O’Halloran titles for Carey and Power

The second annual Dan O’Halloran Memorial 10k fun walk and 10k road race was held in Kilmihil on Saturday and atracted competitors from  as far away as japan and Canada as well as Galway, Dublin, Tipperary, Limerick and many Clare clubs.
All proceeds went towards the West Clare Cancer ­Society and Milford Hospice.
With the senior race starting on the Ennis Road, competitors faced into a stiff hill and the leaders went through the 1k mark in 2.59. Seamus Power (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) along with Michael Shannon (Kilnaboy) set a blistering pace from the start with Willie Devitt (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) leading out the chasing pack that included Michael ­Fennell (Civil Service), David Brew (Kilrush), Pat Healy (Marian), Ambrose Heagney (Kilnaboy) and Colm Fitzgerald (Shannon), with Maria Carey (Ennis Track) the leading lady in the top six from the early stages.
Seamus Power produced a time of 3.03 for the next four kilometres, going through the 5k mark in 15.29 and Michael Shannon was four seconds adrift.
Over the last 5k, Power sprinted down the main street to take the Dan O’Halloran Cup in a time of 31.56 from Michael Shannon, who had to settle for the runner-up spot again this year.
Ambrose Heagney (Kilnaboy), who came home in fourth spot, captured the O-40s in 37.07 from Pat Healy (Marian) and Trevor White (St Cronan’s) with Michael Fennell (Civil Service) taking the O-50s in 39.45 from John Carroll (Canada) and Willie Keane (St John’s). Caoimhin Donnellan (Kilmihil) won the junior men’s title in 44.16.
In the ladies’ race, Marie Carey set the early pace and was up with the ­chasing men’s pack for the first 2k, with Marian Burke (St Mary’s), last year’s title ­holder and Michelle O’Halloran from Kilmihil, now running with (Mullingar Harriers), working well together and moving away from the next chasing group that included Laura Egan ­(Kilmihil), Marian Kelly (Cree), Lorna O’Neill, Dympna O’Dwyer (both Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare), Rose Enright (St Mary’s), Rita Kierce (St Mary’s), Becky Coughlan (Ennis Track) and Bernie Kelly (Galway City Harriers).
Marie Carey was in control of this race from the start and on the downhill stretch she had a minute of a lead on Marian Burke, with Michelle O’Halloran working hard to stay with the pace.
She made all the running and came away with a very big win in a fast time of 38.59 to win the Dan O’Halloran Cup, with last year’s title holder Marian Burke second in 41.48 and local athlete Michelle O’Halloran a close third in 42.16.
The masters’ ladies’ O-40s went to Rose Enright (St Mary’s) in 42.58 from Monica Callinan and Siobhán Keating (both Kilmihil) and the O-50s went to Rita Kierce (St Mary’s) in 45.09 from Bernie Kelly (Galway City Harriers) and Bernie Johnston (Broadford).

Results
Ladies
1 Maria Carey (Ennis Track)(38.59) 
2 Marian Burke (St Mary’s) (41.48)
3 Michelle O’Halloran (Mullingar Harriers) (42.16)
4 Marian Kelly (Cree) (44.55)
5 Becky Coughlan (Ennis Track)(45.11)
6 Dympna O’Dwyer (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (46.37)
7 Lorna O’Neill (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (46.37)
8 Brenda O’Shea (Kilmihil) (49.16)
O-40
1 Rose Enright (St Mary’s) (42.58)
2 Monica Callinan (Kilmihil) (53.30)
3 Siobhán Keating (Kilmihil) (68.59)
O-50
1 Rita Kierce (St Mary’s) (45.09)
2 Bernie Kelly (Galway City Harriers) (48.41)
3 Bernie Johnston (Broadford) (97.05)
Senior men
1 Seamus Power (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare)
(31.56)
2 Michael (Shannon) (Kilnaboy) (32.48)
3 Willie Devitt (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (36.01)
4 David Brew (Kilrush) (37.29)
5 Kevin Lynch (Clarecastle) (39.26)
6 Colm Fitzgerald (Shannon) (40.32)
7 John Keogh (Kilmihil) (40.58)
8 Stephan Connors (Kilmihil) (41.19)
O-40
1 Ambrose Heagney (Kilnaboy) (37.07)
2 Pat Healy (Marian)(39.09)
3 Trevor White (St Cronan’s) (40.54)
O-50
1 Michael Fennell (Civil Service) (39.45)
2 John Carroll (Canada) (44.51)
3 Willie Keane (St John’s) (45.02)

Power strikes again in Cian Cleary run

THE Cian Cleary 6k fun run and walk was held in conjunction with the Kildysart Cultural Festival at the weekend, with 230 competitors taking part and all Clare clubs well represented.
Kenneth Rodgers (St John’s) set a good pace, going through Kildysart village and reaching the 1k mark in 3:03. Seamus Power (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) moved up to the leader and on the downhill stretch going away from Kildysart they had 30m on Willie Devitt (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare), Paul Gallagher (St Finbarr’s), Thomas Grimes (Limerick), Brian Murphy, David Quinn, (Ennis Track) and Keith Dwane (Ennis Triathlon).
The leaders went through the 3k mark in 9.58, with Brian Murphy having moved into third spot. The next 2k was all downhill and when Power hit the 5k mark he made a decisive move and drove hard on the final hill and coming towards the village he went 40m clear and captured the title with a time of 19.24 after a great battle with Kenneth Rodgers (19.27) and Brian Murphy (21.19).
The ladies’ race attracted the bigger numbers and from the start Sharon Rynne (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) set the early pace with Liz Huzzey (West Limerick) in close pursuit, going through the 1k in 3.50 with Tracy Guilfoyle (Kilnaboy), Marian Burke (St Mary’s), Aoifa Nash, Deirdre Cahill, Siobhán Gallagher (all Ennis Track) working hard to close down the leaders. Liz Huzzey was working hard behind the leader and closing the gap with every stride.
At the halfway point at 3k, Huzzey was starting to pull away and on that downhill stretch she opened up a few metres and went well clear and crossed the finishing line in 22.56. She finished almost two minutes ahead of Tracy Guilfoyle (24.19) with a very good third place going Sharon Rynne (24.46).

Results
Ladies
1 Liz Huzzey West Limerick (22.56)
2 Tracy Guilfoyle (Kilnaboy) (24.19)
3 Sharon Rynne (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (24.46)
4 Marian Burke (St Mary’s) (25.18)
5 Aoifa Nash (Ennis Track) (25.55)
6 Deirdre Cahill (Ennis Track) (26.19)
7 Siobhán Gallagher (Ennis Track) (26.22)
8 Eimear Power Sportsworld (27.04)
9 Becky Coughlan (Ennis Track) (27.16)
10 Lorna O’Neill (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (27.32)
11 Sue Garrahy (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare)(27.45)
12 Laura Power (Ennis Track) (28.03)
Senior men
1 Seamus Power (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare)(19.24)
2 Kenneth Rodgers (St John’s) (19.27)
3 Brian Murphy (Ennis Track) (21.19)
4 Willie Devitt (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare)(21.39)
5 David Quinn (Ennis Track) (21.46)
6 Paul Gallagher (St Finbarr’s) (21.48)
7 Micheal Keane (Ennis Track)(21.50)
8 Niall O’Callaghan (Ennis Track)(22.20)
9 Thomas Grimes (Limerick) (22.33)
10 Frank Landy (Ennis Track) (22.46)
11 Keith Dwane Ennis Triathlon (23.11)
12 Brian Spring (Ennis Track) (23.29)

Summer series in Limerick

The Limerick City and County Sports Partnership held the fifth in the summer series of Feet on the Street at the Country Club, Old Cratloe Road, on Thursday with a fine turnout of Clare athletes on the starting line.
Sharon Rynne (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) once again went out hard from the start along with Loretto Duggan (St Mary’s), Liz Huzzey (West Limerick), Teresa Tuohy (Bilboa). They all went through the first mile in 6.30 and at the half-way point Sharon Rynne was well clear of the rest of the field and over the hilly course she recorded a fine win with a time of 32.35 with Loretto Duggan second in 34.32. There was a fine run by Christina Organ (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) when taking the masters’ ladies’ O-45s in 38.48.
In the men’s race, Michael Shannon from (Kilnaboy) made all the running from the start and after the first mile he was well clear of the rest of the field with James Liddane (Olympic Harriers) challenging strongly as they made their way up the hill before the two-mile mark. Ambrose Heagney (Kilnaboy) along with Terry Hennessy (St Cronan’s) going well in the chasing pack.
Michael Shannon had a minute to spare over Adrian Linehan (Duhallow) when he crossed the finishing line in 26.20.
The next race and the sixth in the summer series will be this Thursday at the Shannon Rowing Club, O’Callaghan Strand, Limerick, starting at 7pm, with race seven on August 11 at Vistakon.

Results
Senior ladies
1 Sharon Rynne (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (32.35)
2 Loretto Duggan (St Mary’s) (34.32)
3 Verena Tarpey (Ind) (38.27)
4 Christine Organ (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) (38.48)
Senior men
1 Michael Shannon (Kilnaboy) (26.20)
2 Adrian Linehan (Duhallow) (27.31)
3 Dermot Kerins (West Limerick) (27.47)
4 James Liddane (Olympic Harriers) (27.52)
7 Ambrose Heagney (Kilnaboy) O-45 (28.51)
11 Terry Hennessy (St Cronan’s) O-45 (29.45)
30 James Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) O-55 (34.45)
68 Martin Hynes (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) O-60 (39.02)