Summer-like conditions for Tipperary's County Junior and Senior Road Championships

Dundrum AC played host to the County Junior and Senior Road Championships in summer-like conditions.

The Junior race over 3,000 metres saw Clonmel AC winning the majority of the spoils with some great performances. In the women’s race Alice Meegan was pushed all the way by her sister Meabh and it was only in the final 50 metres that she got in front to win her first County Junior Road title in 12 minutes 23 seconds.

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Maebh can also be very pleased with her performance when winning the silver medal in 12 minutes 25 seconds.

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Ruby Maher of the host club also ran very well when winning the bronze medal in 12 minutes 48 seconds.

Clonmel won the team event with Alice, Meabh and Tara Moquet fourth in 13 minutes 4 seconds.

The men’s event was won by Harry Weymouth of Clonmel AC in 12 minutes 10 seconds.

In the Senior women, Dymphna Ryan of Dundrum AC was the warm favourite, and she set about her business right from the start. She set a strong pace that soon saw her draw clear of the chasing pack, which included the Moyne AC quartet of Louise Fogarty, Sharon Cantwell, Orla Healy and Eileen McCullagh, as well as Michelle Ryan of Templemore AC.

Dymphna maintained that strong pace to come home a very worthy and convincing winner in 17 minutes 11 seconds, which was some solo performance to claim her sixth in a row County Senior Road title, some achievement.

Then we had Louise Fogarty edging in front over the final mile to win the silver medal in 18.27, with Sharon Cantwell winning the bronze in 18.45.

Michelle Ryan of Templemore AC was fourth in 19.02, Orla Healy Moyne AC fifth in 19.04 and Eileen McCullough Moyne AC sixth in 19.08.

In the team event Moyne AC were resounding winners with their team of Louise, Sharon and Orla claiming the gold medals. The silver medals were won by Dundrum AC. Their team comprised Dymphna, Catherine Fogarty, who finished seventh with a time of 19:57, and Mary Keane who finished eighth in 19:59.

Clonmel AC won the bronze medals with their team of Suzanne Shine ninth 20.28, Sareen Walsh 11th 21.00 and Aine Roche 14th 21.35. The Walsh/Meegan family had plenty to celebrate.

In the B Section Moyne AC also won the gold medals with their team of Eileen McCullough sixth 19.08, Lisa Quinlan 13th 21.30 and Caroline Fogarty 19th 22.50. The Dundrum AC trio of Karen Coughlan, 10th, won the silver medals, 20.44, Emily Leahy 12th 21.02 and Mairead Julian 18th 22.33.

The Men’s race also attracted a very good entry of both quality and quantity. Here Mossy Bracken of Moycarkey Coolcroo AC, the defending champion, made his intentions known right from the start of the two-lap race.

He set a strong pace that soon saw him go clear of the chasing pack that included Matthew Ryan of Moycarkey Coolcroo, the County Novice and Intermediate Champion; Dermot Gorman of Carrick- on-Suir and Barry Hartnett of Dundrum AC.

While Mossy made every stride a winning one when coming home a very worthy and convincing winner in 32 minutes 6 seconds, the battle for the minor placings was a lot tighter. It was only over the final few kilometres that the picture became clear, with Matthew Ryan going for broke and he kept the pace going to win his first county senior individual medal, silver, in 32 minutes 43 seconds.

I have no doubt his recent County Novice and Intermediate wins have given him great confidence and he showed that on Sunday in Dundrum. Over the closing stages Barry went clear of Dermot to win the bronze medal in 33.21, with Dermot fourth in 33.35.

Dylan McLoughlin Moyne AC was fifth in 35.01 and Tom O’Connell Dundrum AC sixth in 35.06.

In the team event, Moycarkey Coolcroo were out in force, fielding thirteen athletes. They were rewarded as their team of Mossy, Matthew, Shane Minogue seventh in 35.28 and Conor Keating eighth in 35.29 were very convincing winners. They were winning this title for the very first time in recent years, a fantastic achievement and well done to everyone involved.

Thurles Crokes won the silver medals with their team of Liam Shanahan ninth 35.23, Shane Moloney 11th 36.25, Declan Ryan 12th 36.33 and Denis McCullough 15th 37.22.

Clonmel AC won the bronze medals with Nigel O’Flaherty 13th 36.43, Joey Feery 14th 37.17, Eelco Beckers 16th 37.29 and Padraig Brennan 24th 38.23.

In the B Section Moycarkey Coolcroo AC won the gold and silver team medals with their team of Shane Mullaney 36.14, Kevin Shortall 37.25 and Donie Bergin 39.43 and their team of Jamie Barry 40.47, Paul Bowe 41.25 and John James King 41.43.
Thurles Crokes won the bronze medals with their team of Peter Maher 38.29, Liam McCullagh43.25 and John Butler 44.40.

At the presentation of the awards County Chairman, Owen Fanning, thanked Dundrum AC for hosting these championships. He also thanked the clubs for their great support.