Ray Flynn Mile
The streets of Longford provided a great setting on Friday evening last for the Ray Flynn Mile, 5k and Primary Schools races. Both mile races saw international-standard athletes on show and setting quality times with Cian McPhillips (4:09) and Amy O’Donoghue (4:51) taking the honours. Longford AC was well represented by Fiona Gettings and Ashley Ryan in the women’s race with both running very good times.
There were great numbers in the 5k with participants also taking in the same Dublin St/Ballymahon St/New St loop as well as an out-and-back section on the lit-up Royal Canal. The Club was led home by 14-year-old Rian McCaffrey with an excellent 16:55 clocking for fourth across the line.
Primary School races gave the even younger runners the opportunity too to take over the streets of the town with lots of fast running on display while the Athletics Centre hosted the Fastest Feet initiative. Staging a road race in the middle of Longford of a Friday evening was a considerable undertaking and many thanks to all involved with making it happen. Feedback from participants was very encouraging for a running event where St. Mel’s Cathedral provided a majestic backdrop as dusk turned to nightfall.
The event was in conjunction with the Longford Night Time Economy initiative supported by Longford County Council. Thanks also to O’Boyle & Co. Accountants as sponsor, ABC Childcare Drumlish for sponsoring the Elite Women’s Mile and to McDonalds as associate sponsor. A fitting event to mark over 42 years (and counting!) of Longford’s Ray Flynn as Ireland’s fastest ever miler.
Emily Wins Connacht Gold
The Connacht Primary Schools Cross Country finals took place in Mohill on Saturday last with four closely contested 1000m races. An opening race of the 3rd / 4th class girls brought Co. Longford success with a brilliant run by Emily Weafer (St. Mary’s Drumlish) who was first home of 137 finishers. Emily took the lead early on and showed her strength to hold off a late surge by a Mayo athlete to win gold for Drumlish and Longford!
An exciting boy’s race followed with the first finisher placings only decided in the final few metres. Emerging from the pack was the fast-finishing Oran O’Neill (Scoil Samhthann Ballinalee) who claimed an excellent fourth place out of 128 boys.
Jessica Neary of Scoil Mhuire Newtownforbes too earned a top-12 finisher medal for 12th in the 5th / 6th class girls race while Stonepark’s El’Nathan Okoh also claimed a medal with 9th in the boy’s race. 74 children from across the county represented Longford and all did great.
Following the school’s races, the opening round of the Connacht Senior League was held with Barry Sheil placing third in the men’s 6000m. The Connacht Cross Country action moves to Moyne next Sunday when almost 600 athletes in total from across the region will participate as we host the Juvenile Even Ages Championships and round two of the Senior League.
Autumn Open
The other big cross country event last weekend was in Abbotstown with the Autumn Open. Less than 48 hours after her fourth-place finish at the Ray Flynn Mile, Fiona Gettings returned to racing on Sunday afternoon at the Autumn Open Cross Country in Abbotstown. Another very strong performance by Fiona, this time over 6000m, to win the Masters category and claim the prestigious Jim McNamara Perpetual Trophy.
The race also doubled up as a trial to determine selection for next month’s British & Irish Masters International in Belfast. Going by Sunday’s showing, Fiona is in superb form in leading Ireland’s pursuit of team glory in the event.
Combined Events
TUS Athlone hosted the Connacht Secondary Schools Indoor Combined Events on Friday last which bizarrely took place on the outdoor track. Club members Sophia Smith, Adam Mulleady, Sam Davis, John Fitzpatrick, Aistis Vaitkevicius, Patrick McKenna, Leah Waters, Sophia Carey and Sinead Masterson all featured in the Moyne CS colours. The day’s highlight was a Moyne 1-2 in the Minor Boys competition with John taking the gold medal with just 6 points to spare ahead of Aistis winning silver.
