The East Cork road championships were held on Thursday the 20th of August 2020 in Ballynoe in East Cork. Below is a report from John Walshe with the full results further down the page.
EAST CORK ATHLETICS DIVISION ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS ...by John Walshe
Normally held in April, the unbroken sequence which has seen the East Cork road championships taking place every year since 1980 was maintained at the traditional venue of Ballynoe.
After the initial postponement four months ago, hopes for the new date seemed dashed earlier this week when the updated Covid-19 strategy was announced but, after getting the go-ahead from Athletics Ireland, both races went ahead while adhering to the recommended guidelines.
The aftermath of Storm Ellen made the testing course even tougher with gusting winds and hail showers adding to the discomfort of the long hill which the women had to climb twice and the men four times.
A minutes silence was observed before both events in memory of local man Dan McCarthy who passed away earlier this year. Dan was instrumental in getting these championships established on the athletics calendar with the first event taking place on St Patrick’s Day 1980 when Pat Whyte led home just 18 finishers.
Kevin O’Leary (East Cork) became the 15th different winner over the years of the men’s five-mile race, improving one place and 59 seconds from last year when coming home an impressive first in a time of 26:11. Two Midleton junior athletes, Paul Hartnett and Frank O’Brien, took the silver and bronze medals in respective times of 26:39 and 27:13.
With the individual medal-winners not scoring in the teams, East Cork came out best on a total of 30 points ahead of Watergrasshill (45 points) and Midleton (74 points).
Fiona Santry made it an East Cork club double when winning the women’s 3000m in 11:22. Second was Jennifer Goggin-Walsh (Carraig na bhFear) in 11:56 with Linda O’Sullivan (Watergrasshill) third in 12:04.
Midleton, with 34 points, were the winners of the team contest from Ballymore-Cobh who finished on 42 with St Catherine’s third on 45 points.
She may have won medals at Olympic, World and European level but one award which had eluded Sonia O’Sullivan over her long glittering career was an East Cork senior medal.
However, an eight-place finish was enough for Ireland’s greatest-ever athlete to finally set the record straight as she led her Ballymore-Cobh club to silver.
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| (L) Kevin O'Leary, second last year but number one on this occasion / (R) Fiona Santry, winner of the women's 3000m race |
East Cork Road Championships Thursday August 20th 2020
Men's Result
Place Race # Name Club Category Time
1 72 Kevin O'Leary East Cork AC M 26.11
2 99 Paul Hartnett Midleton AC MJ 26.39
3 50 Frank O'Brien Midleton AC MJ 27.13
4 71 Kevin O'Brien East Cork AC M 27.37
5 74 Kieran McKeown Watergrasshill AC M 27.56
6 65 James McCarthy East Cork AC M 28.05
7 140 Sean McGrath East Cork AC M35 28.10
8 31 Daire O’Sullivan Carraig na bhFear AC MJ 28.14
9 159 Tony Forristal Midleton AC M 28.16
10 66 John Hennessy Midleton AC M50 28.37
11 157 Stephen Crowley Watergrasshill AC M 28.44
12 77 Kristaps Liepins Watergrasshill AC M 28.45
13 57 Graham Swords East Cork AC M35 28.46
14 160 Trevor Cummins Ballymore/Cobh AC M 28.59
15 100 Paul Kearney Aghada RC M 29.14
17 6 Aidan Noone Watergrasshill AC M 29.19
18 35 Dave McCarthy St Nicholas AC M 29.23
19 139 Sean Ahern Youghal AC M 29.27
20 25 Chris Kelly East Cork AC M 29.41
21 161 Willie Walsh Carraig na bhFear AC M45 30.04
22 70 Keith Kelly Youghal AC M 30.37
23 149 Shane Meyler Ballymore Cobh AC M45 30.44
24 40 David Maher Carraig na bhFear AC MJ 31.08
25 69 Joseph Daly Carraig na bhFear AC MJ 31.15
26 162 Ger O'Regan Midleton AC M50 31.23
27 91 Mick Mulcahy Carraig na bhFear AC M40 32.27
28 68 Jonathon Kenneally St Catherines AC M 32.37
29 34 Daniel Bloom Midleton AC M 32.46
30 129 Séamus McSweeny St Nicholas AC M45 32.46
31 29 Chris O Connell St Catherines AC M 33.13
32 42 Declan Dorgan Midleton AC M40 33.53
33 45 Don Sheehan Carraig na bhFear AC M45 34.02
34 67 John Mulcahy St Catherines AC M 34.03
35 86 Matthew Browne Watergrasshill AC M 34.17
36 8 Andre Brodkorb Midleton AC M50 34.27
37 155 Stephen Collins St Catherines AC M 34.49
38 150 St John O'Connor St Nicholas AC M45 35.02
39 24 Brendan Hickey St Catherines AC M 35.14
40 158 Tom O Riordan Watergrasshill AC M 35.27
41 44 Denis O’Leary Aghada RC M 35.31
42 123 Richard Hawkins Carraig na bhFear AC M50 35.41
43 126 DonMurray Aghada RC M 36.32
44 47 Ed Kinane St Nicholas AC M50 36.45
45 73 Kieran Harte St Catherines AC M 37.36
46 144 Sean Norris Aghada RC M 38.04
47 43 Denis McCarthy East Cork AC M55 38.28
48 119 Paul O Flynn St Catherines AC M 38.38
49 124 Richard Morrison St Nicholas AC M45 39.28
50 46 Donal O'Donoghue Watergrasshill AC M50 40.16
Team Results (outside the first three finishers)
1 East Cork AC 30 pts
2 Watergrasshill AC 45 pts
3 Midleton AC 74 pts
4 Carraig na bhFear AC 78 pts
5 St Catherines AC 130 pts
6 St Nicholas AC 130 pts
7 Aghada RC 145 pts
Women's Result
Place Race Number Name Club Category Time
1 250 Fiona Santry East Cork AC F 11.22
2 295 Jennifer Goggin Walsh Carraig na bhFear AC F35 11.56
3 305 Linda O’Sullivan Watergrasshill AC F 12.04
4 300 Laura Rooney Watergrasshill AC F 12.22
5 318 Natalie Nicholson St Catherines AC F 12.30
6 330 Sarah Morrisson St Nicholas AC FJ 12.50
7 249 Eileen Leahy Midleton AC F 13.01
8 348 Sonia O’Sullivan Ballymore/Cobh AC F 13.05
9 322 Rhona Lynch Carraig na bhFear AC F45 13.16
10 293 Gwen Conroy Watergrasshill AC F 13.24
11 318 Niamh O'Connor East Cork AC F40 13.33
12 242 Caroline Geary Midleton AC F40 13.35
13 320 Norah O'Brien East Cork AC F 13.45
14 342 Sarah Mulcahy St Catherines AC F 13.47
15 325 Sally Drennan Midleton AC F55 13.51
16 294 Jennifer Andersson Ballymore/Cobh AC F 14.06
17 345 Sinead Kearney Carraig na bhFear AC FJ 14.07
18 315 Margaret O’Regan Ballymore/Cobh AC F 14.08
19 200 Alanna Drennan Midleton AC FJ 14.10
20 296 Jennifer Kearney Carraig na bhFear AC FJ 14.25
21 306 Louise Barry Midleton AC F40 14.40
22 241 Breeda Sheedy Midleton AC F50 14.49
23 316 Mary De Barra Ballymore/Cobh AC F 14.57
24 246 Claire Fitzgerald Midleton AC F45 14.59
25 297 Joan Hough Midleton AC F60 15.00
26 299 Laura O Flynn St Catherines AC F 15.05
27 277 Gillian Bransfield Midleton AC F40 15.22
28 245 Christine Murphy Midleton AC F50 15.33
29 347 Siobhan Murphy Midleton AC F45 15.39
30 304 Linda Curtin Midleton AC F45 16.05
31 314 Mags Twohig Midleton AC F50 16.39
32 240 Astrid Micheel Midleton AC F50 16.53
33 298 Joan McCarthy Midleton AC F60 20.42
Midleton, with 34 points, were the winners of the team contest from Ballymore-Cobh who finished on 42 with St Catherine’s third on 45 points
Team Results (outside the first three finishers)
1 Midleton AC 34 pts
2 Ballymore/Cobh AC 42 pts
3 St Catherines AC 45 pts
4 Carraig na bhFear AC 46 pts
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| Sonia O'Sullivan (who finished eight) leading Niamh O'Connor up the hill |
Are road races capped at 200 allowed to ahead after the latest government guidelines of only 15 out doors gathering together?
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It's great to see Sonia running for her local club, it must have added a great buzz to the race and for the other athletes to say they ran alongside one of the greats
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