DSD women win and Raheny men threepeat at road relays
DSD women win and Raheny men threepeat
DSD’s women and Raheny Shamrock’s men won pulsating races at the Irish Life Health national road relays in Raheny today (April 22). Full results HERE
The sun peered in and out throughout the day with gusty winds curtailing fast times but that didn’t stop some really great racing on the one lap circuit in North Dublin.
Rachel Gibson forged a lead for North Down in the senior women’s 4 mile relay (1-2-1 format) on the first leg with Jessica Craig putting them further ahead on the second leg. However, Meghan Ryan made a great turnaround for DSD on the last leg to bag them the gold in 21:34. Linda Byrne and Fiona Clinton made up the golden trio.
North Down had to settle for silver in 21:42 with Dublin City Harriers coming up for third in 22:28.
There was a see-saw battle in the senior men’s 8 mile relay (2-1-3-2) with Raheny Shamrock eventually holding out in 37:47 from DSD in 38:10 and Kilkenny City Harriers in 38:14.
Kieran Kelly and Eoin Strutt had put Raheny into a commanding lead but DSD’s Hiko Hoso Tonosa clawed back Mick Clohisey on the three mile leg to give John Eves the lead on the final leg.
He could do nothing to prevent a strong charge from Conor Dooney though who made it a hat-trick of wins for the Shamrocks with it being his second year in succession to anchor the team to another golden moment.
The Masters’ women were the first race of the day and Finn Valley dominated the 4 mile relay (1-2-1) running 22:40 with a brilliant 2 mile leg by Teresa Doherty splitting 10:48. She won gold alongside Catriona Devine and Marie Harper. Newbridge came in second in 23:33 and Crusaders were third in 23:40.
Raheny Shamrock were equally comprehensive wining the F50 in 24:25 with Annette Kealy having a brilliant 2 mile leg running 12:03 alongside Orla Gormley and Adrienne Atkins. Finn Valley scored silver in 26:35 with Drogheda & District third in 28:51.
The masters’ men were next and there was a thrilling finish in the M35 4 mile race where Tristan Druet struck gold for Donore Harriers holding off Letterkenny’s fast-finishing Ciaran Doherty and Rathfarnham’s Paul Fleming – no stranger to winning a sprint finish.
Donore Harriers took the gold in 19:32 with Druet backed up by Emmet O’Briain and Rossa Hurley with Letterkenny taking silver on the same time in 19:32 and Rathfarnham WSAF a second adrift on 19:33.
St Finbarr’s repeated last year with another impressive display in the M50 with the trio of Paul Duggan, Cathal O’Connell and Ken Devine combining to run 21:03 for the 4 mile relay. Raheny Shamrock were second in 22:31 with Drogheda & District third in 22:41.