Abroad it was good weather but club sport at home saw thunderstorm breaks. You can guess which event Lindie Naughton was at to take pictures and brings us a full report for the whole weekend. 

As widely expected, Ireland comfortably won promotion from the European Athletics Team Championships third division held in Chorzów, Poland over three days from Tuesday (June 20). The largely developmental Irish squad made the top three in most events.

Winners for Ireland included Louise Shanahan of Leevale AC in the 800m with a time of 2:03.39, and Sophie O’Sullivan of Ballinamore Cobh AC who clocked a time of 4:27.96 when winning the women’s 1500m. Ireland and Austria were competing in division 3 because both nations missed the previous year’s division 2 competition. Both have now made a swift return to that division.

Despite a half hour break for a thunderstorm, tech failures on the start line and a packed to capacity schedule, the preliminary round of the All Ireland Track and Field League managed to complete its programme at Santry on Sunday (June 25).

Competing were about 17 teams from athletics clubs and a further six (or seven) from counties. At stake for all were qualification points for the league final on August 13, with many athletes lining out in more than one events. In the past, qualification took place over two days.

Highlight of the track programme was a thrilling win in the men’s club 1500m for John Travers of Donore Harriers in 3:52.97. Second was Cathal O’Reilly of Kilkenny City Harriers in 3:53.19 while third was Cillian Kirwan of Raheny Shamrock AC in 3:54.16.

Women’s 1500m at AI T-F League preliminary round in Santry – eventual winner Amy O’Donoghue (DSD AC) – No 60.

Fastest in the women’s 1500m was Amy O’Donoghue of Dundrum South Dublin in 4:33.70. Winning the men’s 5000m was Stephen Cashin of Clonliffe Harriers in 14:55.00 followed by Dylan Casey of Ennis TC in 15:01.52 and Éanna O Brádaigh of Dundrum South Dublin AC in 15:34.98. Fastest in the women’s 3000m was masters athlete Denise Toner who was running for the Monaghan county team and clocked 9:55.44.

Louis O’Loughlin (Donore Harriers) winner 800m at Dublin Graded League at Sentry’s newly re-opened track.

Winning the Dublin 5000m championships held in conjunction with the fifth Dublin Graded Meet in Santry on Wednesday (June 21) was Ieuan Hopkins of Brothers Pearse AC in 15:02.12. Éanna O Brádaigh of DSD AC was second in 15:36.86 and Dylan Wright of Lucan Harries third in 15:41.81. Winning the B 5000m in 15:53. 47 was Eamonn Morrissey of Dundrum AC in Tipperary.

At the BMC Meet in Bracknell, also on Wednesday, Georgie Hartigan of Dundrum South Dublin AC finished third in the women’s 800m with a time of 2:06.54.

Tudor Moldovan Waterford Viking Half.

Road running ever present in the calendar

For a second year, Tudor Mircea Moldovan of Clonliffe Harriers was the winner of the Waterford Viking Marathon on Sunday (June 25). Moldovan finished in 2 hrs 30 mins 55 secs. It was his third marathon win of the year. Finishing second in 2:33.33 was former Irish marathon champion Sean Hehir now with the Croghan club in Co Wexford. First woman was Linda Grogan from Dundrum AC in Co Tipperary in 3:04.27.

Winning the half marathon in 68:42 was Moldovan’s Clonliffe team mate Sergiu Ciobanu, like Hehir a former Irish marathon champion. Sally Forristal of St Joseph’s AC was first woman in 82:46.

Craig O’Brien of Ferrybank AC in 35 mins 3 secs and Kate Veale of West Waterford AC in 40:49 were the winners of the quarter-marathon.

Declan Toal of North East Runners, now running in the over 50 class, was a clear winner of the Paddy Cheshire 5km in Dundalk, Co Louth in 16 mins 9 secs on Saturday (June 24), Second in 16.30 was his NER clubmate David Redmond. Fourth and first woman was Laura Mooney of Tullamore Harriers in 17:23.

Andrew Nevin won the Derravaragh 5-Mile in Multyfarnham, Co Westmeath, on Saturday (June 24) in 27 mins 28 secs. Sinead Whitelaw also Mullingar Harriers, was fourth and first woman in 30:57.

Paul Stephenson of Rathfarnham WSAF AC in 32 mins 9 secs and Grace Richardson of Kilkenny City Harriers were the winners of the Clonee 10km in Co Meath on Thursday (June 22).

Second in the race was Andrea Rodina of Crusaders AC in 32.28. Rathfarnham finished second behind host club Dunboyne AC in the men’s team competition, with Crusaders third. Best of the women’s teams was Raheny Shamrock, led by Zoe Quinn in second place, with Crusaders second and Dunboyne third.

Close victories for Somba and Ryan

Peter Somba of Dunboyne AC, who is currently based in Co Tipperary, was the winner of the Dave Fogarty 4-Mile in Thurles, also on Thursday. In a cracking race, Somba won in 19mins 45 secs beating Evan Fitzgerald of Clonmel AC by just two seconds. Third in 20:27 was Mossy Bracken of Moycarkey Coolcroo AC.

In the women’s race, Dymphna Ryan of Dundrum AC was the winner in 23:50 and Sharon Cleere of Thurles Crokes AC a close second in 23:54.

On a good evening for Annadale Striders, Owen Carleton was the winner of the Lisburn Half Marathon on Wednesday evening (June 21). His time of 72:17 put him comfortably clear of the chasers. First woman was Natasha Adams of Letterkenny AC in 80:28. In the 10km, Brandon McKeown, also Annadale Striders, was home first in 32:49, with his clubmate Eskander Turki was second in 32:58.

Gareth Lyons of North Belfast Harriers finished a close third in 33.00. First woman was Emma Mitchell of Clonliffe Harriers in 36:06. Anna Gardiner of East Down AC was second in 37:12 and Elisoa Crawford of North Belfast Harriers third in 38:20.

Also on Wednesday, Darragh Green of Dunleer AC in 14 mins 23 secs and Brianna Gregg of Newry AC in 17:42 were the winners at the The Long Woman’s 5km, in Omeath, Co Louth.

School track

Noah Harris of ETSS Wicklow broke away to win the boy’s 3000m at the Tailteann Games held in Carlow on Saturday (June 24). Harris finished in 8 mins 53.94 secs, with Francis Donoghue of Summerhill College Sligo second in 8:55.23 and Frank Buchanan of St Michael’s Enniskillen third in 9:05.34.

Winning the girls’ 3000m in 10:10.65 was Annabel Morrison of Enniskillen Royal GS.

Over 1500m, the winners were Conor Sherwin of Coláiste Mhuire Mullingar in 4:07.83 and Emily Bolton of Mount Sackville Chapelizod in 4:48.83. Matei Ursachi of St Paul’s Raheny won the boys 1500m steeplechase in 4:33.73 with Caoimhe Flannery of Skibbereen CS taking the girls title in 5:12.20.

All winners at the Tailteann Games, which recalls an ancient Celtic games of the same name, received a specially minted medal which is much prized.

Ultra-marathon

Over in Italy at the prestigious Lavaredo Ultra Trail in the Dolomites, it was Emma Stuart who was impressing once again. The winner of the Ultra Trail Snowdonia in Wales earlier this year was third at the 120km race with 5,800m of up and down. In 15:54:36 Stuart was just ahead of Great Britain’s Sophie Grant, who was also an excellent fourth in the international competition.