ATHLETICS: A large number of Letterkenny Athletic Club members turned out last Thursday night to run in the Shaun Graham Memorial 3K. The race, which seeks to keep Shaun’s memory alive, was won by Danny Mooney in 9.11. Pauric Breslin was third in 9.53.
There were also good performances from several runners who came home in sub 11 minutes – Raymond Birch, Eoin Hughes, Rayan Maguella, first woman Natasha Adams, Gwyn Yemm and second woman, Fionnuala Diver.
Mark Diver and Colly O’Donnell both clocked sub 12 minutes, as did Barry Mackey, who is currently training for the Dublin Marathon.
Sub 13 minute times were achieved by Seamus Gallagher and Paul Sweeney. Richard Raymond, Ben Dunleavey who made a welcome return to the racing scene, Deirdre Diver, Anna Boyle and Sharon Black all finished in sub 14 minutes.
There were also fine runs from Niamh McDaid, Rory and Gerard Callaghan, Shauna McGeehan and CJ McGinley, who is also making a return to racing.
Peter McLean ran his 26th Letterkenny parkrun on Saturday. He clocked 28.12 for the 5K distance.
Trialougha in Northern Fanad was the picturesque setting for Sunday’s Donegal Novice cross country championship. It was a highly successful day for Letterkenny AC, with magnificent individual and team performances. The fine October weather meant that, for the second consecutive week, overhead and underfoot conditions were ideal.
Noeleen Scanlon was in superb form as she transferred the excellent road form she showed on the road all summer to cross country. She emerged as a convincing winner in the women’s championship.
Noeleen finished the 3K course in 11.53 which was 28 seconds clear of her closest challenger, Finn Valley’s Natasha Kelly.
She received very good back up from Siobhan Gallagher, Fionnuala Larkin and Marian Kerr. This quartet of LAC women combined to take the second team prize. The four counters also had assistance from Rachel Crossan, who had a strong run.
The men’s novice race had one of the most exciting finishes ever witnessed in Donegal cross country. In a unbelievably tight finish, two in-form LAC men, Pauric Breslin and Anthony Doherty, finished together in 21.18, with Pauric being given 1st place.
The two men combined with 11th placed Daniel Hannigan and Liam Doherty, 12th, to take the team prize for LAC by a margin of seven points from Finn Valley AC. This is Liam’s first cross country season for the club and he showed he will be a real asset in the season ahead.
The four counters were given good support from club mates Martin Dooley, Martin Devenney, Paul Cosgrove, Denis Shields, Michael Galvin, Gwyn Yemm, Seanog Foody, Ben George, John Hughes and Liam Tinney.
Letterkenny Athletic Club will be organising the ‘Michael Murphy Sports and Leisure’ New Mills 10K on Sunday October 23rd. Hardworking race director, Brendan McDaid, has organised an extensive prize list and the loop is conducive to fast times. Registration will be at Aura Leisure Centre from 10.00am. The 10K start time is 11. 30am.
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