|
|
First Open Success for Conor Words: Malcolm McCausland Photos: Eoghan Furey/Bill McLeod |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Bob Mullan Motors 5K Series 2005 Bob Mullan Motors 5K Series 2004 Bob Mullan Motors 5K Series 2003 Bob Mullan Motors 5K Series 2001
Website Sponsored by: - Noel Duddy Chartered Accountant 6 Lindenwood Park, Foyle Springs, L'Derry. 028 71374268
|
Conor Bradley lads from Aaron Doherty (375) and Ciaran Hurley (398) Conor Bradley picked up his first open success when was an impressive winner of the feature race at the Pegasus/UUC Cross Country Promotion at Coleraine. With the top Belfast clubs keeping their powder dry in advance of next weekend’s Northern Ireland 10K road champion, City of Derry dominated the event filling the top three places in the men’s race as well as supplying the winner of the women’s contest. Bradley, still only 18, showed all the maturity of a veteran to take his first victory in open competition. The St. Columb’s College student stayed off the lead on the opening three laps after clubmate Ciaran Hurley and Willowfield’s Dave Simpson cut out the early pace. Bradley picked up the pace at the bell and joined the leaders with a less than a mile to go before showing a clean pair of heels to the opposition on the run-in. At the line he had 11 seconds to spare over Aaron Doherty who stole second after Ciaran Hurley missed the finishing tunnel and had to turn back. City of Derry were comfortable team winners with fourth scorer Dominic Hazlett holding on to eighth spot after taking the prime at the top of the hill on the first lap. City Secretary Gerry Lynch added to his club’s success taking the M60 award while other category prizes went to Finn Valley’s John McGlinchey (M35) Frank Sharkey (M40), Mark Connolly (M45), Ray Curran (M50) and Dessie McHenry.
However with the Spartans missing several regulars, Paul was pressed into action with dramatic effect. She went into the lead soon after the gun and was never subsequently headed as she stormed to an impressive 74 seconds victory over 17-year-old Michelle Sturm from Omagh Harriers. Another Omagh athlete, Hazel McCausland in third place overall, was the leading F35 with Newcastle’s Anne Sandford the first F40 in fifth place. Meanwhile, two City of Derry athletes helped the University of Ulster’s men picked up their first medals in the Irish University Road Relays in Maynooth. Diarmuid Grant took over the baton on leg two after Raymond Adams had given the northerners a solid start coming home in front at the end of the opening stint. Solid legs from Kevin Seaward and Francis Marsh kept UU in contention before a storming last leg from Allan Bogle brought the team through to pip Trinity for third. UCD boosted by the presence of James Nolan in their ranks were the winners of the event edging out defending champions DCU by a mere second. However, the University of Ulster ladies were out of the top three in the women’s race after making a poor start. Donegal woman ran a sound second leg for the Jordanstown-based women’s squad as international Mary Margaret Meade made her return to competition on the third and final leg after missing most of 2005 through injury.
A-Hutchinson - Pegasus AC/UUC Cross Country Promotion Senior Men (The Marcus McMains Memorial Race) Saturday 19 November 2005. 2:15 pm Results for All Competitors in finish order.
A-Hutchinson - Pegasus AC/UUC Cross Country Promotion Male Vets O35 Saturday 19 November 2005. 2:15 pm Results for All Competitors in finish order.
|
Anne Paul had a late change of mind to take
part in the women’s race. The Tobermore native had felt during the week that
she needed more time to recover from her exertions in last month’s Dublin
Marathon where she managed to sneak under three on her debut at the distance.