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Tuesday 27 January 2015

McLAUGHLIN IN FORM IN RAPHOE

CLASSY CATHAL CRUISES TO TOP SPOT IN CATHEDRAL CITY

No matter the sport, you cannot hide class. It was evident again last Sunday when Cathal McLaughlin sprinted to fifth place in the second race of the Lifford AC 5K Series in Raphoe. Three hundred runners turned out on a mild but breezy morning to break the entry record for the fixture by some distance.

Cathal McLaughlin
Last Spring McLaughlin took the bronze medal in the 1500m at the World Masters’ Indoor Championships in Budapest and it is clear that he going to be a threat at the Europeans in Poland this March.  The 47-year-old matched strides with opponents half his age in Raphoe to stretch his lead in the M45 standings with just one more race left in the Series.

The Derry City Track Club athlete clocked an impressive 16 minutes and 42 seconds to lead home a strong contingent from Derry City Track Club.  The Greenhaw Road man looked to be struggling after the opening two kilometres but found renewed energy to battle through to fifth at the tape.  That gave him victory in the M45 category and leaves him on a maximum 40 points with the final fixture to come in Lifford early February.

Teenager Matt Doherty warmed up for a midweek schools’ race with another steady run for 10th place in 17:05, and like his clubmate, sits on the maximum points in the Junior men’s age group.  DCTC club captain Darragh Crossan showed that he is rounding nicely back into form with an impressive 17:28 clocking for 12th overall.  Behind him, Shaun Deery continues to improve and was good value for his 18:37 timing in 24th.

Robert Bigger made his debut in the Series a memorable one with a fine 18:38 mark which left him an easy winner of the M55 category. Connor McCullagh was another to show signs of a return to top form with a 19:24 timing, just ahead of Zak McGowan (19:24) who was third Junior man home. Malcolm McCausland followed up his Northern Ireland age group cross-country title the previous week with a win in the M60 age group and his first sub 20 minutes timing of the winter season, albeit by a mere second. 

Hannah McGowan made the journey home from her studies in Dublin a worthwhile one by taking third place in the women’s race.  Her time of 20:19 was impressive on the notoriously slow Raphoe circuit and augurs well for a sub 20 minutes timing sooner rather than later. Her third spot also ensured that she is now almost certain of a podium place in the final Series standings, needing only to equal that result in Lifford.



Wednesday 21 January 2015

COACHER TURNS PAIN-TAKER TO LIFT M60 TITLE

COACHER TURNS PAIN-TAKER TO LIFT M60 TITLE


Malcolm (Centre) Negotiates the Hill in Coleraine
Derry City Track Club picked up its first championship title of the year but from an unexpected source.  Coach Mal McCausland slipped on his racing spikes for the day last Saturday to lift an age group gold medal at the Northern Ireland & Ulster Masters’ Cross Country Championships in Coleraine.

Frequent snow flurries and treacherous underfoot conditions only helped to make the event an inspirational afternoon of distance running in adverse conditions. Well over 300 athletes overcame travel difficulties to make their way to the University of Ulster Playing Fields for the first serious cross-country fixture of 2015.

McCausland had entered the season last autumn ranked outside the top half dozen in the M60 age group in the province.  However, a solid run in October saw him gain selection to represent Northern Ireland at the British & Irish Masters’ International Cross Country in Nottingham at the end of November. The DCTC coach surpassed all expectations when he was second NI finisher on a tough course in Wollaton Park. 

The former international 800m runner had not run a cross country race since then until he lined up in Coleraine. However, he headed his age group race from the gun and, despite treacherous underfoot conditions, increased his lead throughout the 7.5 kilometre test. At the finish line he had built up a margin of over two minutes on his nearest adversary.


“It was hard work, especially with the soft going and snow shower, but it is satisfying to pick up an age group title for the club,” said McCausland. “I had been preparing for this since last August and I’m just delighted that it came right on the day. I’m now looking forward to getting back to local races and the parkruns on Saturday mornings without the pressure of championship running.”

Tuesday 6 January 2015

DERRY CITY TRACK CLUB ATHLETES IMPRESS IN FIRST WEEKEND OF 2015

MATT AND HANNAH OPEN NEW YEAR IN STYLE

Derry City Track Club athletes dominated the first parkrun of 2015 held in perfect running conditions for the time of year.  DCTC’s Matt Doherty was first across the line for the second time in a matter of weeks with Derry’s newest club putting all eight of its runners in the top 19 finishers. Organiser Tommy McCallion and his team were pleased to welcome 72 hardy runners to the event with many clearly wishing to burn off some of the excesses of the festive season.

Matt Doherty and Darragh Crossan
Matt Doherty was the first to hit the front as the field made its way toward the Peace Bridge with a phalanx of his club mates heading up the chasing pack. The 17-year-old was still at the head of affairs and coasting at the turn in St. Columb’s Park.  Doherty continued his homeward journey untroubled to cross the line 50 metres clear of his nearest pursuer in 17 minutes and 55 seconds.

Scottish visitor Gordon Reid was next home in 18:07 with DCTC’s Darragh Crossan showing a return of form to take third in 18:30. Four more DCTC athletes filled places 5th – 8th through James Brown (18:40 est.), Robert Bigger (19:01), Shaun Deery (19:03) and Steven Peoples (19:20).  Next home was Mal McCausland in 13th with a new M60-64 age group record of 20:15. David Stewart rounded off the DCTC finishers in 19th with a respectable 21:48 clocking.

DCTC athletes also monopolised the age-graded listings filling five of the top eight placings. Robert Bigger headed the table with an excellent 82.21%. McCausland’s age group record placed second with an 80.58% mark, one spot ahead of Gordon Reid (76.45%).  Matt Doherty was fourth on 76.35% ahead of McGirr (71.39) who edged out the first female finisher Catherine Whoriskey (71.27%) for fifth. Peoples (70.09%) and Crossan (69.73%) filled the remaining top eight places.

Hannah McGowan
There was further good news for Derry City Track Club with Hannah McGowan winning a medal at the Algarve Road Championships in Faro.  The Eglinton 20-year-old was training with her Dublin City University teammates in Portugal and took in the race as part of her training. She was pleased to learn after the 5.6km race that she had finished third in the U23 age group after going through the five kilometre mark in 20:07.

“I’m delighted to win a medal,” said Hannah. “It was totally unexpected.  The atmosphere at the race was brilliant. I knew I was in good form when I ran a personal best 20:01 in Stranorlar on Boxing Day but I didn’t expect this.”


Details: 1 Matt Doherty Derry City TC Age Group: JM-17, Time 17:55 (Age-Grading 75.35%), 2 Gordon Reid Kilmarnock Hrs VM40-44 18:07 (76.45%), 3 Darragh Crossan Derry City TC SM25-29 18:30 (69.73%), 4 Martin McGirr Acorns AC VM35-39 18:35 (71.39%), 5 James Brown Derry City TC M40-44 18:40, 6 Robert Bigger Derry City TC VM55-59 19:01 (82.21%), 7 Shaun Deery Derry City TC SM30-34 19:03 (68.24%), 8 Steven Peoples Derry City TC VM35-39 19:20 (70.09%), 9 Declan Murphy VM35-39 19:30 (68.46%), 10 Aron Cole VM40-44 19:52 (69.71%), 11 Peter Middleton SM25-29 19:56 (64.80%), 12 Aidan Devine Springwell SM30-34 20:02 (64.89%), 13 Malcolm McCausland Derry City TC VM60-64 20:15 REC (80.58%), 14 Catherine Whoriskey City of Derry Spartans SW25-29 20:46 (71.27%), 15 Sean Molloy Foyle Valley VM40-44 20:53 (65.84%), 16 Cahill Quinn SM30-34 21:25 (61.25%), 17 Joe McEvoy VM50-54 21:33 (68.45%), 18 Warren McIlmoyle VM35-39 21:44 (60.66%), 19 David Stewart Derry City TC VM45-49 21:48 (66.59%), 20 Niall McShane VM40-44 21:56 (62.23%).