FORDES DAYBREAK WINTER LEAGUE.
PHIL COFFEY IS WINNER OF THE SHORT ROUTE IN THE FORDES DAYBREAK WINTER LEAGUE.
After 11 weeks of keen competition, the overall winner for the Short Route in the Forde’s Daybreak Winter League was Phil Coffey on 986 points. Phil improved his time consistently over the 11 weeks and came with a late attack on the leader board to win by 10 points in the end. Phil is from Killrosanty and is an employee of one of the clubs yearly sponsors Flahavans of Kilmacthomas, so it was nice to have a spread of the short course league winners to mid county.Phil finished on 986 points just 10 points ahead of Paul McGrath who came with a late run over the final rounds but on this occasion came up short on taking the title a title which he has won in the past when he was the overall victor of the long course in 2015. Owen Power with 972 was 3rd and Owen was right up there throughout the final couple of league night improving his times on a weekly bases. 4th was Brickey Lady Kellie Sall965 points, Kelly was also a winner of this course in the past when she took the title in 2018. Our 5th overall on the short course was Stephanie Curran with a tally of 945 points, Stephanie came very close to being the first runner to win back to back titles as she on this league in 2022, this feat has never been achieved by anyone on the short course, but it was on the long course when in 2012 and 2013 Ardmore’s James O’Donnell achieved this. Congratulations to all who participated on the short course this year at the winter league we hope you keep up your fitness’s now over the next couple of months, why not join us for the upcoming Mason Financial Colligan league held over 5 weeks and starting on Wednesday March 29th. See ye on the bridge.
The top 10 were:
1 Phil Coffey 986
2 Paul Mc Grath 976
3 Owen Power 972
4 Kelly Shalloe 965
5 Stephanie Curran 945
6 Cliodhna Foley 895
7 Tomás Horgan 893
8 Aisling Hourigan 867
9 Gerry Cummins 847
10 Raymond Darcy 827
Division 2
1 Grainne Moore 858
2 Rachel Keating 820
3 Rosemary Curran 811
Division 3
1 Evelyn Beresford 751
2 Margaret Whelan 702
3 Angelina Chizhikova 699
Division 4
1 Darcey Toft 710
2 Tammy Hurney 684
3 Elizabeth Keating 675
Division 5
5 Julie Regan 588
4 Gillian Collins 583
1 Judit Mc Nally 578
Division 6
1 Michelle Mc Carthy 648
2 Kate Dwane 621
3 Kelly Dwane 614
Division 7
1 Anthony Fennell 520
2 Eileen O Brien 484
3 Rosie Moran 451
Division 8
1 Eoin Cunningham 512
2 Roger Ronayne 362
3 Aoife Fennell 339
Division 9.
1 Ruth Fennell 469
2 Tomas Murphy 219
3 Richie Fitzpatrick 214
SHORT COURSE FASTEST TIMES RECORDED.
The Fastest Male on the short course this year was Colm Barry with a time of 14.04 and our Fastest Female Grainne Moore was in a very fast 15.11.There were 17 runners that completed all 11 nights of the league which is a great achievement. We had a raffle of prizes for all who completed the 11 night’s and the winners here were Emma Dunne Mary Power Jerome Maher Tomas Horgan
FEW SHORT COURSE LEAGUE STATS.
A great total of 155 runners were signed up for the short course league. Highest number of finishers on the short route was in Week 1 when 125 ran on the night.while on the short route we averaged 88 finishers per night well up from an average of 76 finishers last year.
THANKS TO ALL WHO HELPED WITH THE LEAGUE.
The successful 28th annual Forde’s Daybreak winter league came to an end recently and once again from the outset it has to be said it was one of our most successful in recent years. As all of us involved know it’s a big commitment each and every Wednesday evening covering a total of 11 weeks in all kinds of weather, to be out helping the club in this way for the enjoyment of others, but of course without these people there would be no league as the 30 or so helpers and stewards take up their position at the same time each Wednesday evening making sure that us runners are safe while running the league. A special thanks this year a last must go to Gerry Cantwell who coordinated all the stewards for the duration of the league, Gerry did this most important job diligently each week making sure if someone was unable to come that there was another person organised to fill this slot, well done Gerry on a great job. We must also of course sincerely thank our sponsor Kevin and Forde of Forde’s Daybreak on the Youghal Road, a better sponsor there isn’t, many thanks Kevin. To another most important crew, those on registrations a big thanks for all your help. Breda Cantwell, Shirley Flynn, Ann Dunford , Declan O’Callaghan, Sharon Duggan, Ray Burke, Jim Fleming, Tom Leahy, who for many hours were on computer duty working out times and handicaps and league tables, starting times etc. Thanks to our chairman Tom Leahy for his work this year with the league also and Gerry Cantwell who looked after the league points tables. Our thanks go to Ann Dunford for her on-going work with posting results on the club web site each week. To Jamie Mills and John Mc Grath who looked after the cones each night and as always did a fine job and to the lads at the Sports Centre who were there every night and provided much needed help and support. For now pencil in the 1st Wednesday night in November for round 1 of the 29th year of the league, see you then.
NEXT LEAGUE IS THE POPULAR MARK MASON FINANCIAL SERVICES COLLIGAN LEAGUE.
The club’s next big local event is the 5 week Mark Mason’s Financial Services Colligan running league for beginners and regular runners and all are welcome once they are over 16 years of age. We would especially encourage newcomers to come along and join in this league in Colligan wood. For the complete beginner there is the option of doing two laps of the wood, beginning at the wooden bridge and finishing at the wooden bridge. This is 4km in distance or 2.5 miles so it might suit all those that ran the short route over the winter league plus this route is more or less completely on the flat. Another option is to take part in the 5-mile circuit; this is 3 and a half laps of the same flat circuit of the wood mentioned above. The final option is the 5 mile hill route which is one lap of the wood for starters and then up the first hill and down the hill and then across the road for the second hill and finishing in by the wood at the bridge. The entry fee for all runners is €2 each night. The overall winner of the league will receive the Veale family perpetual shield. The league will start on Wednesday March 29th and continue for five Wednesday evenings April 5th,12th,19th and 26th .Mass start each evening at 6.30 pm.
123.IE NATIONAL SENIOR INDOORS THIS WEEKEND.
GOLD FOR KATE VEALE-TOP 5 FOR LUCY HOLMES AND DOIREANN HICKEY.
At the 123.ie national senior indoor championships last weekend at Abbottstown arena Dublin the club had a small but effective team of 3 competing. Kate Veale proved once again why she is the country’s top Female race walker over many years now as she broke her indoor 3k personal best which was only a week old when she set a time of 12.49.18 at the Munster championships held in Nenagh the previous Sunday, 7 days later she bettered that time bring it down by a whopping 9 seconds to 12.40.04 to retain her senior indoor crown winning it now for the 6th year in succession and her 20th national senior title in total, this moved Kate to the 3rd fastest over this distance on the all-time Irish list behind Gillian O’Sullivan and Olive Loughnane.The club also had one of our young walkers in action in the race when Doireann Hickey walked very well to take 5th place in this senior event , this will be great experience for the young An Rinne walker for the coming years ahead as she progresses through. Lucy Holmes had her heats of the 800 meters on Saturday morning and she cruised through to the finals on Sunday when finishing 3rd in heat 1of 2 with a time of 2.14.86,in Sundays final Lucy ran superbly well as she mixed it with the top 800 meter senior women for the first time at indoors, Lucy fought bravely to take 5th in that final taking 4 seconds off her time from the semi-final the previous day when she ran a time of 2.10.66, this was anew personal best time for Lucy indpprs.Lucy had also reached the final of the 800 outdoors last summer, to reach any senior final at this level is a great achievement .Very well done to all three Ladies on their performances and wearing the club vest so well on the national stage.
PAT HENNESSEY WINS CARRIGALINE 5.
The Tommy Ryan memorial Carrigaline 5 mile road race was held last Sunday morning and there was success for West Waterford AC when Pat Hennesey came home a winner of the race posting a time of 25.42wirh Donal Coakley Leevale AC 2nd in 25.58 and John Meade East Cork AC 3rd in 26.37.The ladies winner was Lizzie Lee Leevale AC in a time of 27.43. A field of 327 finishers, also racing was club members Raivis Zakis who finished 7th in 27.42.
