Home Page

star:track

Bob Mullan Motors 5K Series 2005

Bob Mullan Motors 5K Series 2004

Bob Mullan Motors 5K Series 2003

2002 Bob Mullan 5K Results

Bob Mullan Motors 5K Series 2001

Archive

Fixtures

IAAF

Website Sponsored by: -

Noel Duddy

Chartered Accountant

6 Lindenwood Park,

Foyle Springs,

L'Derry.

028 71374268

City Squads at Larne Road Relays

It was a case of so near and yet so far as City of Derry took the runner-up spot at the Larne Road Relays on Saturday.

The Spartans had been looking to end the 24 year dominance of Annadale Striders in the 4 x 2 mile event but found themselves being out-gunned by North Belfast Harriers while the holders could manage only fourth

Things went wrong for City from the outset with the normally reliable Gregory Roberts having an off day and finishing only fourth on the opening leg in ten minutes 11 seconds.

Ironically and to the chagrin of team manager Noel McMonagle, Conor Bradley relegated to the B team put in a storming performance to take second place in an excellent 9:47.

Diarmuid Grant chased hard on the second stint to bring City back into contention, six seconds adrift of North Belfast at the changeover, with an excellent split of 9:41.  The timing turned out to be the second fastest of the day and another indicator that the UUJ student is well on the way to making a return to his best form.

Behind the leading pair, Eoghan Furey kept the Spartan B squad in touch with a solid 10:28 effort.

Allan Bogle continued the good work on leg three to grab the lead with a 9:42 clocking and send Ciaran Hurley out on the final leg shoulder to shoulder with North Belfast 16-year-old Stephen Scullion.

Hurley, troubled by a calf injury since he won the Springwell Forest Run two weeks earlier, was suffering after a blistering first mile.  The Cork man eventually lost a massive 29 seconds to his rival on the run-in fading to a 10:10 clocking.

There was some consolation for the Derry club, however, with Dara Furey (11:07) and Aaron Doherty (10:07) putting together solid runs to ensure third place prizes for the City B squad.

The C team also made it into the top six with Oran McBride (11:14), Pajo Hamilton (10:58) and Dominic Hazlett (10:52) impressing  while Mick Keely chipped in a second run of the day in 11:04.

There was further success as the red and blacks’ masters’ squad annihilated the opposition in their 4 x 2 mile contest.  Although going off course at one point Declan McCarthy (11:11) put them into a lead on the first leg they were never to lose.  Mike Keely (10:47), Dermot Connelly (11:01) and Noel McMonagle finished off the business.

McMonagle was keen to pluck out the positives from a day of mixed results.

“I was a bit disappointed with the result but very pleased with the run had by all on the 4 teams we had out, we ran this last year with no one breaking 10:15 but we had six inside that today with Connor having a cracking run on his first appearance on the senior stage,” said the City manager and coach.