Berkeley’s brilliant win in Ballyhaunis 8k
Ballyhaunis 8k: Final Race 2011 Mayo AC C&C Cellular Road League Saturday 24th September
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Full Results here –> [Download not found]
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Ballyhaunis was blessed with welcome September sun on Saturday afternoon for the 4th Annual 8k and final race in 2011 Mayo AC C&C
Cellular Road League. Race organiser Martin Fitzmaurice and team put
on an excellent well marshaled event. T-shirts, goodie bags,
refreshments, music and an exhibition of Irish dancing added value to
a very enjoyable day.
Picture: Jerry Kiernan (Clonliffe Harriers) 3rd o50
Martin and team were well supported this year by Ballyhaunis native,
Frank Greally, editor ‘Irish Runner’. Frank had brought a national and
international flavour to his local terrain, inviting three former
Olympians to run as well as his old training partner Padraig Keane.
Jerry Kiernan, David Matthews and Noel Berkeley were on the start
line, but it was Berkeley who stole the show. Age 27, he ran in the
Olympics in Barcelona in 1992 in the 10,000 metres. A month ago he was
3rd in the Ballycotton 5 mile in 26.55. On Saturday morning the
seasoned athlete, motor-biked up from his Cork base. He ran from the
front from the start and had enough power at the finish on Doctor’s
Road, to just hold off a great run by Roger Barrett (Ballina AC).
Berkeley improved his Ballycotton time by a minute to win in 25.54.
Roger won second place in the league this year. Michael Canty (Ballina AC) continues to improve and was 3rd ahead of Timmy Glavey (Mayo AC) –
4th in a great time 26.52.
Picture: Mary Gleeson (Mayo AC) heading for finish and record
fourth League title
Mayo AC’s Mary Gleeson is having the best year of her running career.
She has been their top runner this year, underlined by personal best
times over a range of distances. Mary was the clear winner on
Saturday, running confidently and beating her previous personal best
by 5 seconds in 29.16. This was her sixth win of the eight 2011 Road
League races and her maximum 150 points won her a record-breaking fourth title in five years.
Colette Tuohy finished second in 30.49 and this gave her enough points (140) to take second place in Women’s League. Ann Lennon had fine run
for 3rd in 31.28. Kathy Connolly was 4th in race (32.23) and third
in League with 135 points. Presentation of all League prizes will take
place at Hollymount in November.
Frank Greally thanked all who had travelled to support his home town
race. He said it had been a long journey from being the local ‘Junior
Postman and Wire Boy’ to celebrating 30 years of “Irish Runner”. This
journey had been made more rewarding by the measure of friendships he
met along the road. He recalled again his old training partner Pat
Cribbin and also the late Michael Waldron ‘the Minister’. “It is very
important in the times we live in, that people of exceptional spirit
are remembered”, he said. “Today, more than ever running brings people
together and helps us all feel more connected”
First six Women l-r Siobhan Lennon 6th, Ann Lennon 3rd, Colette Tuohy 2nd, Mary Gleeson 1st, Chris Gallagher 5th, Kathy Connolly 4th.
Prize winners results summary:
Senior Men
1 Noel Berkeley (DSD) 25.54
2 Roger Barrett (Ballina AC) 25.56
3 Michael Canty (Ballina AC) 26.38
4 Tim Glavey (Mayo AC) 26.52
5 Phelim Kelly (Raheny Shamrock) 27.01
6 John Byrne (Mayo AC) 27.23
(Pictured below is winner Noel Berkeley (DSD) as he approaches the finish line.)
o40
1 Sean Gallagher (Ballina AC) 28.30
2 Martin Corcoran (Craughwell AC) 28.39
3 John O’Brien (GCH) 29.09
o50
1 Domo Moran (Dunshaughlin) 29.58
2 Billy Gallagher (Mayo AC) 30.25
3 Jerry Kiernan (Clonliffe Harriers) 31.10
o60
1 Jim Gaughan (Mayo AC) 33.33
2 Michael O’Connor (Farrranfore AC) 34.20
3 Michael Courell (Ballina AC) 38.09
o70
1 Jim Leonard (Drogheda) 50.27
2 Tom Waldron (Mayo AC) 52.44
3 Sean Dooner (South West Vets) 59.15
Junior u19
1 Patrick Moran (Dunshaughlin) 27.11
Senior Women –
1 Mary Gleeson (Mayo AC) 29.16
2 Colette Tuohy (Mayo AC) 30.49
3 Ann Lennon (Mayo AC) 31.28
4 Kathy Connolly (Mayo AC) 32.23
5 Chris Gallagher (Mayo AC) 34.14
6 Siobhan Lennon (Ennis Track) 34.34
040
1 Katie Concannon (Ballyhaunis) 45.29
2 Mary Henry (Ballyhaunis) 56.11
3 Breege Cribbin (Ballyhaunis) 66.00
o45
1 Ann Murray(Mayo AC) 34.58
2 Jackie Fleming (Charlestown) 36.17
3 Eileen Molloy (Corofin AC) 44.11
o50
1 Mary Naylor (Mayo AC) 38.40
2 Una McGrath (Mayo AC) 40.12
3 Mary Beirne (Bekan) 63.30
o55
1 Nuala Reilly (Drogheda & District AC) 36.56
2 Margaret Glavey (Aughamore) 39.10
3 Mary Keane (Fingallians AC) 48.10
Female u19
1 Natasha Neville (Ballina AC) 49.56
First local finishers: Tracy Cunnane 41.57, Paul Freeley 31.17
