News

30th June 2011 Rankin Outlasts Murphy in Carndonagh 5K Head to Head

Foyle Valleys Scott Rankin and Brendan Murphy of City of Derry Spartans went head to head at Wednesday nights Carndonagh 5K,race number five in the Furey Insurances series with the Valley runner stretching clear on the long uphill to the finish in the town square,hitting the line in an impressive 15m 27s,nine seconds clear of the red vest on 15m 36s with Inishowen AC,s M40 Joe McKinney clocking 16 02s for third place. The womens honours went to Helena Crossan of the home club in a swift 18m 17s with the Spartans Catherine Lilburn next in a new PB of 19m 27s and Foyle Valleys improving Martina McMullan also claiming new PB figures of 19m 53s in third.

145 finishers were recorded in Carndonagh and the race was staged in excellent conditions with a large crowd of spectators gathered in the Square to cheer the runners home. Up front Rankin and Murphy served up an intriguing battle, stride for stride through 4K before the winner charged away on the long drag to the finish line. His 15m 26s clocking must be close to his PB and Murphy trimmed some 15 seconds off his previous best with his 15m 36s to give the lie to the Carn reputation as a slow course.

Pius McIntyre and Cathal Mc Laughlin kept Foyle Valley to the fore finishing fourth and fifth in 16m 24s and 16m 29s with Sperrin Harrier Chris McPeake another five seconds behind in sixth spot. Mc Laughlin won the M40 category with his effort. Seventh went to Chris McGuinness in 16m 34s;Keith Shields in eight ran 16m 45s to take the M35 award; Gareth Doherty was an impressive ninth in 16m 51s and the M45 winner Paddy Nicell completed the top ten with 17mm05s.

Helena Crossan added to her Lisnagelvin win with an unchallanged run for victory and behind her the new PB,s of Catherine Lilburn and Martina McMullan underlined their significant improvement in recent months. Fourth placer Bridgeen Byrne ran a steady 20m 42s to lift the F45 prize; Sandra McKeever was the top F35 on 21m 22s; Denise Doherty with 23m 49s was the top F40 while Una Gavin,s 22m 10s saw her home as the lesding F50 and Roisin Lynch once again was the best F60.

The male masters category winners were completed by Dermot Connolly M50 in 17m 30s; Peter Lilburn M55 in 18m 11s and Seamus McElhinney M60 and Condy Doherty M65. A good 17m 31s effort gave Connor Doherty the male U 20 award and the prizes were presented by Declan McCarthy of race sponsors, the Carndonagh based Atlanfish and Niall McGee of joint organisors Inishowen AC.

Gerry Lynch

Results here. NOTE: There are a number of errors. We're pretty sure that the errors are confined to the red highlighted sections. Despite the efforts of two clubs we managed to miss 2 of the times so therefore it is possible that your time should really be the time ahead or even the time before that! The yellow highlighted times are those about which we are confident. If anyone has any other info please email me eoghanfurey at gmail.com