Liffey Valley Athletic Club

Women’s and Men’s Teams Win Leinster Senior Titles
Sunday, 12 November, 2017

Adamstown, Co. Wexford

It was a great day for Liffey Valley in Adamstown Co. Wexford on Sunday (Nov.12th) when both women’s and men’s team won the senior club titles.

With a chilly breeze blowing and some muddy patches together with a couple of hills it was the first real cross country test of the season. The women were first in action in defence of their team title and Eimear and Sile settled into the first ten with the early pace being set by Siofra O’Flaherty of St. L.O’Toole but she was to pay for her youthful enthusiasm as the race progressed fading to third after having a lead of some 30 metres on the first lap.

It was obvious to those watching that placings were of the essence in the battle for the team title. Eimear led the team home in 10th place with Sile next in 13th. Aileen was 16th followed by Annie in 21st and Jenifer battling with scoring members of teams in 37th.

Our score of 60 points was two ahead of Sli Cualainn on 62 with Dunboyne third on 71. The old mantra of every place being vital was real as all team members gained places on the final lap of what was a testing 5k.

The women’s team have quite a record in this event since winning the Novice and Intermediate titles in 2013, moving up to win silver in the senior in 2014, going one better in 2015 and gold in 2016 and now in 2017 retaining their title.

The men’s race over 10k presented a challenge with hills and some mud to test the athletes. When the race settled down after one lap Kilkenny’s Thomas Hayes made his intentions clear as he moved to the front and Peter Arthur and Neil O’Rourke settled into the chasing bunch and set a firm foundation for what turned out to be a team victory with Raheny providing the challenge.

Peter ran a fine race to finish second with Neil O’Rourke, having his best run ever just losing out on the last lap for the third spot, in 4th. Mike McCarthy 14th and Chris Morgan 22nd completing the scoring four. Pierce Geoghegan (36th), Paul Balfe (50th), Andy Nason (55th), Brendan Beere (64th), and Matt Blyth (66th) all made a contribution to the team effort.