Roche and Harty win in Kilnaboy

The 27th annual Michael (Sonny) Murphy Memorial 10-mile road race and 10k fun walk was held in beautiful weather conditions at Kilnaboy on Sunday.
There was a fine turnout of competitors, with 100 walkers and almost 200 athletes from all parts of Ireland competing in the 10 mile Spring Classic and Clare AAI Road Championship.
Philip Harty (West Waterford) and local athlete Michael Shannon (Kilnaboy) ran the race along side each other from the start, going through the first mile in 5.14 pace. The West Waterford man broke away just before the nine-mile mark to take the title in 53.01 from Shannon in (53.25) and Robert Staunton (Galway City Harriers) (54.29). West Waterford took the team title on 62 points from the host club Kilnaboy on 98 points with Eagle, Cork, in third spot on 155 points.
The senior ladies’ title went to Tracy Roche (Dooneen AC) for the second year in a row, running four minutes faster this year with a time of 62.16. Second was Marie Carey (Ennis Track) on 64.20, followed by local athlete Tracy Guilfoyle in 65.19, with Ennis Track took the team title on 27 points from Mallow on 62 points and the host club Kilnaboy on 72 points.
From the start, Philip Harty (West Waterford) set the pace along with Michael Shannon, Robert Staunton (Galway City Harriers), Paul Gallagher from Ennis and running with St Finbarr’s of Cork, Adrian Linehan (Duhallow), Danny Smith (Ballynonty), Kevin Wilmot (Bandon) and Mike Cunningham (Bilboa).
These eight athletes took the big field through the first mile in 5.14 and before they reached the two-mile mark three athletes had broken away, with Philip Harty and Michael Shannon lifting the pace. After another 300m they had dropped Robert Staunton.
The leaders went through the three-mile mark in 15.34 and the battle was on for the title between Harty and Shannon and they passed the five-mile mark in 26.14. At this stage they were almost a minute clear going through Corofin Village when Shannon had gone to the front at the eight-mile mark in 42.47.
Over the final two miles Harty made one final move and the Kilnaboy man had to give way to him as he raced away to a mighty victory over the final mile. 
Brendan Aspel (Waterford) won the masters O-40s in 63.20 from local athlete Fintan Lahiffe (64.46) with the O-45 title going to Martin Corcoran (Craughwell) in 59.15.
The winner of the masters’ O-50 title and finishing 20th overall was James Kenny (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) in 62.12, with the O-55 title going to Richard Lenihan (West Waterford) in 73.17 and Tom Madden (Marian) took the O-60s in 68.35 from Enda Whelan (Kilnaboy) but running with Sligo AC. In third place was his brother Sean from Ennis Track.
The first local athlete was Michael Shannon followed by Ambrose Heagney and Fintan Lahiffe, with Tracy Guilfoyle the first local girl from Frances Guilfoyle and Sheila Considine.
The ladies’ race attracted some well-known runners and Tracy Roche (Dooneen AC) set the pace for the first three miles with Marie Carey (Ennis Track) and local athlete Tracy Guilfoyle going through the three-mile mark in 19.52 with Norma Wall (West Waterford) and Madeline Loughnane (Thurles Crokes) moved into the top five as they made their way towards the Gort Road.
At this stage, Roche had opened up a fine lead and was starting to dominate as she made her way towards Corofin Village and she had almost two minutes on Marie Carey, who will be competing in the Belfast Marathon in May.
Roche went on to knock four minutes off last year’s time and cross the finishing line in 62.16 to claim her second win in Kilnaboy ahead of Marie Carey, who ran a fine race in 64.20.
The leading lady master athlete O-40s was Deirdre Finn (Bilboa) in 68.56, with Tracy Guilfoyle winning the O-45s in 65.19 and the O-50s going to Margaret Harty (Limerick) in 78.03.

Results
Senior Ladies
1 Tracy Roche (Dooneen) (62.16)
2 Marie Carey (Ennis Track) (64.20)
3 Norma Wall (West Waterford) (66.31)
4 Madeline Loughnane (Thurles Crokes)
(68.53)
Teams
1 Ennis Track = 27 points
2 Mallow = 62 points
3 Kilnaboy  = 72 points
4 Midleton = 95 points
Masters Ladies
O-40
1 Deirdre Finn (Bilboa) (68.56)
2 Martina Ryan (Thurles Crokes) (72.13)
3 Una Plant (Kilsale) (74.21)
O-45
1 Tracy Guilfoyle (Kilnaboy) (65.19)
2 Sally Drennan (Midleton) (72.06)
3 Frances Guilfoyle (Kilnaboy) (75.29)
4 Marian O’Loughlin (Ennis Track) (82.46)
O-50
1 Margaret Harty (Limerick (78.03)
2 Bernie Kelly (Galway City Harriers) (79.01)
3 Maura Falsey (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (82.23)
Senior Men
1 Philip Harty (West Waterford) (53.01)
2 Michael Shannon (Kilnaboy) (53.26)
3 Robert Staunton (Galway City Harriers) (54.30)
4 Paul Gallagher (St Finbarr’s) (56.16)
Teams
1 West Waterford = 62 points
2 Kilnaboy = 98 points
3 Eagle = 155 points
4 Midleton = 179 points
Masters O-40
1 Brendan Aspel (Waterford) (63.20)
2 Fintan Lahiffe (Kilnaboy) (64.46)
3 Ted O’Leary (West Waterford) (69.43)
O-45
1 Martin Corcoran (Craughwell) (59.15)
2 Tom Blackburn (Bilboa) (59.17)
3 Martin McCarthy (West Waterford) (59.19)
O-50
1 James Kenny (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) (62.12)
2 Gerry Cantwell (West Waterford) (63.10)
3 Stanlslaw Orlicki (Poland) (64.04)
O-55
1 Richard Linehan (West Limerick) (73.17)
2 Peader Curtis (Mallow) (77.14)
3 Kieran Fitzgerald (Cork) (77.38)
O-60
1 Tom Madden (Marian) (68.35)
2 Enda Whelan (Sligo) (72.20)
3 Sean Whelan (Ennis Track) (74.36)
Local Men
1 Michael Shannon (Kilnaboy) (53.26)
2 Ambrose Heagney (Kilnaboy) (61.54)
3 Fintan Lahiffe (Kilnaboy) (64.46)
Local Lady
1 Tracy Guilfoyle (Kilnaboy) (65.19)
2 Frances Guilfoyle (Kilnaboy) (75.29)
3 Sheila Considine (Kilnaboy) (101.42)

Eighth annual memorial at Lees Road

THE eighth annual Matt O’Connor Memorial and Marian AC Open Sports day will take place this Sunday at Lees Road at 2pm.
The organising committee has drawn up a very attractive programme of over 40 events, catering for U-7 up to U-16 boys and girls plus junior men’s and ladies’ 1,500m and the girls’ 100m (confined) for the Ciara Conroy Memorial Shield.
The programme is:
U-7 girls’ and boys’ 60m and 100m; U-8 girls’ and boys’ 60m and 200m, 4 x 100m relay; U-9 girls’ and boys’ 80m and 300m; U-10 girls’ and boys’ 100m and 400m; 4 x 100m relay; U-11 girls’ and boys’ 100m and 400m; U-12 girls’ and boys’ 100m, 600m; 4 x 100m relay; U-14 girls’ and boys’ 100m, 800m; U-16 girls’ and boys’ 100m; 4x 100m relay; junior ladies’ and men’s 1,500m.

Healthy heart charity walk and road race

THE Johnny McMahon Healthy Heart 10k Charity Fun Walk and Road Race will take place this Saturday at 12 noon at Kilmaley School with proceeds going towards the Ray of Hope Hospice Jinja, in Uganda and to Kilmaley Voluntary Housing Association.
This event will see many special guests taking part from soccer, GAA, rugby and athletics.
The race will start near the church in Kilmaley with a 3.5k and a 10k race.
Amongst the leading contenders for this 10k title will be Kenneth Rodgers (St Cronan’s), Michael Shannon (Kilnaboy), Brian Murphy (Ennis Track), local man Terry Hennessy (St Cronan’s) with Veronica Colleran (Ennis Track) and Tracy Guilfoyle (Kilnaboy) along with the 2009 champion Loretta Duggan (St Mary’s) challenging for the ladies’ title.
Further information can be obtained from Terry Hennessy at 087 9091436, Gerry Keane 087 2714716, Martin Clancy at 087 6355933.

Fixtures
April
15. Ennis Track 20th anniversary celebrations at the Old Ground Hotel, Ennis.
16. Johnny Mc Mahon Healthy Heart 10k Fun Run and 3.5k Walk all in aid of two charities, Kilmaley Voluntary Housing and Uganda Rays of Hope Hospice Jinya starting at Kilmaley school at 12 noon.
17. Marian AC and the Matt O’Connor Memorial Open Sports at Lees Road at 2pm.
17. National Road Relays Championships in Raheny, Dublin.
17. Coole Park, Gort 10k trail walk, jog, run, at 11am.
23. Clare Sports Partnership and Clare AAI 5k road series (No 1) Scariff Rugby Grounds at 11am.
25. Clare Crusaders 10k and 10-mile road race in Ennis. 
30. Munster Masters and Juvenile Multi-events Track and Field Championships in CIT Cork.
May
1. Clare Athletics Association Sports Star Awards at the Auburn Lodge Hotel at 8pm.

Summer series in Scariff

CLARE Sports Partnership  and Clare Athletics Association annual 5k Summer Series (five events) will start April 23 in Scariff Rugby Grounds hosted by Scariff Meet and Train Group
The event will start at 11am and the series is open to all over 16 years of age.
Race number 2 takes place at the Boree Log, Lissycasey, hosted by Fergus AC on Thursday, May 5 at 7.30pm.
Race number 3 will be on Saturday morning, June 4 at Lees Road Sports Complex at 11am.
Race number 4 will be on Saturday, July 9 at the New Sports Amenity Park in Lisdoonvarna at 11am.
The final race in the series will be on August 13 at Lees Road Sports Complex at 11am.

Ennis Track’s anniversary

ENNIS Track Athletic Club will celebrate their 20th anniversary on this Friday night in the Old Ground Hotel with a gala dinner dance.
During the evening they will launch their new website, ennistrackathleticclub.com.