McCONNELL SHIELD AT BALLYCLARE
Saturday’s trip to Ballyclare for the 83rd McConnell Shield cross country races organised by East Antrim Harriers was a somewhat surreal affair as the decision by the host club not to pay the entry fee necessary for inclusion in this season’s Cross Country League meant that there were no points on offer for participation. Apparently the tone of the demand for payment ruffled some feathers in the East Antrim nest and they decided not to “pay under threat”? Be that as it may, the feeling amongst neutrals was that the entry would suffer accordingly. And so it proved with I reckon at least 100 fewer runners than last year
turning out over the two senior races. Which in itself is a great pity as the McConnell Shield fixture has been one of the most popular races on the calendar, for the past 80 or so years. You may remember me telling you last year that I met John McKeag, who was then in his 95th year, and that he proudly showed me 2 medals which he won in this very race all of 76 years ago. Well on Saturday John was there again, fresh as a daisy, and now in his 96th year and several of us younger guys were again enthralled by his memories of those bygone days. To put it in his own words “While Hitler was bombing the shipyard, he was bombing around Ballyclare” though on a very different course to today’s manufactured parkland.
Many of the teams competing for prizes in the League took advantage to have a rest from competitive running and didn’t attend – though not East Down! Both Male and Female teams turned out to get a “trial run” over the course which will also be venue for the next League fixture the Annadale Striders hosted Malcolm Cup competition on 2 December. And of course 3 of the Foster girls turned out in the Under 14 race and the redoubtable Tom Dowey in the Masters’ race.
LADIES BEST IN NUMBERS AND PERFORMANCES AGAIN
The Ladies fielded 9 runners and were led home by Catherine O’Connor in 6th place with Niamh Kellett 12th and clearly benefiting from the week’s rest, Joanne Foster in 25th and Edie Carroll in 27th, which would have given a very attractive total of 70 points had there been a team competition! This quartet was well backed up by Aoife Cochrane 44th, Ella Carroll 66th, Alison Carroll 69th, Janine Murray 74th and Lisa Milligan 79th . All in all a very informative exercise in forward planning which was “enjoyed” by all of them, except for a shower of hail which paid a pain inflicting visit to the Park during the 2nd lap.
MEN ON A MISSION
The McConnell Shield race over 5 x 1 Mile laps was run in bright sunshine, which clearly suited Derry Track Club’s recent Belfast Half Marathon winner, Gideon Kipseng, who simply sat on the shoulder of last year’s winner Conor Duffy from Glaslough Harriers, until the final lap when he moved up a gear to run out a comfortable winner from Duffy and North Belfast’s Mark McKinstry who was also 3rd in last year’s race.
SPARTAN DIET??
Brendan Teer was looking forward to to another stern test, using these races to test his current level of fitness and to bring him back towards that elusive peak. After initially staying with the leading group he found the fast going too strong and wisely dropped off the pace to claim a creditable 16th place with Aaron McGrady showing up extremely well in the opening lap before he too felt the effects of a 65 mile week of hard training, his main aim for 2017 being the Seeley Cup in 3 weeks time, but maintaining his shape and rhythm to take 12th place. Paul Burns was more than pleased with his run, taking 27th place, putting it down to the discovery after recent intensive research, that brioche, croissants and pain au chocolat are as good a carbo loading diet as you can get, even if you have to travel beyond Downpatrick to prove it!! The jury is still out though on his choice of fluid intake to wash the aforementioned down. Gavin Hynds and Paddy McDonald made up the quintet from East Down and are now set to go for the remainder of the League fixtures.
CALL TO MURLOUGH AC RUNNERS
It’s worth noting too that Stephen Cassidy and Michael Power, assisted on Saturday by Niamh O’Connell and Judith Robinson, are valiantly keeping the Murlough AC flag flying at the Cross Country races but they need some support from their fellow members. It only takes 4 to make a team so come on you younger, fitter and possibly faster men and women from Murlough get out there over the next few rounds of the League and help get another club from this area on the rungs of the League ladder.
JIM ON SONG
I also noted that Newcastle’s world cross country champion Jim Patterson is tuning up nicely for his attempt at the British and Irish cross country crown at the Championships to be held in 2 weeks time in Gransha Park in Derry. He was 3rd overall Male and 1st in the Over 70 category on Saturday and will be hard to beat in Derry.
UNDER 14 GIRLS RACE
This race proved to be quite a triumph for the Foster girls, with Kirsti finishing in 1st place, Lucy in 2nd and Jodi 4th just missing out on making it a complete family podium.
McGRADY FINANCIAL SERVICES JUNIOR CROSS COUNTRY SERIES ROUND 3
Sunday 5th November saw the third round of the Junior McGrady Series, hosted by Dromore AC. Once again, the East Down juniors did us proud with 6 wins across numerous age groups. As always it was impressive to see lots of juniors out trying their best in order to win points for the club.
Whilst all the juniors performed well, there were some performances that deserve a special mention. East Down started the day off well with a strong contingent of 7 girls in the P4 Race. Lily Foster ran well to finish in 2nd place. Alexander Robinson and Kieran Trainor paced their race perfectly to come 1st and 2nd respectively in the P5 Boys. Perhaps inspired by the boys, Kari Foster and Erin Moore replicated the 1-2 placings in the P5 girls. Jodi Foster continued the family winning streak in the P6 girls. Yet again, the Year 8 race saw an impressive battle between Lauren Madine, Anna Gardiner and Lucy Foster who finished 1-2-3 respectively. Other podium finishers included Oliver Robinson, Emily Burns, Mackenzie Murray and George McBratney. The day ended on a high with a win by Edie Carroll in the Year 11 girls. Thanks as always to the parents for getting them there and to the coaches for managing the event.
The next race in the series will be hosted by East Down on 21st January 2018 at Delamont. Hard to believe that we are nearly into the next year already!
OTHER BITS AND PIECES
Keith Reilly completed the EAMS Hallowe’en Frightener Marathon on Satuday morning, clocking 4.19.51 in Jordanstown, a highly commendable 18th place while Michael Cultra and Oonagh Breteche completed the Dublin Back to Back marathon on 28 October.
Gareth Amos and eldest daughter Lara took part in yesterday’s Decathlon 10K inBelfast. Unable to confirm times but it was Lara’s first attempt at the distance.
SEELEY CUP or HOMESTART SANTA 1OK??
The ever popular Joe Seeley Cup 10K takes place on 25 November and the limit of 1000 entries is fast approaching. So if you don’t manage to get an entry for this one, or even if you do, why not try the Homestart Santa 10K the following day in Downpatrick, starting at 11.30 from East Down AC Clubrooms. A 5K is also on offer and is likely to attract considerable interest from the novice runners out there and with a 2K walk/run for families to take part in there is something for everyone. Everyone is asked to wear a Santa hat or outfit to make it a real fun day and there will be medals and refreshments for everyone afterwards in the Clubrooms. Entries will be taken on the day but online entry to the 5 and 10K runs is open at www.athleticsni.org
COMING UP
It should have been Griddle time again on Sunday 3rd December but as that particular race is not taking place this year. However, East Down AC will be staging a 10K race on that date possibly “Son of the Griddle? But without the hills. Well perhaps just one? The race which is in the early stages of preparation will be from the Club premises on Ballydugan Road through the town and back again and will raise funds for two of its junior members Laura Green and Owen Edwards. Laura has to travel to Ethiopia next year as part of a Habitat for Humanity project to provide school buildings while Owen is involved with Camps International on a similar project in Cambodia. Further details next week.
Joe Quinn & Edie Carroll
6 November 2017