Bridge Complex to benefit from 10km run

THEY’LL be pounding the pavements and running the roads around Sixmilebridge next month, flexing their muscles and raising funds for the local community facility, the Bridge Complex.
As part of the Sixmilebridge Summer Festival, a 10km and a 5km run/walk will be held on Friday, June 3. The charity road run has been organised by The Bridge Milers, a fledgling running group set up last year, which enjoys strong support.
The club was established by Charleville native and Sixmilebridge resident, Tom Enright, an experienced running coach and a man who has more than 30 marathons under his belt.
Within the club, which at this stage has more female than male members, the emphasis has been on encouraging people to get fit and back running, rather than training to race competitively.
Tom, who is chairman of The Bridge Milers, explains there has been a great interest in leisure running, especially from people in their 30s, who want to get into shape and get fit again. The Bridge Milers meet three times a week, go for runs of varying distances and currently the group has over 40 members.
“It’s all about getting people out running and building their confidence so that they can participate in different events. Running is for everyone and not just for elite competitors,” according to Tom.
“We find that a lot of people because of family commitments and the giving up of field sports, become more aware of their health in the 30s and running is important to help get back into shape. Mentally, it sharpens the mind and helps those involved to take on new challenges,” he added.
“We expect that the upcoming race will be won in about 32 minutes but there will be those who will take over an hour to complete the event,” Tom explained, before outlining that the race will start at the top of Rossmanagher Road.
“Competitors will travel via the Ministers Cross, the Feenagh Road and Cappagh Lodge before finishing on the grounds of the Bridge Complex.”
“We are really hoping for people from the Bridge and surrounding area to come out and support the event. So many benefit from the complex and the playground and we want people to support this. We hope that families will turn out for the 5km and that all will attend the barbeque afterwards,” said Tom.
“The event will appeal to both the casual and competitive runner. For people training for the 10km, the course is accurately measured and is quite flat,” Tom concluded.
The race will start at 7pm and Tom is encouraging residents to keep traffic on the road to a minimum during the event. Further details are available from Tom on 083 4340094 or log on to runireland.com.

Road titles for Cotter and Markham

ENNIS Track’s Imogen Cotter won in fine style in the senior section at the Clare Athletic Association Four-Mile Road Championship for men and two-mile for ladies, which was held in very blustery weather conditions in Doonbeg, hosted by St John’s AC on Sunday.
Cotter won the senior ladies two mile race with a time of 11.55 from Marian Burke, St Mary’s and Aoifa Nash, Ennis Track with Ennis Track A taking the team title ahead of Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare and Ennis Track B.
Burke won the master ladies’ O-35 with Ita Hanrahan, Ennis Track the leading master O-40 and Sue Garrahy, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare taking the O-45. Rita Kierce, St Mary’s was the leading master O-50.
Liam Markham, Ennis Track, won the men’s title in a time of 19.49 from Kenneth Rodgers, St John’s and Michael Shannon, Kilnaboy. Ennis Track had four athletes in the top 10 and claimed the inter-club title from St John’s and Ennis Track B in third.
Shannon captured the novice title in 20.52 from Jake O’Regan and Kevin Egan, both St John’s, with Ennis Track taking the inter-club title from Marian AC.
The masters’ O-35 title went to Brian Spring, Ennis Track, with Pat Hogan, Ennis Track taking the O-40s; Terry Hennessy, St Cronan’s the O-45s and James Kenny Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare taking the O-50s. James Sexton, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, took the O-55s and Tom Madden, Marian, won the O-60s.

Results
Senior ladies: 1. Imogen Cotter (Ennis Track) (11.55); 2. Marian Burke (St Mary’s) (12.35); 3. Aoifa Nash (Ennis Track) (12.38).
Teams: 1. Ennis Track A = 17 points; 2. Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare = 44 points; 3. Ennis Track B = 45 points.
Masters’ ladies O-35: 1. Marian Burke (St Mary’s) (12.35); 2. Siobhán Gallagher (Ennis Track) (13.14); 3. Caroline Griffin (Ennis Track) (14.44).
O-40: 1. Ita Hanrahan (Ennis Track) (13.05); 2. Hilda O’Connor (Ennis Track) (13.51); 3. Niamh Ní Mhuirí (Ennis Track) (13.52).
O-45: 1. Sue Garrahy (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (13.23); 2. Ita Doherty (Ennis Track) (15.03).
O-50s: 1. Rita Kierce (St Mary’s) (13.48); 2. Marian O’Loughlin (Ennis Track) (14.53).
Senior men: 1. Liam Markham (Ennis Track) (19.49); 2. Kenneth Rodgers (St John’s) (20.00); 3. Michael Shannon (Kilnaboy) (20.52).
Teams: 1. Ennis Track A = 25 points; 2. St John’s = 28 points; 3. Ennis Track B = 60 points.
Novice men: 1. Michael Shannon (Kilnaboy) (20.52); 2. Jake O’Regan (St John’s) (21.00);
3. Kevin Egan (St John’s) (21.10).
Teams: 1. Ennis Track = 27 points; 2. Marian  = 47 points.
Masters O-35: 1. Brian Spring (Ennis Track) (21.05); 2. John Conroy (Ennis Track) (24.09); 3. Jason Moloney (Ennis Track) (24.33).
O-40: 1. Pat Hogan (Ennis Track) (23.10); 2. Michael McBride (Ennis Track) (25.33); 3. Tom Geraghty (Marian) (25.48).
O-45: 1. Terry Hennessy (St Cronan’s) (23.21).
O-50: 1. James Kenny (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (24.13); 2. Tom Mackey (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (24.45); 3. Ollie Gallagher (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (28.54).
O-55: 1. James Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (27.16).
O-60s: 1. Tom Madden (Marian) (25.08); 2. Sean Whelan (Ennis Track) (30.04).

Shannon and Colleran win in Lissycasey

MICHAEL Shannon, Kilnaboy and Ennis Track’s Veronica Colleran won the second round of the 5km summer series held by the Clare Sports Partnership and Clare Athletics Association in Lissycasey last Thursday. The event was hosted by Fergus AC.
Shannon and Brian Murphy, Ennis Track, took an early lead and went through the 1km mark in 3.10. Mike Cunningham, Bilboa and James Liddane, Olympic Harriers, were working hard to catch the leaders as they made their way towards the 2km mark.
The next chasing group included Willie Devitt, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare; Eugene Moynihan, Marian; Dariusz Kuranda, Ennis Track and Michael Kelly, Cree.
Shannon just held on to win with a time of 15.52 after a great battle with Murphy, who finished in 15.58, with Liddane coming through to take third spot ahead of Cunningham.
The ladies race was dominated by Colleran, who set a very fast pace from the start, going through the 1km in 3.50.
At this point, Marian Burke, St Mary’s; Shannon Ryan, Bilboa; Aoifa Nash, Ennis Track; Justyna Sadzik, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare and Loretta Duggan, St Mary’s, were all together at the 2km mark.
Colleran went on to record a comfortable victory with a time of 18.48, with Burke producing a big finish to take second in 19.50, ahead of Ryan, Nash and Sadzik.

Results
Senior ladies: 1. Veronica Colleran (Ennis Track) (18.48); 2. Marian Burke (St Mary’s) O-35 (19.50); 3. Shannon Ryan (Bilboa) (20.01).
Junior ladies: 1. Ciara Moir (Scariff Meet and Train) (28.01).
Walkers: 1. Deirdre Coleman (Scariff Meet and Train) (33.20); 2. Ann Norton (Ennis) (41.00); 3. Geraldine Sharkey (Clare Crusaders) (42.47); 4. Patricia Sheehan (Marian) (43.47).
Senior men: 1. Michael Shannon (Kilnaboy) (15.52); 2. Brian Murphy (Ennis Track) (15.58); 3. James Liddane (Olympic Harriers) (16.48).
O-40: 1. Michael McBride (Ennis Track) (19.15); 2. Tom Geraghty (Marian) (19.44); 3. Seamus McNamara (Kilkishen) (19.56).
O-45: 1. Mike Cunningham (Bilboa) (16.59); 2. Sean O’Sullivan (Fergus) (29.48); 3. Karla Baker (Scariff Meet and Train) (30.15).
O-50: 1. Eugene Moynihan (Marian) (17.56); 2. James Kenny (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (18.59); 3. Tom Mackey (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (19.02).
O-55: 1. James Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (20.56); 2. Brendan Cusack (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (23.41).
O-65: 1. Pat Rutherford (Ennis Track) (25.41).
Junior men: 1. Eamon Lenihan (Marian) (21.13).