Raheny 5 mile – Sunday 26th Jan Some great Rathfarnham WSAF results from Raheny yesterday, of particular note are Sheelagh Jones and Tom Cuddy, both winning their age categories! Sheelagh winning the F65 category in 34:45 and Tom the M65 in 31:13. Great performances too from: Colm Murray 2nd in the M55 category in 30:07 Martin Kelly 3rd in M60 with 31:41 Denis Daly, 4th in M55 in 31:48 Other club results were: Laura RYAN - 00:30:54 - FS Keziah FITZPATRICK - 00:40:32 - FS John MCAULEY - 00:28:56 - M40 Iomhar MACGIOLLA PHÁDRAIG - 00:31:16 - MS Jos LALOR - 00:31:57 - M45 Derek BAIN - 00:39:55 – MS Great running from all. Full results on myrunresults: https://www.myrunresults.com/.../axa_raheny.../5529/details 

Booking now open for the Rathfarnham WSAF AC Annual Awards and Dinner on Friday Jan 31st via Eventbrite: There is a limited number of tickets so don't delay in booking, it's always great fun! 

We had some great runs in the Tallaght 5k on Monday 17th March. First home was Liam Dunne in 16.45, followed by Dermot Shiels 17.29, Michael Murphy 17.38, David Reidy 17.47, Colm Murray 18.27, Laura Ryan 18.28, Aisling O'Connor 18.41, Tom Cuddy 18.58, Clare Shiels 20.56 and Grainne Black 21.58. In the Dublin Novice Road Championships our mens team (Liam Dunne, Dermot Shiels, Michael Murphy, David Reidy) were 5th team. At the Mullingar Half Marathon on 17th March, David Power was 7th in 74.29. Well done to all.

At the Bohernameen half marathon on Sunday 09 March, we had a big club entry with Matthew Kane the leading club runner in 14th place overall. Bohermeen was tough even though it's flat and there's no wind on the course. Some PBs were set and the times were Matthew Kane 1.11, David Power 1.15, Gael Hernandez 1.18, Dermot Shiels 1.22, Colm Murray 1.22, Martin Kitson 1.22, David REIDY - 1.24, Jos Lalor 1.26, Micheál MURPHY 1.27, Gavin Murphy 1.27, Martin Kelly 1.28, Denis DALY - 1.30, Michael STUART -1.37, John MC CABE - 1.45 and Catherine Kelly 1.59. Great running everyone! Some other noteworthy results over the weekend (08 - 09 March) from Rathfarnham WSAF members were Jared Murray continues his comeback with a fine 6th place at the National Indoor 800m in Athlone with a fast time of 1m 56s.. Tom Cuddy took gold in National masters Indoors M65 3000m in 11m 13s. Paul Fleming took 3rd place at the concluding BHAA xc race in ALSAA. And down in Sydney, Australia 2 times National senior women’s 1500m champion, Carla Sweeney posted a PB of 2m 45s on the track over 1000m. Think about that folks next time doing 1k reps. Great running all Reports by Sean McCreery and David Power.

𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗜𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 This Saturday the All-Ireland Schools Cross-Country took place in Galway where close to one thousand secondary school athletes took part in the climax of the All Ireland schools cross country races over four age groups. The venue was on the famous Galway, Ballybrit race course. The Fianna Fáil tent and helicopters may have been missing by the atmosphere was electric with the country’s best young athletes vying for much coveted national medals. Rathfarnham WSAF had 2 athletes, Fionán O'Keeffe and Ryan O Neill running for Terenure College in the opening boys minors and closing boys seniors races. The minor boys race was the typical frantic dash from the gun with Fionán O'Keeffe digging in to produce a very impressive 8th place finish. In the concluding senior race Ryan O Neill was at the business end from the first lap and the initial lead group of 10 soon whittled down to 6. Ryan despite a fall on the 3rd last corner while in 4th, somehow got back on his feet and kept his head to take 3rd and secure a brilliant podium finish. Fantastic running lads and a credit to your coaches, families and school.

At the All Ireland Cross Country races in Wesport on Sunday 09 February 2025 we had some fine performances by our masters teams who brought home several all Ireland Medals. In the M65+ race Tom Cuddy was 2nd home overall and 2nd M65 category. Tom was followed by Donal Murphy 12th and 9th M65, John McHugh 13th and 9th M65 and Terry Clarke 17th and 10th M65. Tom, Donal and John won team Gold in the M65 and also scored on the Dublin Gold medal winning team. Next up was the Masters F50+ Women's race. First home was Donna Mahon 58th and 7th F50, followed by Sheelagh Jones 78th and 1st F65, Vanessa Sallier 94th and 9th F50 and Helen French 112th and 12th F50 to bring our F50+ team homein 4th position. Donna and Sheelagh scored on the Dublin silver medal winning team. In the Masters Men M35+ race Mark Ryan was 5th and 1st M45, followed by Matthew Kane 8th and 5th M40, Louis McCarthy, 16th and 8th M40 and David Power, 21st and 10th M40. These 4 lads took home the M35+ Club silver medal, while Mark, Matthew and Louis scored on the Dublin Gold medal winning team. Well done to all. The full results are on Myrunresults website at https://myrunresults.com/events/123ie_national_inter__masters_xc_championships/5624/results

Whilst the club xc season concluded prior to Christmas the school xc season has just begun with Leinster Schools South, West and East Cross Country Championships taking place in January in Phoenix Park with over 2,000 athletes taking part. The Schools Cross Country Championships allow athletes to swap their club singlets and represent their schools. The age groups include: Minor (Under 14), Junior (Under 15), Intermediate (Under 17) and Senior (Under 19). Many of Ireland’s top long-distance runners have competed in the Leinster Schools Cross Country Championship, using it as a stepping stone to national and international success. Placing in first 12 in regional race qualifies athletes for the Leinster Schools Final on 12 February with the opportunity then to qualify for National Schools Finals in Galway on 8 March. Well done to all club athletes who competed with some fine qualifying performances including Fionnan O Keeffe 1st Minor Boys, Ryan O Neill 2nd Senior Boys, Amelia Byrne 5th Junior Girls, Lucy O Neill 10th Inter Girls Sarah Murphy 11th Senior Girls and Aidan O Connor 12th Senior Boys. These athletes can next look forward to upcoming provincial final. Good runs also from, Keely Sheridan 20th, Aoife Reidy 21st Junior Girls, Ciara MacDonnacha 28th Inter Girls East, Kate Connolly 28th inter Girls West Sarah O Reilly 50th Girls Inter, Lily Lonegan 29th Junior Girls and Philipa McGlynn 26th Senior Girls and Ava McGill.

Leinster Masters Cross Country 2025

Raheny 5 mile – Sunday 26th Jan Some great Rathfarnham WSAF results from Raheny yesterday, of particular note are Sheelagh Jones and Tom Cuddy, both winning their age categories! Sheelagh winning the F65 category in 34:45 and Tom the M65 in 31:13. Great performances too from: Colm Murray 2nd in the M55 category in 30:07 Martin Kelly 3rd in M60 with 31:41 Denis Daly, 4th in M55 in 31:48 Other club results were: Laura RYAN - 00:30:54 - FS Keziah FITZPATRICK - 00:40:32 - FS John MCAULEY - 00:28:56 - M40 Iomhar MACGIOLLA PHÁDRAIG - 00:31:16 - MS Jos LALOR - 00:31:57 - M45 Derek BAIN - 00:39:55 – MS Great running from all. Full results on myrunresults: https://www.myrunresults.com/.../axa_raheny.../5529/details 

Cross country runners are a hardy bunch and the Dublin intermediate and masters cross country championships proceeded yesterday on a bitterly cold, wet and muddy St Anne’s Park. Dublin Masters xc medals are hard won and casting aside the festive season excesses it proved to be a fruitful day for the Rathfarnham athletes. Great credit again to Raheny Shamrocks who never fail to deliver big championship occasions and always greatly supported by their local athletic mad community making for wonderful exciting championship atmosphere. The traditional course had been revised taking in the Clontarf sea facing aspect and incorporating a testing course featuring 2 descendent and climbs which cut up as the afternoon wore on making for proper cross country be brave and keep on your feet conditions. In the team events Rathfarnham took home Gold Team medals in M35 (Mark Ryan, Mathew Kane, David Power and Louis McCarthy) and M65 (Tom Cuddy, Sean Doyle and Donal Murphy) and Silver Team medals in F50 (Donna Mahon, Vanessa Sallier and Sheelagh Jones. So team medals in 3 of the 6 team events! It was the intermediate women who are first into the fray with sole intermediate runner Laura Mills getting the Club rolling. Well, in fact Adam Jones, Owen and PJ were on course some hours earlier strategically setting up Club team and facilities and club athletes are appreciative of their work, thank you lads. The first of the Masters races was the combined W50 plus and M65 race over 3000m, with the weather conditions now worsening as the rain was now lashing down and the course gradually turning into pretty much a mud bath. In this combined race Donna Mahon ran a fine race to finish 2nd in F50 and take silver and Sheelagh Jones going one better winning Gold in F65. Special mention to club stalwart Jackie Kingston digging herself out of the Dublin mountain snow and finishing a fine 4th. In the M65 race Tom Cuddy had a great battle to the line with Sportsworld ultimately winning Silver medal with Sean Doyle taking Bronze medal in 3rd. Next up were the M50 and F35 races with Sean McCreery taking Silver in M55 category and Laura Ryan taking Bronze in F35. The final race on the card was the fiercely competitive men’s M35 plus race and after relentless rain and the previous 5 races the course was an absolute mud bath by this stage. Mark Ryan however made light of the conditions finishing 2nd overall against his younger rivals and taking Gold in M45 category. Great credit also to Mathew Kane finishing 4th overall taking Silver in M40. Alexey Marchenko better known for his marathon exploits ran a great race to take Silver in M35 category.  In the battle for the Masters overall Pat Hooper Cup and despite the heroic efforts over the last few weeks of Team Supremo Owen McLoughlin, hosts Raheny Shamrocks prevailed by 3 points ahead of Clonliffe and 5 points ahead of Rathfarnham. This was a well marshalled club effort with 45 club athletes defying atrocious weather conditions and giving their all. “if we can winter this out, we can summer anywhere!” So a fine start to the year for club athletes with easier days ahead. Next up is the national intermediate and masters championships taking place in Westport on 9 February. Report by Sean McCreery