Waterford...MT Motors Cross Country - Sun 9th Oct 2011

From West Waterford AC......A high class field of runners assembled in the Friary College which is the home of cross country running for the MT Motors sponsored cross-country race which also incorporated the county senior championships. This race was kindly sponsored once again by Michael Tutty, proprietor of MT Motors and we thank him for his kind gesture and support and also the Friary College for providing the use of the grounds for the race. There was a host of Cork athletes all looking to take the title and from a club point of view we were looking to the likes of Sean and Richard Stilwell and Damien Murphy for club honours. Mark Hanrahan was the pre-race favourite and he duly delivered on that with an incredible display of running right from the very start and before long he had assumed total control of the race and there wasn’t a shadow of doubt that he would be caught as with each lap he was opening up more and more of a gap despite the valiant efforts of the athletes he had left in his wake. The men’s race was 4 full laps of the college and Mark Hanrahan crossed the line as the clock read 24.21, a bit down on his time from last year which was 23.41. Behind Mark, a ferocious battle ensued for the silver position between Patrick Hogan and Sean McGrath. Sean McGrath was second last year and was looking to do so once again but it was Patrick who made it to the line first. In fact, over the last 800 metres he started to pull away and was 16 seconds ahead of Sean in the end. In 4th place was Barry Donovan of Leevale and completing the top five was Brian Swaby of Waterford A.C. The team prize went to Waterford AC and the scoring members were Brian Swaby, Jim Baldwin and Alan Slattery.

Men’s Results of MT Motors Race
Mark Hanrahan                        Leevale         AC               24.21
Patrick Hogan                          Ferrybank       AC             25.16
Sean McGrath                          East Cork      AC               25.32
Barry Donovan                         Leevale                  AC              25.48
Brian Swaby                             Waterford             AC              26.19
Kenny Curran                           Ballynonty             AC               26.51
Danny Smith                             Ballynonty            AC               27.10
Donal Coakley                         Togher                                     27.14
Sean Stilwell                             West Waterford     AC          27.49
Richard Stilwell                         West Waterford     AC          27.59
Frank O’ Carroll                      East Cork                AC         28.01
Damien Murphy                        West Waterford      AC         28.05
Jim Baldwin                              Waterford                 AC        28.12
John Shanahan                          Dundrum                 AC         28.28
Conor McCarthy                      Ferrybank                AC        28.29
Alan Slattery                             Waterford                 AC          28.48
Patrick Roche                           Carrick                     AC          28.55
Andy Linares                            Waterford                 AC         29.28
Johnny O’ Connor                    West Waterford          AC       30.15
Yev Chizhikov              West Waterford                      AC      30.22
Mark Brien                               Clonmel                      AC       30.40
John Skehan                             KCK                          AC       31.35
Ray Hahessy                            West Waterford        AC           31.47
Denis McCarthy                       East Cork                  AC          31.50
Colin Crotty                             IND                                          32.12
Richard Lucas                          Waterford                 AC           32.29
Ted O’ Leary                           West Waterford        AC          33.51
Michael Wade                          West Waterford        AC          34.25
Paudie Crotty                           IND                                         35.00
Richie Power                            West Waterford         AC        36.13
Mark Concannon                     IND                                         37.25
Kieran Eaton                            IND                                         38.55

TOP QUALITY LADIES RACE AT M.T. MOTOR’S RACE
It was a top class field of female runners that took part in the M.T.Motor’s sponsored race last Sunday and the two race favourites were Claire Gibbons McCarthy and World Race Walking Champion Kate Veale. The women had 2 laps of the Friary College to cover and started with the men. It was Claire Gibbons McCarthy from St. Finbarr’s who assumed the lead from the start and Kate was content to let her do so at least for the first lap. In the second lap she was overtaken by Kate and it was extremely close between the two athletes with Kate ahead going out into the last field but on the final straight Claire upped the pace which was just enough to see her edge ahead of Kate and she got to the finish line in the nick of time as they say and Kate finished a very worthy second overall in the race. Laura Behan of KCK filled the third spot and next up for the club was Corinna Walsh in 4th place overall and Norma Wall was 5th overall and Anna Rogowska who won the county novice last week was in 7th place. Outside of the top 3 places, Corinna Walsh won the 0/35 category and the junior prize was won by Niamh Tebay of Waterford AC.

LADIES RESULTS
1 Claire Gibbons McCarthy      St. Finbarr’s             AC    13.21
2 Kate Veale                            West Waterford       AC    13.25
3 Laura Behan                          KCK                       AC    13.48
4 Corinna Walsh                       West Waterford       AC    14.15
5 Norma Wall                          West Waterford        AC   14.52
6 Ann-Marie Hayes                  St. Catherine’s         AC    16.21
7 Anna Rogowska                    IND                                  17.47
8 Niamh Tebay                     Waterford                     AC  18.15
9 Claire Grant                           Waterford                 AC   20.09