Benbulben 5k honours go to pacy Morgan
SLIGO AC’s Michael Morgan was the leading finisher in the Benbulben 5k that took place in north Sligo on Sunday last.
Morgan, 21, who is on a sports scholarship at Providence College in the US, clocked 14:51 on a wet outand-back course that started near the Oxfield Sports Centre and finished at this venue.
Morgan ran for Ireland at last month’s SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Brussels.
At that meet he was placed 54th in the U-23 men’s category, running 25:39 for 7,000 metres, and was the fifth Irish athlete home in this race.
The race winner, who was afterwards presented with the Sligo Southern Hotel Cup, finished ahead of another Sligo AC runner, Matthew McMeekin, who was 46 seconds behind on 15:37.
Sligo town’s Francis Donoghue, a Summerhill College student who runs for South Sligo AC, was third on 15:55. The top five was completed by North Leitrim AC’s Lucas Lyons (an U-16 runner), who ran 16:02, and Brian Kinsella, Sligo AC, whose time was 16:35.
The first female finisher was Sligo AC’s Heather Foley, who was 18th overall with a time of 18:13. She won a trophy sponsored by the Sligo Southern Hotel.
Sarah Kelly, Sligo AC, was second female home (29th, 18:52). The third female finisher was Mari Johnston in 31st place – she was first in the Female 50 category. Johnston’s time was 18:56.
Philip Steels and his son, Darragh, took part. Both finished inside the 20-minute mark – Darragh was 17th (18:11) and Philip was placed 44th (19:52).
Last Sunday’s road race had a total entry of 179 – the largest field in what was the 10th year of this event. Each year the Benbulben 5k raises money for charity – proceeds from the 2023 edition are going to the Sligo Cancer Support Centre. RESULTS
BENBULBEN 5K ROAD RACE
Held on Sunday, December 31, in north Sligo.
TOP 50: 1, Michael Morgan SM 14:51; 2, Matthew McMeekin SM 15:37; 3, Francis Donoghue SM 15:55; 4, Lucas Lyons MU-16 16:02; 5,
Brian Kinsella SM 16:35; 6, Eamon McAndrew M40 16:45; 7, Donal
Egan M40 16:50; 8, Shane McGowan SM 17:15; 9, Peter Gallagher M40 17:38; 10, Niall Canning SM 17:43;
11, Keenan Deering SM 17:52; 12, Michael Casserly M40 17:55; 13, Sean Diamond SM 17:56; 14, Ronan Flynn SM 17:58; 15, Ciaran Clancy M40 18:00; 16, Michael Harte SM 18:03; 17,
Darragh Steels MU-16 18:11; 18, Heather Foley F40 18:13; 19, Paul Higgins SM
18:14; 20, Kevin Doyle SM 18:18; 21, Aaron Keaveney SM 18:19; 22, Ray McNamara
M40 18:21; 23, Derek Hunter M50 18:24;
24, Andrew Flynn SM 18:31; 25, Sean Ferguson MU-16 18:34; 26, Tadhg Foley SM 18:39; 27, Paul Devins M40 18:40; 28, Brian Lydon M40 18:49; 29, Sarah Kelly SF 18:52; 30, Sean Irwin M50 18:54; 31,
Mari Johnston F50 18:56; 32, Daniel Burke SM 19:00; 33, Greg Lyons MU-16 19:12;
34, Wojciech Terlecki M40 19:14; 35, Toby Carty M40 19:20; 36, Enda Gilmartin SM 19:22; 37, Eamonn Molloy M50 19:28; 38,
Bill Carty M50 19:32; 39, Caroline Coulter F40 19:38; 40, Sinead Fowley SF 19:39; 41, Fergal McGrath SM 19:40; 42, Sarah Healy SF 19:45; 43, Marty Cawley M40 19:51; 44, Philip Steels M40 19:52; 45, Aisling van Rensburg F40 20:05; 46, Thomas Keaveney SM 20:15; 47, Guy Wiggin M40 20:18; 48, Brian Mullen SM 20:25; 49, Valeria Petrova SF 20:28; 50, Paraic Rogan 20:31.