Last night saw Race Director Tommy McDonnell and Dunboyne AC host their 2nd annual Clonee 10km road race in support of our tartan track development.

As many will know by now, with the Clonee 10k comes the promise of a pan-flat course ideal for a personal best, medals, which were very impressive this year, and of course free pizza which is now synonymous with this race. What more can an athlete ask for! It proved to be enough to entice a huge amount of entries. The event was a resounding success, with over 360 entrants, of all standards, travelling to the Meath-Dublin border village from as far afield as Antrim, Wexford and Laois.

The course starts outside the entrance to the new Facebook Data Centre, in an area of huge development and promise for Meath. Its run on fast flat country roads, the route itself was one used for many road races over the years, dating back as far as the early 1900’s, the last of these races was a business houses race hosted by our own Eddie Reid of Kepak, which ceased about 10 years ago.

The evening itself was a blustery one, which may have scuppered some runner’s plans for personal best times, but that didn’t stop a high club participation rate battling for honours at the front of the race. Prizes were awarded to age categories and teams.

The wind did little to stop Dunboyne AC’s Kenyan athlete Peter Somba from running a blisteringly fast 31:00 time to win the men’s senior race, looking comfortable in the process. Next over the line was former Leinster Intermediate cross country winner, Karol Cronin. Completing the podium places on the night in the Men’s senior grade was Rathfarnham’s Shane O’Neill.

In the women’s senior race Dunboyne AC laid claim, in some part, to the winner Catriona Mullen of Shercock AC. Catriona resides in Dunboyne and trains with the Club. There is little doubt of the Club’s association with 2nd and 3rd. In second place was the ever-present effervescent Emilia Dan, one of the most familiar and friendly faces on the Meath racing circuit. Hot on Emilia’s heels was Laura Buckley, who has continued to prove she’s one of the most promising senior runners in the county.

In the team competitions, Dunboyne AC managed to win both the men and women’s competition. The trio of Peter Somba, Morgan McDonagh and Donal Cashin scoring 30 points, fending off a strong challenge from Dublin clubs Lucan Harriers AC in 2nd place with 39 points, and Donore Harriers in 3rd with 46 points. In the women’s team competition the trio of Emilia Dan, Laura Buckley and Clodagh Dunphy secured the honours for the club by a significant margin with a score of 13 points, ahead of Leixlip club Le Cheile AC with 44 points and Sportsworld AC, from Terenure, 3rd place with 48 points.

Prizes were also presented to all category placings, from Junior to M60 & F60. Those results can be view through http://www.myrunresults.com/events/clonee_10k/1745/results

You can view a fantastic selection of photographs of the race here – https://flic.kr/s/aHskzbMeM3

The race drew on support from lots of local clubs, from both sides of the Meath Dublin border, and it was supported financially by a number of sponsors, but primarily local Councillor Damien O’Reilly as main sponsor and associate sponsor Maurice Regan, proprietor of The Grasshopper Inn, Clonee. Both have a long standing association with the host club, which was rejuvenated in the early 1960’s, and at this time Maurice’s father and Damian’s grandfather played a significant part in the reestablishment and growth of the Club at that time.  Both spoke eloquently at the presentation of prizes and have committed to the event again in 2017 which is great news for Dunboyne AC at a time where the support of local businesses and the community is key in achieving its goals.

With an event like this there are always a number of thank you’s to make. We thank all our sponsors sincerely, and would encourage members to support these businesses and people, for without them there would be no Clonee 10k.

Well done to all our teams: registration, catering, promotions, the team on the sponsorship drive, Paul Gorey and his marshals, MC and Race Director Tommy McDonnell, again, our hosts the Grasshopper Inn local Councillor Damien O’Reilly as main sponsor and our other associate sponsors Mace Texaco, Clonee , A NU U Salon, Clonee, Domino’s Pizza, Avonmore and Michael Cornyn.

Above all we’d like to thank the runners who turned out, all 363 of you, brilliant support. We hope this race will grow again in 2017.

A report on the many achievements of our Seniors and F4L’rs in this race will follow in a short while.

The next event on the radar for the club is its inaugural 6k Trail Race in the beautiful Carton House Demense which takes place on Thursday 28th July at 8pm, with entry available through the club website.