However, the record in the women's race did go as pre-race favourite Lidia Vassilevskaia clocked 2 hours 32 minutes 56 seconds to take the honours. This was almost a minute and a half off the course record set in 1999 by Esther Kiplagat. Kenyan Anne Jelagat Kibor took second with Grazyna Syrek of Poland claiming third. Ann Lennon from Mayo was first woman cross the line in ninth place overall.
In the chase for the 1500 euro check for first Irish finisher in the men's race
Gary Crossan led home an Ulster 1-2-3. The Letterkenny man produced the run of his life to finish tenth overall and but for a hamstring strain that reduced him to walking the last 200m the Letterkenny man would have broken 2 minutes 20 seconds for the first time. As it was the national marathon champion from this year's Belfast Marathon hobbled across the line in an excellent 2 hours 20 minutes 16 seconds, slicing over four minutes off his previous best.
Crossan was in the thick the action from the gun and was in a bunch of about twenty that had detached itself from the main field of 8,000 starters by the five-mile mark in 25 minutes 57 seconds. He was still clinging to the leading dozen at ten miles reached in 53-28 seconds but lost contact approaching the halfway mark.
At this stage, it looked as though Crossan would fade back out of contention but he rallied between 19 and 21 miles and passed two Kenyan's in the Phoenix Park. However, Dublin's concrete roads took their toll on his legs over the last few miles meaning he had to ease up and miss the once magical 2-20 mark.
Another Donegal man Pauric McKinney was second Irish across the line in 12th place, clocking 2-26.41. One place and five seconds behind, the consistent David Brady of North Belfast Harriers completed the northern domination.
Scot Kenny Herriot was the winner of the wheelchair competition in 1 hour 52 minutes 48 seconds.
