The road season doesn’t be long coming around and as per custom the first road race of 2022 was the County Novice Championship hosted by the Club. It’s been a long while since athletes were subject to such horrific conditions, times were irrelevant today as this was a test of attrition, of guts and coverage for all athletes who raced through the driving wind and rain.
It was wonderful to see the home club field teams in both the ladies 3k and men’s 6k event. Our starter Niall O’ Sullivan didn’t delay in getting the fields underway. The ladies faced the mile long headwind and diving rain from the gun and as the race unfolded it was all to play for the runner up spots. With about 400m to go it looked like Orla Healy was going to finish in 5th place but once she hit the track she closed like a train and got up to clinch the bronze medal on the line with nothing between her and 4th place. What an exciting finish and brilliant gutsy performance from Orla. Next in the gate for the host club was Lisa Quinlan in 6th place, Edel Delaney followed suit in 10th position and then Aisling Maher in 17th who ran cautiously today as she is nursing an injury. The 4 girls put in great efforts and were awarded with an excellent 2nd place finish in the team competition behind Clonmel. Well done girls!!
Unfortunately, the weather started to deteriorate even worse for the men’s race. Here Moyne had a band of 7 athletes face the starter among a field of 72 competitors. Stephen Flanagan (9th), Brian Carroll (24th), Jody Sweeney (36th), Pakie Bowe (37th), Brendan Delaney (50th), Pierce Harte (57th) and Louis Everard (69th) all did themselves and the club very proud on possibly the worse conditions a runner could face. Their performances show real character and will be used in the building blocks for better things to come for the men throughout the season! They finished in 8th position in the team event.
Massive thank you to all the supporters who came out today, you all added to a damp, but great atmosphere and it really made a difference to the athletes. Thanks to our reliable officials who kept the show on the road and the Order of Malta.
Next road competition is the Munster Senior, Master and Novice 4 Mile Road Championships on the 6th of March, in Quilty, Co. Clare and the Co. Intermediate Championship’s will be hosted by Carrick on Suir AC on the 13th of March. Entries for both events should be given to Ber Spillane, competitions secretary in good time. It’s envisaged that we will have athletes represent the club at both these events if possible. Onwards and Upwards.
