Mayo's Eileen Moran takes West of Ireland women's mini-marathon crown

by Tom Hunt

THE West of Ireland Women’s 10k (aka Mini Marathon) returned to Ballina for the second year yesterday.

It’s the 'biggest women-only sporting event in the west' according to the organisers.

The original purpose of this annual event was to create a fun day, encouraging people to get out, get fit and enjoy the company of other women.

The 10k race is open to serious athletes, fun runners and walkers. Conditions were excellent for running, though a 15°C plus temperature and hardly a flag-stirring made it a challenging day for some.

The measured course starts at Market Square and encompasses a technical 2k around the town centre either side of the River Moy plus an 8k out of town via the Killala Road with the finish on Tone Street.

Mayo AC athletes have been dominant in the event since its inception and Sunday was no exception. There was a good turnout of Mayo AC competitors and they enjoyed the brilliant atmosphere created by runners and supporters.

It was another successful day for Mayo AC runners too, as Colette Tuohy and Mags Glavey were among the category prizewinners, and eight club members finished in the top 30.

Three Mayo natives took the top three places in the race. Aughagower's Ellen Moran (GCH) was the clear winner in 37:42. She’s a previous winner of the event when it was held in Castlebar in 2022, when she clocked 36:57. Ellen was almost a minute outside the 2023 course record by Norah Newcombe Pieterse (36:47).

Two Ballina natives were next home. Sinéad Whitelaw (Mullingar Harriers AC) was second in 38:47 and Serena Tuffy (Dundrum South Dublin AC) finished third in 39:04.

Both Sinéad and Serena finished the race in the same order as they did in 2023.

Colette Tuohy led the Mayo AC finishers home in an excellent seventh place in 41:50 (first W50). She was followed closely by Donna Gallagher, who finished eighth in 42:23, and Eimear Fitzmaurice, who came home ninth in 43:35.

There was great running also by the following Mayo AC finishers: Dee Finnegan 45:00 (47:19 last year; Ruth Carney (46:18), Lucy Tuohy (47:19), Breege Blehein (47:45), Ann McDonnell (47:46), Karen Devaney (49:24), Mags Glavey W70 (49:33) and Helen Ingoldsby (53:30).

LIMERICK

In other weekend results, Mayo AC had three finishers in Sunday morning’s Limerick Marathon.

Darren Flanagan crossed the line in an excellent 12th place in 2:49.55 having reached halfway in 1:21.23. Last month he ran a brilliant 2:45.37 personal best (PB) in Paris.

Gvido Roze came home in 3:44.54 having reached halfway in 1:33.49. Last year he ran the Manchester Marathon in a PB of 3:15.15.

The other Mayo AC finisher in Limerick was Andrew Hayes, who crossed the line in 3:37.55 (halfway 1:29.56).

In the half-marathon, Padraic McVann ran an excellent 1:31.15 to finish fourth M55, and Angela McVann came home in 2:01.05.

That's great running by all five Mayo AC athletes in Limerick, where Tudor Mircea was the marathon winner in 2:24.12.

Meanwhile, on Saturday in the Aran Islands (Oileáin Árann), the annual Iron Inis Meáin event took place. There were three races: 5k, cúrsa crua 10k, and cúrsa fíor chrua 12k.

The cúrsa crua 10k race winners were Kyle Roche (41:16) and the first woman was Eimear O’Leary (42:55).

Congratulations to Paula Donnellan Walsh of Mayo AC, who was the second woman home in a time of 46:49.

Full results of all these events and more photos can be found at https://www.mayoac.com.