Raheny athletes race into the history books

RAHENY Shamrock Athletic Club re-wrote the history books on November 27 when they reached the Promised Land, winning the blue riband of cross country running at the National Sports Campus, Abbotstown. 

The National Senior Men’s Cross Country Club Championship has evaded the club since it was founded in August 1958.

It hasn’t been for the want of trying, though, for the Raheny club with eight silver and four bronze medals having been claimed since the turn of the century.

While both Mick Clohisey and Vinny Mulvey have landed individual national senior titles, the club title has proved most elusive with just four separating bronze medallists Raheny from winners Clonliffe Harriers in November 2015.

Rio 2016 Olympian Clohisey was aiming for his fourth national individual cross country title although he came undone due to the fast moving Mark Christie.

Clohisey refused to be deterred and battled back strongly over the final lap to take silver, unable to reel in Mullingar man Christie who landed his first national senior title.

Clohisey was ably backed up by the Dooney brothers Kevin and Conor who took sixth and 11th place respectively.

Mark Kirwan, in 19th place, brought the team home just three weeks after securing the national bronze medal in the Dublin Marathon.

Kirwan’s finish brought the team’s total points to 38, a whopping 63 points clear of silver medallists Ennis Track club and securing the National title for the Raheny men.

What made it special for the club was the homegrown composition of the team. Clohisey and Kirwan were both part of the St Paul’s College, Raheny team which won the All-Ireland Schools title in 2003, while Kevin Dooney, winner of the Junior Cros -Country title in 2012, also led Raheny Shamrock AC to their third National Junior Club title that day.

It may have been four members collecting the trophy, but it was the larger team which made the victory possible with Cillian O’Leary and Ian Conroy pushing Kirwan close for the fourth spot.

“It was a fantastic day for everyone involved,” declared Olympic marathoner Clohisey. “It’s been a long time coming but today was our day.

“It’s great to put a smile on the face of our coaches Dick Hooper, Paddy Noonan, Pat Hooper and Paul Brady who have been working on this title for so many years.”

Clohisey added: “It was also great that we had such a large support on the course from all areas of the club.”

The win completed the Triple Crown for the Raheny men who had won the Dublin Cross Country and Leinster Cross-Country titles in early November.

The club also won the National Road Relay title in April. Raheny Shamrock AC’s next target is the European Club Cross Country in Albuferia, Portugal on February 5, 2017.

REPORT: Dave Hooper