Geraldine Hendricken Wins 5k Road Race
Martin McCarthy First Home at St Finbarrs Half

A pair of Irishwomen and Providence College graduates took the top two spots in the Ro-Jack's Run 5 Mile road race held in Attleboro Massachusetts on Sunday, 29th September. Geraldine Hendricken (St Laurence O'Toole AC) easily won the race in 26.02 (5.12 mile pace) with Marie McMahon Davenport (Marion AC) placing second in 26.34. Another recent Providence runner, Stephanie O'Reilly from Wicklow was 15th in 29.05.

In an effort to keep bounce in his legs and a bit of spending money in his pocket, Leevale's Mark Carroll ran a respectable 22.42 for 4th place with fellow Providence Alums, Keith Kelly (Boyne AC) in 5th place (23.24)and Paul Reilly (Loughrea) in 7th in a time of 23.43

Marie McMahon Davenport
photo by Alison Wade
New York Road Runners

Marie McMahon Davenport

Conor O'Driscoll, 41, won the Masters (V40) age group 4:28at the Pontiac Fifth Avenue Mile held in New York on Saturday, 28th September in 4.28.

Paula Radcliffe (Great Britain) set a European and National 10k road best winning the Run London 10-kilometre race in 30.38 on Sunday, 22nd September in London. Sonia O'Sullivan placed third in the event in 33.47 after a 90-minute warm-up run.

Cian McLoughlin (Clonliffe Harriers) ran 1.08.14 to place 12th in the Turin Half-Marathon held in Torino, Italy on 22nd September.

Marie McMahon Davenport (Marion AC) who had an excellent 2002-year placed 5th (16.04) at the CVS Pharmacy Downtown 5k held in Providence, Rhode Island on 15th September. It was refreshing to see Breeda Dennehy Willis (Bandon AC) back in action after a series of niggling injuries. She placed 13th in 16.38. Stephanie O'Reilly (Wicklow) placed 17th in 17.49.

On the men's side, Corkman Mark Carroll ran 14.21 to place 12th and Loughrea's Paul Reilly placed 19th in 14.34. While the time is certainly sub par for the Leevale Olympian, Carroll is no-doubt heavy legged as he prepares for his first marathon in New York in early November. Loughrea's Paul Reilly placed 19th in 14.34.

Breeda Dennehy Willis
photo by Alison Wade
New York Road Runners

Breeda Dennehy Willis

Pauline Curley's excellent form continued in the Tinryland (Carlow) 4-mile road race on Sunday, 22nd September. Ann Keenan Buckley (North Laois A.C.) led the women through the first mile in a fast 4:56 with Pauline just one second off the pace. At the two-mile mark it was Pauline to the fore, a lead she held to the tape. Pauline ran an excellent 21:53, almost a minute faster than her run last year, missing the course record by just four seconds. Ann Keenan Buckley took second place in 22:11 with Annette Kealy (Rathfarnham) third in 22:56. The men's race saw Noel Berkeley (DSD) take the honours in 19:08 with Gerry Ryan from Galway second in 19:50 while Mullingar's David Burke finished third in 19:56.

Leevale's Martin McCarthy lost no time going to the head of the field in the annual Avia St. Finbarrs half-marathon. A new course was used this year, starting and finishing in Blarney. A downpour around the halfway mark spoiled the day for spectators especially. Austrian Peter Wundsam who was in Ireland for the wedding of Una English joined McCarthy in the lead. He has competed for Austria in world and European cross-country championships and hopes to do so again. The two leaders ran side by side for seven miles before McCarthy took off, quickly opening a big gap on the Austrian, and winning in a time of 67:34. Wundsam was second in 68:12; John Griffin third in 70:21; Robert Purcell fourth in 71:10; and David Kelly fifth in 73:18. McCarthy intends competing in the European and World cross-country championships before deciding on whether or not to run the London marathon. Thanks to Der O'Donovan for this report.

Martin McCarthy # 062
photo by Der O'Donovan
Leevale AC

Martin McCarthy #062

 

Irish Runner Home