A thrilling finish to and great turnout for Dave Fogarty Memorial Race in Thurles last week

There were thrilling finishes to both the men’s and ladies' sections of the annual Dave Fogarty Memorial four-mile race promoted by Croke AC Thurles at Thurles on Thursday night last (June 22nd).

In very humid conditions one hundred and twenty athletes set off on the very challenging hilly course from the Jimmy Doyle bridge via Leugh school back to Killinan and finishing outside the club’s premises on the Racecourse Road.

From the start it was a ding-dong battle in the men’s race between Brandon Somba of Dunboyne AC and Evan Fitzgerald of Clonmel and that’s how it stayed all the way with Brandon just edging out Evan, 19.45 to 19.47, to record his first victory in the race and repeat his Fethard success when he again out-paced Evan at the finish.

Mossy Bracken of Moycarkey-Coolcroo maintained his fine form when taking third spot in 20.27. Paddy Cummins, also of Moycarkey-Coolcroo finished 7th(21.53) with Liam Shanahan, Crokes(23.05) 9th; Declan Ryan, also of Crokes(23.14) 10th, and newcomer Michael Murphy of Crokes a very impressive 11th in 23.25.

The ladies race was also a very  tight affair with Dundrum’s Dymphna Ryan continuing her dominance of the road racing scene when coming home in 23.50 and 15th overall,l but on this occasion, she was pushed all the way by host club representative Sharon Cleere who was just four seconds behind. Templemore’s Caroline Hassett had a fine run to finish in 3rd spot. Eileen McCullagh of Crokes was 5th in 26.29.

With a full range of category prizes on offer there was keen competition here also with wins in the men’s section for Paddy Cummins(0 35), Liam Shanahan(0 40), his brother Denis,(0 45), Peter Madden Templemore(0-50), Fintan Rice Fethard(0-55), Michael Moore, Dundrum(0 60), Gerry Carroll, Ballyskenach(0-70) and Ben Nolan, Thurles(junior);

Category winners in the ladies section were 0-35- Deirdre Ryan, Crokes; 040- Kate Kennedy, Templemore, 045- Paula Mills, Crokes; 0 50 – Martina Ryan, Crokes; 055, Noreen Kennedy, Crokes, 0 60 -Philomena Mason, Borrisoleigh Track Attack; 0 65, Angela Harty unattached, and junior, Ally Cummins(Crokes);

Details – Men’s senior – 1, B Somba, Dunboyne(19.45); 2, E Fitzgerald, Clonmel(19.47); 3rd – M Bracken, Moycarkey-Coolroo(20.27), 4th – D Gorman, Carrick-on-Suir(20.36); 5th – K McKeown,Grange-fermoy(21.39);

0-35 – P Cummins, Moycarkey-Coolcroo(21.53); 0 40 – L Shanahan, Crokes,(23.05); 0 45, D Shanahan, Crokes(23.40), 0 50, P Madden, Templemore(23.29); 0 55- F Rice, Fethard(25.05); 0 60, M Moore, Dundrum(25.57); 0 7- - G Carroll, Ballyskenach, (36.33) Junior – Ben Nolan, Crokes(30.02);

Ladies – Senior – 1, D Ryan, Dundrum(23.50); 2, S Cleere, Crokes (23.54); 3rd – C Hassett, Templemore(25.11), 4th – M Maher, Ballyskenach(26.11), 5th – E McCullagh, Crokes(26.29);

O 35 – D Ryan, Crokes(29.42); 0 40 -  K Kennedy, Templemore(28.20); 0 45 – P Mills,Crokes(31.47); 0 50 – M Ryan, Crokes( 31.42);0 55, N Kennedy,Crokes, (35.15); 0 60 – P Mason, Borrisoleigh Track Attack( 48.47); O 65 – A Harty, unattached( 39.34); Junior, A Cummins, Crokes, 37.05;

On behalf of the club Andy Ryan thanked all who had made the race possible, sponsors, stewards, etc.