The Club promoted a very successful Tipperary Water 10k road race last Sunday in Clonmel and the Club would like to thank everyone who helped in any way to make it a great success. This event also saw some great performances from the 54 Club members competing in this event, for some it was their annual trip over this Classic distance while for others it was their first attempt and great to report great performances all round on what was an ideal day for running, sunshine and a gentle breeze.
David Mansfield ran a brilliant race when winning this Classic event in 31 mins 34 secs and he becomes only the 3rd Club member to win this event, now in its 34th year, following in the footsteps of last year’s winner, William Maunsell and John Fitzgerald the winner in 1988 and his current coach. In this year’s race David went one place better than last year when he was 2nd and he also improved on last year time by 9 seconds, great running. Then we had Jimmy Boland also posting new figures for this Classic distance when finishing 2nd in 32 mins 39 secs. This is new territory for Jimmy as he was breaking 33 minutes for this distance for the very first time and great to do it in front of the home crowd. Both these athletes are running very well at present as they were 1st and 3rd respectively at the Limerick Half Marathon the previous weekend. Then we had Conor Ryan making his debut in this Classic event and he ran very well when finishing 7th in 35:34. We also had good performances from Anthony Bowen 10th in 36:37, Brian Carroll 16th in 37:39 and massively improving on his 2017 performance of 39:37, Billy Moloney 20th in 38:02, Sean McCarthy 31st in 39:59, Donal Ryan 33rd in 40:28, Aine Roche also ran a brilliant race when winning the women’s event in 40:33, great to see Aine running well again. Riain Paterson also ran very well when finishing 38th in 40:34 with Dick O Gorman 39th in 40:41, Barry Horgan 41st in 40:51 and Bernard Durand 42nd in 41:09. Then we had Ali O Connor making her debut in this event also running a brilliant race when finishing 2nd woman in 41:41 and a massive improvement on her last 10k where she ran 43:08. Then we had Suzanne Shine also running very well when finishing 4th Senior woman in 42:04. We also had good performances from Niall O Ceallaigh 51st in 52:22, Tommy Dunphy 56th in 43:10, Edel Roche was another member who ran very well when winning the women’s over 35 event in 43:30 and improving on her 2016 performance of 44:48, Sean Fitzgerald 60th in 43:36, Ann Marie Boland 61st in 43:42, Pat Coffey 62nd in 43:46, Michelle Doherty also ran very well when winning the women’s over 40 award in 43:56 and she was swiftly followed across the finishing line by Siobhan McHugh winning the over 45 award in 44:12, Peter Kiely was 66th in 44:16, Courtney McGuire was 74th in 45:08, Vincent McHugh was 75th in 45:13, Charles Kerins 79th in 45:35 and improving greatly on last year’s run of 46:20, Aisling English 87th in 46:47 and improving greatly on her 2017 run of 49:21, Angela Walsh 92nd in 47:05, Tom Quinn is another athlete running very well at present and he ran very well when winning the over 65 award in a very good time of 47:35, Anna Byrne also ran very well when finishing 2nd woman over 50 in 48:05. Patrick O Gorman was 103rd in 48:07, improving greatly on his 2016 run of 53:04, Tom Barry 107th in 48:35, Ned O Brien is another athlete running well at present when winning the over 60 award in 49:32, Anthony Landers 132nd in 50:34, Orla Durand 133rd in 50:36, Brian Tyrrell 142nd in 51:27, Noel Howley also ran very well when winning the over 70 award in a very good time of 51:41 and greatly improving on his 2017 performance of 61:52, Michael Egan also ran very well when finishing 146th in 51:48 and improving greatly on his 2017 run of 52:25, Mellissa McCarthy 149th in 51:51 and improving greatly on last year’s run of 52:34, Lizzie Ryan 160th in 53:17, Bernie Hopkins also ran very well when winning the over 60 award in 53:58, Denise Donnelly 168th in 53:58, Helen Linnane making her Club debut ran very well when finishing 173rd in 54:32, Sinead Fahey 174th in 54:35, Monica Lambe 190th in 56:50, Eamonn Crowley 204th in 58:49, Aine Ryan 237th in 63:30, Emma Norris 238th in 64:19 and improving greatly on last year’s run of 67:29, Dee O Connor was another club member making her debut over this Classic distance and she too ran very well when finishing 245th in 68:10, Majella Quinlivan 254th in 74:11. We also had Pierce Purcell running very well when finishing 257th in 98:47.
The Club promoted our first 10k in 1986 and looking back on those results now, I see we also had a young Willie O Donoghue of Galbally finishing 30th in 34:53, Eamonn Crowley 127th in 41:26, Ned O Brien 147th in 43:04, Pierce Purcell 210th in 45:32 and Bernie McMahon 312nd in 55:41. It is great to see these athletes still enjoying the Sport.