A large number of Letterkenny Athletic Club runners made the short journey across the border to Gransha in Derry for the Ulster and Northern Ireland Masters and Intermediate Championships.
It was yet another day of glory, in what has been a glorious 2016-17 season, for LAC’s cross-country runners.
In the ladies’ Intermediate championship, Noeleen Scanlon had her finest run of the season. She came home in 2nd place. She clocked a time of 14.41 for the 4K course and was just 1 second behind race winner, Jodi Smith of North Down AC.
Noeleen led the LAC team to Gold medals, with back up by other fine performances by her club mates. 8th placed Nakita Burke in 15.03, 12th finisher Maria Mulligan in 15.59 and Shauna McGeehan, who was 18th in 16.12, garnered a total of 40 points.
This gave them a winning margin of 7 points over the 2nd team, Omagh Harriers. The 4 counters were given excellent back up by Deirdre Diver, who had a fine performance, to finish 21st in 16.17.
The ladies’ Masters’ team also picked up medals. Fionnuala Diver continued her superb season. Like Noeleen she was 2nd and, also like Noeleen, her time of 14.30 for the 4K placed her only 1 second behind the winner, who was Willowfield Harriers’ Amy Bulman.
Fionnuala led the LAC team to Bronze medals. Irene McFadden was 23rd in 15.51, Jane Toner’s time of 16.07 gave her 25th place and Maria Boyle ran 16.47 to finish 34th. These performances gave LAC 84 points and 3rd place in the team event. North Belfast were 1st and Ballydrain Harriers 2nd.
The LAC men’s Masters’ team also put on an excellent display of cross country running.
They finished in 4th place but were a mere 12 points away from Silver medals. Anthony Doherty finished 12th place in 26.12 and Ivan Toner was 13th in 26.19. They were given good back up from the other 2 LAC runners over the 8K course. Hard working club captain, Raymond Birch, was 22nd in a time of 27.22; Liam Doherty’s time of 27.51 gave him 29th place.
Two runners travelled to the Midlands on Saturday. Annmarie McGlynn had an excellent 2nd place finish in the Indoor 1500m at Athlone IT. She clocked a superb time of 4.26.12 in a race that was won by Fiona Kehoe, who was only a second ahead.
Matthew Johnston had a very good 1500m run and his time of 4.16.42, which was a PB gave him 5th place.
Peter McLean chalked up Number 40 in Saturday morning’s Letterkenny parkrun. He ran 26.39 and was 3rd in the M55-59 category.
Strabane was the setting on Sunday morning for the 2nd leg of the Lifford Strabane AC 5K series. Over 300 runners took to the start line on a cold morning. There was a splendid display by a trio of LAC runners who followed race winner, Conor Bradley of City of Derry Spartans AC, home.
Race runner up was Danny Mooney in 15.22, just 3 seconds behind Bradley. Next was Eoghain McGinley who clocked 15.29, to complete an outstanding family double, following his sister, Jane Toner’s, fine performance a day earlier in Derry. Pauric Breslin had an excellent run and came home in 15.39 to finish 4th.
A terrific future looks guaranteed for LAC, with some marvellous performances from younger runners. Eoin Hughes clocked 16.59 to finish in 6th position. Enda McBride’s time was 17.48 and Rayan Maguella’s was 17.59.
Prolific racer, Barry Mackey, ran 19.27 and has put himself in an excellent position for a M50 prize in the overall championship. The 3rd and final race will be in Lifford on Sunday February 12th. Richard Raymond’s superb recent form continued and his time was 22.06. The big Kerryman is now in with an excellent chance of scooping 1st place in the overall placings for the M60 category.
LAC runners were to the fore when the prizes for the 2016 Grand Prix were recently handed out. There was a clean sweep of prizes in both the Senior Men’s and Senior Women’s category. Danny Mooney was 1st, after a succession of 1st place finishes. Ivan Toner, after almost a decade of Grand Prix wins, was 2nd. Ivan, as in previous years, had a huge number of individual race victories. Pauric Breslin also won a lot of races and took 3rd prize.
Noeleen Scanlan was rewarded for the phenomenal form she showed after returning to running following the birth of her son. She took 1st prize in the Senior Women’s section. Fionnuala Diver, who has been in sensational form, was 2nd; at the end of the Grand Prix season, she ran for the Irish Masters’ team in the 5 Nations cross country International at Tollcross Park, Glasgow.
To complete a trilogy of primary school teachers, Jane Toner took 3rd prize, after several outstanding performances. Marian Kerr’s conscientious training was rewarded when she took 3rd prize in the Masters’ Women’s category.
Brendan McDaid’s role in the Grand Prix is worthy of a mention. Brendan was, as in previous years, instrumental in compiling the fixture list and was in attendance at almost every race.
At the Donegal Sports Awards function in the Errigal Hotel on Friday night , Brendan Boyce was the winner of the Athletics award.
This was in recognition of Brendan’s excellent performance at the Rio Olympics, where he competed in the 50K walk.
All at LAC would like to pass on best wishes for a speedy recovery to club stalwart, Ciaran O’Donnell. Ciaran had a knee operation in Dublin on Tuesday. He will be out of action for about 3 months, so should be back again by early summer.
