Irishtown 8k and weekend results

Sean Murphy o40 winner, with Norah Newcombe first woman home

It’s been a busy time on the racing front with the end of the 5k series on Tuesday last and a number of events taking place over the week-end on the provincial calendar. The big local race was the Padraig Cullina Memorial Irishtown 8k –  third in 2015 Mayo AC Move2Improve Series – which took place on Sunday morning.  The one lap course is undulating with a tough uphill final 2k to the finish outside Community Centre HQ. Conditions were good with a fresh and often gusty breeze which made it difficult for the runners and walkers. It was good to see lots of club singlets worn in memory of our late Secretary and Irishtown native Padraic Cullina. Matt Bidwell had an easy victory and it was nice training session for the GCH athlete, who won in 27:29. TJ McHugh had strong run for second place in 29:06, and the fast improving Ray McNamara came home third 29:52. Ray has run some great times recently including a 10k pb at Dunshaughlin last week in 37:11. Mayo AC’s current top three runners Norah Newcombe, Colette Tuohy, and Mary Gleeson finished in that order in the women’s race completing a busy and successful week for all three. Colette ran her fourth race in a week – all with top three finishes. Sean Murphy and Kathy Gleeson have also been in podium places recently and they won the o40 prizes. The main prizes were sponsored by local firms and were presented by Marie Cullina. John Timothy thanked the local sponsors for their support. Eileen Cummins thanked all of the participants for their fundraising support for Irishtown Playschool. The event was well organised again by the local Irishtown community and a fine spread of refreshments were enjoyed by all in the Community Centre.

Prizewinners were:
Men 1 Matt Bidwell (GCH) 27:29, 2 TJ McHugh (Tri Lakes TC) 29:06, 3 Ray McNamara (Ballina AC)  29:52.
o40 1 Sean Murphy (Mayo AC) 30:24, 2 James Malone 33:10. o50 1 Liam McDonnell (Marathon Club)  35:23 2 Gabriel Gannon 35:50,
Women 1 Norah Newcombe 30:14 2 Colette Tuohy 30:58, 3 Mary Gleeson 31:13 – all Mayo AC.
o40 1 Kathy Gleeson (Claremorris) 31:31 2 Anne Ronayne 38:25,  o50 1 Ann Murray (Mayo AC) 36:05 2 Una McGrath 44:03 .

U19 Junior men 1 Jack Melvin 35:32, Junior women 1 Katie Melvin 41:35
More photos from Irishtown will be on our facebook pages.

Thanks to Trisha Carty, Catherine Conway for organising the 8k results here:
Irishtown

Mary Gleeson – third in Irishtown 8k

On Sat 27th the third Annual Lake O’Flynn 10k and 5k took place at Ballinlough. A gusty breeze hampered many runners, especially on the open spaces around the lake during the second half of the 10k. All of the Mayo AC runners came home with prizes. John Byrne took it steady and ran it as a tempo run, winning the 10k in 34:45. The women’s 10k winner for the second year was Michelle McGee (DSD), ten seconds outside her 2014 time in 36:37. Norah Newcombe finished second 38:03 and Colette Tuohy was third again this year in 39:55. Our other winners were Hugh Duffy and Margaret Glavey, both finishing first in their age categories.

Men 1 John Byrne (Mayo AC) 34:45,

Women 1 Michelle McGee (DSD) 36:37, 2 Norah Newcombe (Mayo AC) 38:03, 3 Colette Tuohy (Mayo AC) 39:55
other Mayo AC: Hugh Duffy 1st o50,.Margaret Glavey 1st o60.

Well done to Thomas Jennings (Mayo AC) who travelled to the south-east on Saturday and ran the Waterford Viking Marathon in an excellent 3:25.58 – eight minutes faster than his finish time in a very wet Cork Marathon four weeks ago. He was 54th overall and 6th in his o50 category.

And well done to Declan Owens who won a silver medal in 100 metres at the recent Connacht AAI Senior Track and Field Championships in Claremorris.