Hehir smashes course record in Clare 10k

The sixth annual Clare 10k mini marathon was staged around the streets of Ennis last Saturday, starting and finishing at the Lees Road sports complex. Walkers, fun runners, joggers and meet and train groups made up a record entry in very wet and humid weather conditions.
Sean Hehir from Kilkishen and running with Rathfarnham AC, Dublin, was out on his own before they reached the 1k mark and he smashed the course record with a time of 29.43. Jason Fahy (Olympic Harriers) was second in 30.51 and third, for the second year in a row, was Michael Shannon (Kilnaboy).
The senior ladies’ race produced a great victory for Veronica Colleran (Ennis Track) with a time of 36.46 with Tracy Roche (Dooneen) a very good second in 37.27 followed by Marie Carey (Ennis Track) in 37.47.
Gerard Carty (Galway City Harriers) won the masters O-40 in 35.11 from Pat Hogan (Ennis Track) and Patrick Healy (Marian). Keith Ryan (Limerick) won the masters’ men’s O-40 in a very good time 34.49 with Ambrose Haney (Kilnaboy) taking the second spot ahead of Mike Cunningham (Billboard).
Three Clare athletes dominated the O-50s, with victory going to James Kenny (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) in 36.14 from last year’s title holder Eugene Moynihan (Marian) in 36.25 and Tom Mackey (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) in 39.22 with the O-55s title going to last year’s winner Frank Garrihy (Ennis Track) in a time of 39.59 with Michael Harvey (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) second ahead of Brendan Cusack (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare). The O-60s went to Tom Madden (Marian) in 38.48 ahead of Enda Whelan (Sligo).
The junior men’s title went to Domhnaill Rodgers (St Cronan’s) in 38.33 from Karl Fitzmaurice (Shannon)  and Michael McKay (Ennis Track) with Gráinne Cremin (Ennis Track) taking the junior ladies’ title in (49.24).
Marian Burke (St Mary’s) retained the masters’ ladies’ O-35 in 40.36 with the O-40s going to Aishling Power (Ennis Track) in 40.58, followed by Siobhán Lennon (Ennis Track).
In the masters’ O-45 ladies, five Clare athletes dominated with victory going to Tracy Guilfoyle (Kilnaboy) in 38.38 from Michelle O’Mahoney (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) and Josephine Killeen (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare).
Rita Kierce (St Mary’s) won the O-50s in 43.58 from Carmel McDomhnaill (West Limerick) and Cushla Murphy Hehir (Marian).
Almost 1,300 competitors lined up as James Sexton started the race and as they made their way out along Lees Road Sean Hehir set a blistering pace
He went through the 5k mark in 14.47 on his way to victory in a record time of 29.43.
The ladies’ race attracted the larger number of athletes and this was a great contest with previous winners Veronica Colleran (Ennis Track), (2006 and 2007) Eimear Power (Sportsworld)  (2008 and 2010) along with Tracy Guilfoyle (Kilnaboy), Tracy Roche (Dooneen), Marie Carey (Ennis Track) and Sharon Rynne (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) taking part.
Veronica Colleran made a decisive move at the 8k mark and she pressed ahead to win the title.

Results
Senior ladies: 1. Veronica Colleran (Ennis Track) (36.46); 2. Tracy Roche (Dooneen)  (37.27); 3 Marie Carey (Ennis Track) (37.47); 4. Eimear Power (Sportsworld)  (39.40); 5. Sharon Rynne (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare)(40.07); 6. Becky Coughlan (Ennis Track) (40.07); 7. Eilis Kelly (Ind) (40.14); 8. Helen Roche (Ennis Track) (43.17); 9. Paula Prendergast (Mayo) (43.48); 10. Noreen Mackey (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare)(44.08).
Masters ladies O-35: 1. Marian Burke (St Mary’s)(40.36); 2. Carmel Coyne (Ind)  (45.32); 3 Anna Godzisc (Ind)  (46.14).
O-40: 1. Aishling Power (Ennis Track) (40.48); 2. Siobhán Lennon (Ennis Track) (42.11); 3. Niamh Ní Mhuirí (Ennis Track) (44.20).
O-45: 1. Tracy Guilfoyle (Kilnaboy) (38.38); 2. Michelle O’Mahoney (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare)(40.19); 3. Josephine Killeen (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare)(41.07).
O-50: 1. Rita Kierce (St Mary’s) (43.58); 2 Carmel McDomhnaill (West (Limerick) (45.07); 3. Cushla Murphy Hehir (Marian) (46.45).
Junior ladies: 1. Gráinne Cremin (Ennis Track) (49.24).
Senior men: 1. Sean Hehir Rathfarnham (29.43); 2. Jason Fahy (Olympic Harriers) (30.51); 3. Michael Shannon (Kilnaboy) (31.53); 4. Brian McGinley (Ennis Track) (32.29); 5. Brian Murphy (Ennis Track) (32.29); 6. Martin Doody (Limerick)  (32.46); 7. Tony Scanlon (Galway City Harriers) (33.28); 8. Fergal Smithwick (Marian) (34.25); 9. Paddy O’Toole (Mayo) (34.51); 10. James Liddane (Olympic Harriers) (35.32).
O-40: 1. Gerard Carty (Galway City Harriers) (35.11); 2. Pat Hogan (Ennis Track) (36.28); 3. Patrick Healy (Marian) (39.03).
O-45: 1. Keith Ryan (Limerick)  (34.49); 2. Ambrose Heagney (Kilnaboy) (36.09); 3. Mike Cunningham Bilboa (36.54).
O-50: 1. James Kenny (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare)(36.14); 2. Eugene Moynihan (Marian) (36.25); 3. Tom Mackey (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare)(39.22).
O-55: 1. Frank Garrihy (Ennis Track) (39.59); 2. Michael Harvey (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare)(41.43); 3. Brendan Cusack (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare)(47.43).
O-60: 1. Tom Madden (Marian) (38.48); 2. Enda Whelan (Kilnaboy) (41.21).
Junior men: 1. Domhnaill Rodgers (St Cronan’s) (38.33); 2. Karl Fitzmaurice (Shannon)  (40.15); 3. Michael McKay (Ennis Track) (41.38).