Drogheda Independent

DDAC set Tullamore alight with classy show

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ALL roads led to Tullamore last Sunday for the Leinster Masters Track & Field Championsh­ips where Karl Carton led the way for Drogheda & District AC with three medals.

With the hard slog of winter training behind them, many of the athletes were hopeful of winning provincial gold, making all the sacrifices necessary worthwhile.

That optimism proved well founded, starting with the shortest event, the 100m, where local firefighte­r Carton scorched up the track to win his first title at this level. This was to be Carton’s day as he later won silver in his 200m and 400m races.

Fellow sprinter Frank Cruise did a double of sorts when taking silver in the 100m and 200m, and Roisin Coade ran well to win a silver medal in her 200m against some good opposition.

The 400m races were all tight affairs, with very little between the first three in each race.

Hugh O’Reilly and club coach Gerry O’Connor both finished second in their events and Andrea McCabe won silver in her 400m.

David Walsh forced the pace right from the gun in his 800m race, which is always a difficult distance to run, and he duly won gold in a fine time of 2:07. A few hours later Walsh ran 4:24 to take silver in the 1500m.

Brian Pentony also ran his usual strong race to finish second in his category in his 800m.

There was a real battle between Shane Larkin and Fintan Maher for the silver medal in their 1500m race, but Maher just edged it on the line when running 4:42 and Larkin took bronze in 4:44.

Ciara O’Reilly and Erin McHugh both had a good day at the office as they ran new PB times in the Ladies 1500m. McHugh took 20 seconds off her previous best time when winning silver in 5:00.64, and O’Reilly also ran well to get silver in a fine 5:21.

Lynn Browne was D&D’s only competitor in the field events and she won gold in her long jump.

Last Thursday saw round three of the club’s Summer Graded Series take place at the Lourdes Stadium, and with three different track races and a long jump competitio­n, there were a large number of visiting athletes taking part in multiple events.

The first event of the meeting was the 400m.

In the A race, young James Nolan - one of D&D’s most promising Juniors - ran a fabulous 54.62 when just holding off Kieran McGrath who finished second in 55.44. Brian Pentony ran 60.82 to finish sixth, with Orla O’Connor not far behind in seventh place in a fast 62.47.

In the B race, Harry Caffery was second in 60.07, with Paul Stuart third in 60.12.

The C race saw two of the club’s Juvenile girls in action and they didn’t disappoint as Abigail Tegart placed third in a fine 71.62 and Kate O’Reilly sixth in 79.30.

The 100m saw Andrew Kelly win the A race in 11.97sec. Charles Abako ran a useful 12.58 when winning the B race ahead of Ephan Donnelly who was second in 12.60. Timing officials were really up against it in the C race as identical twins Peter and Daniel Aylward finished first and second respective­ly in a photo finish!

The blue ribbon event of most track meetings is the 1500m and there was lots of local interest in the A race.

Sam O’Neill pushed hard and fast right from the gun as he chased a fast time and was rewarded with a second place finish in 4:15.59. Less than two seconds behind was James Nolan, running his second race that evening, and his time of 4:17.52 was good enough for third, with Cormac Canning fourth in a solid 4:23.03. Robert Caffery ran 4:27.59 for fifth place and Tadgh Donnelly was seventh in 4:37.05.

Orla O’Connor had a fine run when finishing 12th in her 1500m in a fast 5:12.22, with Paddy Murphy one second behind in 5:13.

Earlier in the week, a large number of D&D’s road racing group were in action at the Star of the Sea 5k which was held in Stamullen.

Conditions on the night were perfect for fast times and D&D’s men’s team of Brian Martin (6th) Shane Larkin (7th) and Ruaidhri Nolan (14th) packed well to win the team event, while the ladies team of Mary Leech, Yasmin Canning and Linda Cruise combined well to place second in their event.

Category prize winners were Mary Leech (2nd overall), Shane Larkin (1st in category) and Giancarlo Orlandi (2nd in category), while Yasmin Canning also picked up a first-in-category prize.

John Reilly ran a new PB time of 18:11 when finishing 22nd overall, Fran Egan ran a fine 19:17 and Martin Russell was delighted with his 20:16 run.

Also on Tuesday evening, in Dunboyne at the BHAA Government Services 5 Mile Road Race, Kevin Clancy ran well to finish 47th overall in 29:09. Gerry Mullins ran 35:38, with Eimear Knowles next in 38:58 and Ron Knowles close behind in 38:59.

The Balbriggan Summerfest 5k, which was held last Thursday, tempted six D&D members, and among them was Stephen Duggan who made a welcome return to racing to finish sixth in 17:55. Training partner John Hough was 10th in 18:55 and John Cooper 15th in 19:33. Sharon Finn, the club’s sole female runner, clocked 34:21.

Saturday’s Oldbridge Parkrun saw three members record new PBs. Declan McMahon ran 22:05 to finish 19th overall, Barbara O’Donnell was 58th in 26:42 and Margo Brady clocked 26:53.

And at the Balbriggan Parkrun, Stephen Kelly raced round the hilly slopes of Ardgillan Estate to set a new course record of 16:52.

Hugh Callan was in action at the AAI Open Games in Santry Stadium. Running in the 400m, Callan finished fourth in an excellent time of 54.58.

Marathon Man Artur Kuwik delivered the goods when it mattered when running a fine 3hr 11min for last Sunday’s Cork City Marathon.

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 ?? Pictures: Paul Reilly ?? Andrea McCabe (333), Roisin Coade and Lynn Browne (331) with their medals at the Leinster Masters Track & Field Championsh­ips.
Pictures: Paul Reilly Andrea McCabe (333), Roisin Coade and Lynn Browne (331) with their medals at the Leinster Masters Track & Field Championsh­ips.
 ??  ?? Karl Carton won gold and two silver medals at the Leinster Track & Field Championsh­ips.
Karl Carton won gold and two silver medals at the Leinster Track & Field Championsh­ips.

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