Tipperary and Kerry athletes first past the post in Coillte 10k

On Wednesday of last week a record entry of 361 athletes signed up for the 39th annual Coillte 10k road race in Dundrum.

On a good evening for running the sun came out, and despite the light wind we were treated to a great evening of racing.

The starter Liam O’Dwyer, who has been with the host club Dundrum since 1965, blew the whistle to set them on their way.
Pre-race favourite, Irish international athlete William Maunsell, Clonmel, coming off the back of super runs in the recent London Marathon and Cork Half Marathon, quickly set the pace.

He was followed by a group of athletes with origins from four different countries. They were Mossy Bracken Moycarkey Coolcroo, Jake O’Regan St John’s, Declan Moore and John Kinsella Bilboa, Kenyan athlete Peter Brandon Zomba running in the colours of Ratoath, Dutch native Chris Jeuken running for Derg AC and Joshua Burgess from Lewes AC in the south of England.

Back into the village after one lap of the two-lap course and William was burning up the road well clear in front, with all the above-mentioned athletes still grouped together and working off each other.

In the women’s race young Irish international athlete Niamh O’Mahony from the An Riocht club in Kerry was running a great race out in front, followed by local club athlete Dymphna Ryan.

William maintained the tempo all around the second lap to come home a magnificent winner in a super time of 30:14 minutes and add a new name to the 39-year winner’s list. He also added a new name to the Tim Crowe Trophy, presented to him by its founder Dominic Moore, for the first Tipperary athlete to finish.

The battle for the next positions was relentless all the way to the finish line. Inside the last kilometre and there was nothing between any of them.

Peter was the first to make the break for the line ,with Joshua coming like a train after him. The Kenyan got the nod from the English man by one second for second and third places in great times of 30:56 and 30:57 respectively. Joshua dipped under 31 minutes for the first time, making his trip to Tipp all the sweeter.

Mossy had a super run to hold off Jake by two seconds for fourth and fifth in great times of 31:00 and 31:02 respectively.

Mossy also set a PB for the classic distance. John and former winner Declan finished sixth and seventh. The two lads from neighbouring club Bilboa were just outside the top five senior prizes but still again with great PB times of 31:03 and 31:11 respectively.

John had the consolation of winning the over forty men’s category. This was super running by all these athletes, as the number of Personal Bests confirm a battle that had the spectators on their toes as the race to the finish line unfolded.

The women’s race was dominated by Niamh O’Mahony all through the second lap and the US-based scholarship athlete came home a very impressive winner in a very good time of 34:46 to add a new name to the 39-year winner’s list.

Dymphna Ryan also continued to run well out on the second lap and the local club athlete was a clear second in a good time of 35:53 - great running by the two girls.

Linda Grogan, Dundrum also kept the local club colours flying to finish third in 40 minutes flat, followed closely in fourth and fifth positions by Pamela Kirby Bilboa 40:19 and Michelle Ryan Templemore 40:28.

Above: The first five women finishers in the Coillte 10k in Dundrum. Included are Niamh O’Mahony, Dymphna Ryan, Linda Grogan, Pamela Kirby and Michelle Ryan  

The master’s prizes as always were keenly contested across most of the categories. In the men, as already mentioned, John Kinsella Bilboa was first over 40 in 31:03 from Dermot O’Gorman Carrick-on-Suir in 32:58.

Declan Ryan Thurles Crokes 36:27 took first place over 45 from Kevin Johnson Dooneen 36:53.

Main sponsor, Coillte employee Stephen Moore 35:55 from An Ríocht club in Kerry was an impressive winner in the over 50 category from Michael Murphy Drombowney 37:43.

Eugene O’Keeffe, Carrick- on-Suir 36:51 was also an impressive winner of the over 55 men’s category.

The evergreen William O’Donoghue, Mooreabbey Milers knocked a whopping 86 seconds off the men’s over 60 record to set a record time of 38:12.

Sam O’Meara Templemore 43:08 was first over 65. James O’Sullivan Tipperary Town 45:50 was first over 70.

In the Master Women’s category prizes Clare Coleman Dooneen 40:29, one of the large contingent from the club that ran on the night, was first over 40 from local club athlete Karen Coughlan Dundrum 43:26.

Another Dundrum athlete, Catherine Fogarty 41:35 was first over 45 from Marina Lilina Seymour, Grange, Fermoy in 45:10.
Louise Matthews 44:19 and Verena Tarpey 51:15, both Doneen, were first and second over 50.

Denise Compton, Dundrum 46:45 was first over 55. Claire Knight again from Doneen 49:48 was first over 60. Josephine O’Gorman 76:46 Thurles battled around to win the over 65 category.

The junior 5k race one lap ran with the senior race and had a good field of 25 athletes, which was well up on previous years.

Alan McCutcheon Dooneen 16:32 was a clear winner of the race from local club athlete, 13-year-old Albert Maher Dundrum 17:56 in the boy’s race.

In the girls race Aimee MacMahon Dooneen 20:24 was a clear winner from Kate Ryan Mooreabbey Milers in 22:24.

The main sponsor of the race, Coillte, were represented by local area manager Kevin Keogh who presented all the prizes to the winners.