton had a 10 second lead on Rory Chesser with the rest of the field starting to struggle. As the leader made his way towards the steady climb of the Crosses of Annagh, Thornton was well on his way to victory when he went through the three-mile mark in 14mins.32secs and, facing into the Quilty sea breeze, it was all downhill for Thornton to the finish in a remarkable time of 19mins.10secs.
Ennis Track took the team title and the Michael Egan Shield with a total of 28 points (2nd Rory Chesser; 6th Brian Mc Ginley; 9th Michael Maher; 11th Aidan Kearney). Second was Galway City Harriers also on 28 points, third was Craughwell Galway on 56 points and fourth was last year’s title-holders West Limerick on 121 points.
The masters O-35’s went to Robert Staunton, Galway City Harriers, with a time of 21mins.34secs from Peter O’Sullivan, Craughwell, and David O’Connor, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare. The Master O-40’s title went to Martin Corcoran, Craughwell, with a time of 22mins.19secs with Keith Ryan, Limerick, second and Pat Hogan, Ennis Track, third.
Joe Chawke, West Limerick, took the O-45’s in 22mins.31secs ahead of Mike Cunningham, Bilboa, and Michael Fennell, Civil Service Dublin, and the O-50’s title was dominated once again by Eugene Moynihan, Marian, and a very good time of 23mins.20secs with James Kenny and Tom Mackey, both Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, second and third.
The O-55’s title went to Frank Garrihy, Ennis Track, in 24mins.31secs from Martin Loughnane, Roscrea, and Brendan Cusack, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare.
Martin McEvilly, Galway City Harriers, was the winner of the O-60’s title for the second year in a row in 24mins.35secs.
The junior men’s title went to Adrian Kearney, Ennis Track, in 21mins.57secs. He had a good 30 seconds on his clubmate, Darragh Chesser, Ennis Track, with Fergal Smithwick, Marian, third.
The ladies race is always very competitive and this year the race number of ladies was higher than previous years due to the work of Catherine Ryan, Clare Sports Partnership, and Deirdre Daly with all the ‘meet and train’ groups all over the county.
The early pace-setter, Eimear Power, Sportsworld, went through the one-mile mark in 5mins.55secs. Moving along nicely in the second group was Andrea Viger from Colorado; Tracy Guilfoyle, Kilnaboy; Sharon Rynne, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare; Deirdre Daly, Ennis Track, and Marian Burke, St Mary’s.
At two miles Andrea Viger was right on the shoulder of Eimear Power and starting to dominate as the runners made their way towards the three mile mark with Sharon Rynne dropping off the pace and Marian Burke starting to make a big impression going towards the three mile mark with Deirdre Daly now in the top six.
Viger produced a mighty performance over the last mile to cross the finishing line and take her first ever title in Quilty in a time of 24mins.13secs, 20 seconds ahead of the closest competitior, Eimear Power, Tracy Guilfoyle finished third in 25mins.58secs.
St Mary’s packed well to capture the team award with 46th Marian Burke; 57th Louise Kelly; 64th Patricia Fitzpatrick; 69th Loretta Duggan for a total of 236points. Second were the Ennis Track on 250 points and the host club Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare third on 277 points.
The masters ladies (O-35) title went to Marian Burke, St Mary’s, in 26mins.11secs from Deirdre Daly, Ennis Track, and Louise Kelly, St Mary’s, with Hilda O’Connor, Ennis Track, the big winner in the O-40’s in 30mins.23secs ahead of Catherine Ryan, Ennis Meet and Train, and Martina Martin, Ennis Track.
Sue Garrahy, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, captured the O-45’s in 27mins.29secs with Marie O’Reilly, Loughrea, second and third Christina Organ, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare.
The masters athlete O-50’s Bernie Kelly, Galway City Harriers, beating her cousin Maura Falsey, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare.

Results

Ladies: 1, Andrea Viger Colorado USA (24.13); 2, Eimear Power Sportsworld (24.32); 3, Tracy Guilfoyle Kilnaboy (25.58).
Teams: 1, St Mary’s (46, Marian Burke, 57, Louise Kelly, 64, Patricia Fitzpatrick, 69, Loretta Duggan) = 236pts; 2, Ennis Trac (48, Deirdre Daly, 62, Siobhan Gallagher, 63, Jackie O’Connor, 77, Hilda O’Connor) = 250pts; 3, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare (49, Sharon Rynne, 56, Sue Garrahy, 80, Maura Falsey, 82, Christina Organ) = 277pts.
Masters ladies O-35: 1, Marian Burke St Mary’s (26.11); 2, Deirdre Daly Ennis Track (26.25); 3, Louise Kelly St Mary’s (27.35).
O-40: 1, Hilda O’Connor Ennis Track (30.23); 2, Catherine Ryan Ennis Meet and Train Group (35.16); 3, Martina Martin Ennis Track (36.04).
O-45: 1, Sue Garrahy Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare (27.29); 2, Marie O’Reilly Loughrea (30.29); 3, Christina Organ Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare (31.24).
O-50: 1, Bernie Kelly Galway City Harriers (29.14); 2, Maura Falsey Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare (31.06).
Senior men: 1, Garry Thornton Galway City Harriers (19.10); 2, Rory Chesser Ennis Track (20.03); 3, Jason Fahy Olympic Harriers (20.25).
Teams: 1, Ennis Track (2, Rory Chesser, 6, Brian Mc Ginley, 9, Michael Maher, 11, Adrian Kearney) = 28pts; 2, Galway City Harriers (1, Gary Thornton, 5, Fergal Geraghty, 8, Robert Staunton, 14, Tony Scanlon) = 28pts; 3. Craughwell (10, Mark Davis, 13, Peter O’Sullivan, 15, Martin Corcoran, 18, Johnny Lane) = 56pts.
Masters Men: O-35:1 Robert Staunton Galway City Harriers (21.34); 2, Peter O’Sullivan Craughwell (22.15); 3, David O’Connor Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare (26.16).
O-40: 1, Martin Corcoran Craughwell (22.19); 2, Keith Ryan Limerick (22.30); 3, Pat Hogan Ennis Track (23.50).
O-45: 1, Joe Chawke West Limerick (22.31); 2, Mike Cunningham Bilboa (22.46); 3, Michael Fennell Civil Service (24.24).
O-50: 1, Eugene Moynihan Marian (23.20); 2, James Kenny Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare; 3, Tom Mackey Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare.
O-55: 1, Frank Garrihy Ennis Track (24.31); 2, Martin Loughnane Roscrea (28.47); 3, Brendan Cusack Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare.
O-60: 1, Martin Mc Evilly Galway City Harriers (24.35).
Junior men: 1, Aidan Kearney Ennis Track (21.57); 2, Darragh Chesser Ennis Track (22.26); 3, Fergal Smithwick Marian (23.05).

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