Five-in-a-row for Slaney
THE MR Oil Co. Wexford Novice road race championships took place in Enniscorthy last Sunday.
Hosted by Slaney Olympic, the races were run on a lap which took in sections of the Old Dublin Road and the N11.
While there were no major hills to deal with, there were a couple of long, testing drags. The strong winds also played their part.
The women’s 3k race saw S.B.R’s Clodagh Dunbar break the challenge of Sonia Byrne (United Striders) on the final lap and go on to win with a comfortable 18-second margin.
Slaney Olympic’s Vanessa McShane was a further seven seconds back in third.
Finishing strongly to take fourth spot was Croghan’s Ciara Jones.
The team title went to Slaney Olympic on 25 points, making it five-in-a-row for the Enniscorthy ladies.
The scoring four were thirdplaced Vanessa McShane, Sabina Sweeney, Anne Marie Doyle and Sarah Byrne-Walsh.
United Striders placed second with 37 points, just one point ahead of S.B.R.
The men’s 6k race, over two and a half laps, had a very good turn-out from across the county. As in the women’s race, a decisive break on the final lap settled matters.
The surge put in by the inform United Striders’ athlete, Alan O’Connor, was enough to move him clear of David Kehoe (Slaney Olympic) and Mark Poole (Croghan).
Kehoe held on for a good second place with Poole taking the bronze just ahead of clubmate William Keogh.
Croghan’s next two scoring athletes, Derek Malone and Dara Kavanagh, ran out of their skins to clinch a first-ever men’s team gold for the club.
Slaney Olympic were six points back in the silver medal position, just two points ahead of United Striders from New Ross.
Hosts Slaney Olympic invited everyone back to Donohoe’s Motor Group afterwards for wellearned refreshments.
Women: 1, Clodagh Dunbar (S.B.R.), 12.20; 2, Sonia Byrne (United Striders), 12.38; 3, Vanessa McShane (Slaney Olympic), 12.45.
Teams: 1, Slaney Olympic, 25 points; 2, United Striders, 37 points; 3, S.B.R., 38 points.
Men: 1, Alan O’Connor (United Striders), 20.39; 2, David Kehoe (Slaney Olympic), 21.05; 3, Mark Poole (Croghan), 21.14.
Teams: 1, Croghan, 29 points; 2, Slaney Olympic, 35 points; 3, United Striders, 37 points.
Athletics Wexford diary: March 25 and 26, Irish Life Health National Juvenile indoor championships, Athlone; April 1, Irish Life Health National Juvenile indoor championships day three, Athlone; April 4, Mr Oil Co. Wexford Intermediate road races, 4k and 8k (11 a.m.), hosted by Croghan A.C.