Cork athletics ace Lizzie Lee maintains top form in Limerick

LEEVALE'S Lizzie Lee, unbeaten on the Cork roads for the past three months, carried that form over the border to Limerick with another victory and course record at the Dromcollogher four-mile event which was organised by West Limerick AC.

There can’t be too many races taking place on a Monday night but this is one exception to the rule, having now been on the go for well over 40 years as part of the annual local traditional carnival.

In its early days it attracted the likes of Liam O’Brien, John Lenihan and Robert Costello, along with most of Munster’s best. Indeed, on a couple of occasions, Midleton-native O’Brien took the honours a day after winning one of his 11 national steeplechase titles.

This year it was the turn of another Olympian as Lee maintained her impressive winning streak when coming home in a course record of 22:32. This was an improvement on the previous best of 23:01 held Martina Kiely of St Fnbarr’s.

Last year’s winner, Carol Finn - also Leevale – took second in 24:41 with Siobhan Daly from Riocht in Castleisland finishing third in 26:02.

Last year’s places were reversed for the men with Karl Lenihan turning the tables on his West Limerick team-mate Aogan MacDomhnaill, 21:03 to 21:19. Aaron Lynch from the same club finished third in 21:43.

Cork runners amongst the category prize-winners included Shevaun Fahy (Buttevant), first F45 in 35:59; Mary Murphy (Mallow), first F55 in 29:19; Kieran Twomey (Mallow), first M55 in 25:54.

Results 

Men 1 K Lenihan (West Limerick, M45) 21:03; 2 A MacDomhnaill (West Limerick, M40) 21:19; 3 A Lynch (West Limerick) 21:43; 4 T O’Connor (Riocht, M40) 21:49; 5 E O’Connor (Tarbert) 22:03; 6 M Sheehy (West Limerick, M45) 22:18.

Women 1 L Lee (Leevale, F40) 22:32; 2 C Finn (Leevale) 24:41; 3 S Daly (Riocht) 26:02; 4 K Raine (Dooneen, F40) 26:37; 5 K Murray (West Limerick) 26:45; 6 G O’Donnell (West Limerick) 28:13.