Athletic Wexford Novice Road Race

Ferns 13/03/2012

 

Ladies 2 miles, Mens 4 miles

 

It was a dry but cold day in Ferns today for the Co. Novice as a large turn out of 50 runners toe the line with plenty of new faces. Some new faces for Slaney were Paul Brown, Denis Ó Brien and Niall Ó Connor all running their first Co. Championship. The Ladies were first off at 2 o clock on a 2 mile course, starting on the hill outside the church with a lap around the village and out to The Stump Lane and running back in to Ferns by the main road. A small group of three took out the pace with Beth Cardiff (Kilmore), Martina Conran (Slaney Olympic ac) and Niamh Ó Brien (Menapians). When they hit the main road Cardiff took off and left no doubt that she was here to win and that’s what she did in a time of 12:57. The young Kilmore girl had more to offer but didn’t need it on the day. The big race came for second and third with Niamh making a break with a half mile to go, opening up a gap of 10 seconds, but Martina pushed hard in the last 200 meters to just miss out by a few seconds. The other Slaney Olympian was Mag Dunphy who had her own little race going on. With a mile to go she left two of her group behind and in the last 200 she kicked for home leaving two more behind to take 7th place. Martina taking 3rd in 13:58 and Mag 7th in 14:50.

 

The men’s race was on the Mick Murphy memorial course so one lap around the village and Slaney’s Niall O’ Connor led the field out to Stump Lane taking the race by the scruff, by which time the field was well spread out. On the Stump Lane Niall was joined by Jason Kehoe St. Killians, with David Leonard S.B.R in close attendence. Fergus Murphy was showing strong and working hard. As they hit the main road Kehoe had opened up a 10 metre gap. Leonard had passed Niall who had tired but would not let go and worked hard hoping to show a strong finish. But it was not to be as he got a stitch and had to let Leonard go. Hoping to hold on to 3rd place, at the front Jason Kehoe had extended his lead and won well. Niall was joined by Jim O’ Malley S.B.R and Paul McLoughlin D.M.P as they turned off the main road. With 400 meters to go Niall held on as the pace increased and closed down on Leonard but Leonard took 2nd with Paul McLoughlin taking 3rd. Jim O’ Malley came 4th with 8 seconds between 2nd and Niall’s 5th. It was hard luck on Slaney’s Niall who had done all the work in the first half of the race not to come away with a place medal but he has learned and will be one to watch in the cross country novices, as will Fergus who had a good run and goes better on the land. 
Slaney took 1st team with Niall, Fergus, Billy and Malo

and 3rd team with Mick Nolan, Pat Hyland, Denis Ó Brein and Brendan Dillon

also on the Slaney team was Paul Brown and Lar Doyle  

 

Full results

 

Ladies (2 miles):
1. Beth Cardiff (Kilmore AC) 12-57
2. Niamh O’ Brien (Menapians) 13-51
3. Martina Conran (Slaney Olympic) 13-58
4. Tracey Flanagan (United Striders) 14-06
5. Yvette Shovlin (St Killians) 14-11
6. Helen Kearney (St Killians) 14-17
7. Mag Dunphy (Slaney Olympic) 14-50
8. Ann Bolger (SBR) 14-51
9. Lorna Murphy (St Killians) 15-29
10. Nora Boggan (Menapians) 15-40
11. Claire Gibbons (SBR) 15-44
12. Laura Halpin (St Killians) 16-18
13. Barbara Shortall (Menapians) 16-41
14. Siobhan Doyle (Menapians) 17-23

Teams (3 to score):
1. St Killians
2. Menapians

Mens (4 miles):
1. Jason Kehoe (St Killians) 23-17
2. David Leonard (SBR) 23-40
3. Paul McLoughlin (DMP) 23-43
4. Jim O’ Malley (SBR) 23-44
5. Niall O’ Connor (Slaney Olympic) 23-48
6. Eugene Doherty (SBR) 24-01
7. Fergus Murphy (SO) 24-35
8. Brendan Radford (DMP) 24-48
9. Declan Kelly (Menapians) 24-59
10. Fredric Bourdin (Menapians) 25-02
11. Billy Reck (SO) 25-04
12. Malo Roban (SO) 25-06
13. Mick Nolan (SO) 25-17
14. Pat Hyland (SO) 25-26
15. David Kirwan (United Striders) 25-33
16. Paddy O’ Leary (US) 25-34
17. Jaro Sumec (St Pauls) 25-34
18. Denis O’ Brien (SO) 25-54
19. Brendan Dillon (SO) 26-04
20. Conor Shovlin (St Killians) 26-04
21. Chris Kennedy (SO) 26-04
22. Dermot Foley (Menapians) 26-07
23. Brendan Kirwan (US) 26-10
24. Emmett Malone (US) 26-18
25. Paul Fallon (Kilmore AC) 26-56
26. Clom Stafford (US) 27-05
27. Adrian Stafford (Kilmore) 27-32
28. Paul Browne (SO) 27-55
29. Stephen Coleman (St Killians) 28-35
30. Eoin Ryan (DMP) 28-58
31. David O’ Neill (St Pauls) 28-49
32. Stephen Whelan (Kilmore) 28-57
33. Lar Doyle (SO) 31-52
34. Dermot McGuinness (DMP) 33-04
35. Tom Kearney (SBR) 33-24
36. Paul Connick (St Pauls) 33-53

Teams (4 to score):
1. Slaney Olympic
2. SBR
3. Slaney Olympic ”B”
4. DMP
5. United Striders