Slí Cualann shine at Leinster 10-mile race
SLÍ Cualann AC came away from the Battle of Clontarf 10-Mile (Leinster Championship) Race with a record fourteen medals, eight individual medals and six team medals. It’s the most successful 10 Mile road race for Slí Cualann AC.
Clive Quinn crossed the line in fourth place as part of a men’s overall team effort, along with Alan Dalton and Joe Cawley, that finished in third place behind Tallaght AC and Sportsworld RC.
The female runners did even better, finishing second to host club Raheny Shamrocks AC. Catherine O’Connor finished in the best time for the Wicklow club, crossing the line in fifth place, with her teammates Carol Costello and Jean O’Kennedy behind her.
Wicklow Athletics Chairman Bill Porter listed off the results from a poor day for racing, with the wet and windy weather conditions not conducive to good running on Easter Monday.
Clive Quinn ran a personal best time and won a Leinster bronze silver medal. Joe Cawley came second in the Over 45 age group.
Catherine O’Connor’s fifth place finish in the overall ladies race was good enough for second in the Over 40s category and was a personal best.
Eugene Doherty and Billy Tyrrell romped home in the Over 60s, taking gold and silver respectively. Along with Porter himself, the trio finished fifth in the team event in that category.
Carol Costello was the second Sli Cualann woman and she finished first in her age group. Not to be outdone, Jean O’Kennedy was the third woman home and won her age group.
Laura McCann came in next and she finished fourth in her age group.
Finally William Belton smashed his personal best time by nine minutes and was second in his age group of Over 65.
Also in athletics news, Bray RC member Ashling Smith picked up a team silver medal at the European Championships in Madrid at the end of March.
Smith took a fourth place in her age category at the European Masters Cross Country Championships (4,000 metres) while her teammate Jackie Carthy won gold. That duo, along with their third team member Catherine Diver, were just defeated in the team medal table by Spain.
Earlier in the month she finished fifth in her age group in the Indoor 3,000 metres at the European Masters Championships.
The runners of Wicklow aren’t hanging up their spikes anytime soon, this Saturday there is a charity race in aid of Temple Street in Avondale. The marathon starts at 8am while the shorter distance races start at 9am.
Later in the month the Wicklow Road Race Championships has a change of venue. It originally was in Ashford but has now changed to the Beehive.
Slí Cualann results at the Leinster Championships:
Clive Quinn 00:55:54 (PB), Alan Dalton 00:59:24, Joe Cawley 00:59:27, Alan Duffy 01:00:15, Ray Kenny 01:00:49 (PB), Shane O’Connell 01:03:59, Catherine O’Connor 01:05:23 (PB), Eugene Doherty 01:05:36, Billy Tyrell 01:06:17, Billy Porter 01:06:59, Carol Costello 01:14:32, Jean O’Kennedy 01:15:30, Marc Cole 01:16:02, Laura McCann 01:16:04, Mary Hayde 01:17:27, Bill Tyrrell 01:20:36, William Belton 01:21:51 (PB), Sharon Egan 01:31:54.