Tallaght annual 5k a great success

THE annual Tallaght 5K Road race that was held on St Patricks day was indeed a great success with over 600 competitors, including 13 overseas contestants, with10 from America.

The race was this year incorporated in the Tallaght St Patricks Day Festival, and was supported by the Tallaght St Patricks Day Festival Committee, Active South Dublin/SDCC, with the Irish Heart Foundation the nominated charity partner, followed a new route that started in the village opposite the premises of the main sponsor, Tallaght & District Credit Union and went through the college grounds twice, up Belgard Road and finished on the Tallaght A.C. track.

The overall winner of the race was the Clonliffe Harriers runner Ben Guiden who crossed the finish line in 15:09, with Eddie O’Connor (Brothers Pearse A.C.) finishing 2nd (15.13) and Thomas Fitzpatrick (Tallaght A.C.) in 3rd with a time of 15.39.

The first female to cross the line was Helena Butterly (Clonliffe Harriers A.C.) in a time of 16.54, with Orla Walsh (Crusaders A.C.) taking 2nd prize in 17.22, and Faye Dervan (DCH) 3rd prize with a time of 17.27.

Fergus Collins ( Blackrock A.C.) took the O/40 prize with a time of 16.39, while Rachel Murphy (Plant Based A.C.) won the FO/40 prize with a time of 17.59, Aidan Murphy ( DSD) and Janice Doyle the O/45 prizes with times of 16.13 and 20.36 respectively, Lea Fulcher (Plant Based A.C.) and Catherine Brogan (Portmarnock A.C.) the O/50 prizes with respective times of 16.01 and 19.42, Seamus Boylan (Brothers Pearse A.C.) and Lucy Darcy (Sportsworld A.C.) the O/55 prizes with times of 18.22 and 21.51 respectively, Dermot Woodgate and Fiona Byrne (the O/60 categories for Civil Service A.C. with times of 20.34 and 21.40 respectively, while Kevin O’Flynn and Una Reilly (Liffey Valley A.C.), won the O/70 categories with times of 23.45 and 26.41 respectively.

Damien Hutchinson, second from left (CEO Tallaght & District Credit Union) presented the prizes to the athletes

Owen Gibbons (Parnell’s A.C.) won the junior men’s category with a time of 16.59, and Cliodhna Murphy (DCH) won the junior women’s category in19.39.

Clonliffe Harriers A.C. competitors combined very well to win both the men’s and women’s team prizes.

The race also incorporated the Dublin Novice Road race Championships with Lee Duddy (Clonliffe Harriers taking the men’s title in a time of 15.46 ahead of Aidan Murphy (D.S.D. A.C.) 16.13 and Shane Heneghan (Dublin Front Runners) for 3rd with a time of 16.21, while Orla Walsh (Crusaders A.C) won the women’s title with a time of 17.22, with Rachel Murphy (Plant Based A.C.) in 2nd with a time of 17.59, and Bonnie May McFeat (DCH A.C.) taking the bronze medal with a time of 18.51.

Clonliffe Harriers won the men’s team title (42 points), DSD silver (55 points) and the Tallaght team combined well for the bronze team medals with a score of 67 points, and Liffey Valley (42 points) won the women’s team title, with Sportsworld taking silver (44 points) ahead of the bronze medal winners Clonliffe Harriers on 48 points.