Tullamore Harriers Half Marathon (incorp. Leinster Half) 2024 (31st Aug)
Delaney Trophy for Mullingar Harriers Ladies Team
The Bord na Mona Tullamore Harriers AC Half Marathon on Saturday 31st August, which incorporated the Leinster Half Marathon was the major road racing event at the weekend. The half marathon started from the Tullamore Harriers Stadium, taking in a scenic route through Mucklagh, Killurin and Cloonagh before finishing with a lap of the stadium track. The course is generally flat and best described as undulating with some gently rolling hills along the way.
With the entire country enjoying a belated summer’s day of warm sunshine, there was a downside for the athletes. The Mullingar Harriers competing and indeed several others spoken to, remarked on the difficulty caused by the heat, with several having to slow and take in extra hydration in the latter stages of the race. It proved a very successful event for the 39 Mullingar Harriers athletes who were part of a huge field of 1,162 finishers. Pride of place to our women team of Mary Stuart (1:29:56), Criona Reid (1:32:33), Jacintha Reilly (1:33:13) and Aisling Corcoran (1:34:25) who combined to win the coveted Phyllis Delaney Trophy for 1st women team. Mary, Criona and Jacintha also took gold for 1st senior women team in the Leinster Championships. There was further success for Mary, Criona, Jacintha and Aisling, when they took silver along with Therese Hughes (1:27:49) and Monika Dealmeida (1:36:47), both of Athlone AC in the Leinster County senior category.
Our master women o/50 team took bronze in the club category with Caroline Mullen (1:47:02), Michelle O’Halloran (1:51:38) and Anna Redmond (2:05:09), while Caroline combined with Lisa O’Rourke (1:38:59) and Julie Maguire (1:46:57), both of Athlone AC and Elaine Cooney of Coralstown Kinnegad AC to take gold in the master women o/50 county category. Mary Stuart won gold in her individual master category as well as gold in her Leinster category, Criona Reid won gold in her individual Leinster category.
Our men team took bronze in the club category, with Eddie Newman (1:20:11), Eoin Clarke (1:20:41), Alan Crowley (1:21:24) and Tony Doran (1:22:32). In the Leinster Championship, Eddie, Eoin and Alan combined to take bronze in the master men o/35 club category. The silver medal for 2nd Club master men o/50 in Leinster went to Mullingar Harriers, with Gerard Gavin (1:23:39), James Cribben (1:27:11) and Mark Geoghegan (1:28:57). The bronze medal for 3rd County o/35 went to Westmeath with Eddie, Eoin, Alan and Gerard joined by Jim Whelehan (1:19:40) from Coralstown Kinnegad AC and Sebastian Sokolowski (1:20:49) from Athlone AC. There was gold for Eddie and Gerry who combined in the master men o/50 County category with Jim Whelehan and David Watson (1:26:19) from Athlone AC. Eddie Newman won gold in his individual master category and gold in his Leinster category, and Gerard Gavin was a silver medal winner in his Leinster category.
Our other athletes to compete in Tullamore were Ollie Geoghegan (1:24:54), Enda Seery (1:28:55), Darren Carroll (1:28:55), Dara O’Shea (1:29:26), Tommy Byrne (1:31:22), Evan McCormack (1:32:39), Enda O’Carolan (1:33;14), Orla McLaughlin (1:35:02), Kieran Dodrill (1:38:04), Mark Dunne (1;38:53), John Long (1:38:52), Therese Glynn (1:38:41), John McNamara (1:40:33), Marie Louise Johnson (1:41:42), Linda Cunningham (1:43:14), Zane Smukste (1:43:37), Gemma Kelly (1:44:42), Aisling Farrell (1:45:01), Lorraine Claffey (1:45:10), Brendan Rice (1:51:50), Ray Smyth (1:57:59), Martin Mullen (2:00:41), Kevin O’Brien (2:02:26), Rodney Farry (2:03:05) and Joan Mulvihill (2:05:24) [MO’S].
