Aoife Cooke and Sergiu Ciobanu deliver again in Fermoy road race
Sergiu Ciobanu, winner of the Fermoy four-mile road race, receiving the Bob Burke Cup from the man in whose honour the race took place. Also pictured is Sinead Cotter, Chairperson of Grange-Fermoy AC. Picture: John Walshe
OVER a slightly changed course, Sergiu Ciobanu repeated his first place from last year at the Fermoy road race and for good measure recorded a time 15 seconds faster of 19:50 for the four miles.
In the women’s race, Olympian Aoife Cooke continued her build-up to the Antrim Half-Marathon later this month with an easy victory in a time of 22:34.
The well-organised event attracted a total of 213 runners (including 48 from the host club) and was held in honour of long-serving and esteemed Grange-Fermoy club member Bob Burke, who was on hand on the night to present the prizes.
Ciobanu brought James McCarthy’s recent run of successes to an end when moving away for a clear win, finishing 46 seconds ahead of the East Cork man.
Donal Coakley of Leevale – fourth last year in 21:36 – moved up place to take third in 20:39, almost a minute faster than 12 months ago.
“I’m happy with that, and to break 20 minutes on my own, although it doesn’t get any easier,” admitted former national marathon champion Ciobanu who has been involved with the club in Fermoy in a coaching capacity for the last eight years.
For Cooke, it was her second win on the road after setting a course record over 10km at Courtmacsherry a few weeks before.
“I just came back from holidays yesterday and saw this was on so instead of doing a session I decided to run.
Michelle Kenny of Leevale, seldom out of the prizes, took second spot in 23:21 with another new addition to the city club, Marie Howard, finishing third in 26:11.
1 S Ciobanu (Clonliffe) 19:50; 2 J McCarthy (East Cork) 20:36; 3 D Coakley (Leevale) 20:39; 4 M Herlihy (North Cork, M40) 20:55; 5 B Twohig (St Finbarrs, M40) 21:00; 6 D Whelan (Slaney Oly) 21:28.
3 B Hartnett (Dundrum) 21:56.
1 S Spratt (Mallow) 25:01; 2 P Lavoie (Grange-Fermoy) 25:34; 3 C Tierney (East Cork) 27:34.
1 L O’Connor (Grange-Fermoy) 22:37; 2 J O’Sullivan (Grange-Fermoy) 24:17; 3 K O’Connor (Grange-Fermoy) 24:41.
1 D Holian (Mooreabbey) 25:27; 2 K Twomey (unatt) 25:44; 3 B Lenihan (Grange-Fermoy) 25:49.
1 M Lynch (Eagle) 24:38; 2 P Bransfield (St Nicholas) 29:33; S Dorney (Galtee) 30:20.
1 G Kervick (Mooreabbey) 27:55; 2 S Kelleher (Mallow) 28:52; 3 K Quilligan (Mallow) 33:11.
1 J Gough (West Waterford) 26:12; 2 J Walshe (RRC) 36:52.
1 K Clancy (Grange-Fermoy) 26:06; 2 C Blastiand (unatt) 29:59;
1 A Cooke (Eagle, F35) 22:34; 2 M Kenny (Leevale, F40) 23:21; 3 M Howard (Leevale) 26:11; 4 L Crowley (Watergrasshill, F45) 26:21; 5 S Holland (Eagle, F45) 26:37; 6 T Dorgan (unatt, F45) 26:59.
2 E Buckley (Bweeng TB) 27:53; 3 B Lynch (St Catherines) 28:54.
2 P Ryan (unatt) 28:35; 3 M-T Buckley (Bweeng TB) 30:31.
1 S Magorrian (Grange-Fermoy) 29:39; 2 N O’Keeffe (Watergrasshill) 31:57; 3 M-C Healy (Grange-Fermoy) 33:45.
1 C Delaney (Clonmel) 33:13; 2 C Clancy (St Catherines) 33:53; 3 F Shine (unatt) 36:50.
1 M Cotter (Tracton) 32:10; 2 M Lee (St Catherines) 40:09; 3 A Morrison (Grange-Fermoy) 49:57.
1 Rachel Walsh (Grange-Fermoy) 27:48; 2 S Corrigan (unatt) 32:05; 3 Rebecca Walsh (Bridevale) 32:17.
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