Locals perform well in national marathon
Athletics
Girls under 16 Maeve Keane, Laura Langton, Meghan O'Keeffe, Orla McPhillips.
Running conditions were excellent as somewhere in excess of eleven thousand runners set off on the twenty-six mile plus that is the Dublin City Marathon. Local interest was strong as a considerable contingent of men and women from Kilkenny endeavoured to reach various targets. Most had been training several times each week for the last six months, building up stamina and strength for the big day. Completing the course, irrespective of time taken, would be the aim of many. Athletics’ leaders with Kilkenny Fit4Life Club, Irene Henebry and Teresa Daly, had excellent times of 3.43.47 and 3.53.44 respectively. They can take pride in the performances of their five club members who also completed the run : Bregeen Murphy and Deirdre Scott, both under 3 hours 50 minutes and Jacinta Horan, Ann Brett and Marie Poyntz just outside the four hours. All these ladies, now members of Kilkenny City Harriers were joined on the run by Sinead Foley, a Harrier with marathon experience on a number of continents. Sinead’s time was 3.49.06.
The top two performers for the men from Kilkenny were, for the second successive year, Tommy Evans, Gowran and Paul Cody, Kilkenny City Harriers. Both had improved times on last year’s performance. The former finished in 2.33.56, the latter in 2.46.09. Two, first time marathon runners with KCH, Stevie Dermody completed the run in 3.55.43 and Niall Lacey came in with a top quality run in 2.51.49. Other good runs were recorded by Mike Hyland and Johann Dewberry, KCH, Fergal Foley and Val Gunner, Gowran, and Henry Langton, St Joseph’s.
Next Stop, Ballinakill
Sunday next, November 9, members of club and county teams make the short trip to Ballinakill, Co Laois for the Leinster uneven ages cross-country championships. The vast majority of those who ran in Wicklow last week will be in action again. This time it is the turn of the under 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19 squads with the under 11 girls taking the gun at twelve noon. All athletes should report to team managers at least one hour before the off so as to have an adequate warm-up and course familiarisation. The juvenile races will be followed by the intermediate women and men.