Niamh Allen from the Leevale club creates history crossing the line first ahead of the men in the race

It was a historic night at this year’s Midleton five-mile road race which took place for the 40th time. 

Promoted by Midleton AC since 1984, first across the line on this warm evening was a woman, Niamh Allen from the Leevale club.

Very rarely in any such race in the country has a woman finished ahead of all the men and as a bonus Allen’s time of 25:31 has probably only been bettered by the likes of Sonia O’Sullivan and Catherina McKiernan.

But then this 30-year-old originally from the Blackrock Road is no ordinary athlete. 

Back in November, she caused one of the biggest shocks of the year when finishing second to the experienced Ann-Marie McGlynn at the Irish cross-country championships at Fermanagh, thereby gaining automatic selection for the European championships.

In her first international appearance, the Leevale athlete followed that up with the race of her life in Turkey with a marvellous 11th place finish ahead of all the other Irish and Great British athletes.

These two brilliant performances came just a a few months after the birth of her first baby, Lily, back in August. 

She started off 2025 in similar vein with one of the fastest-ever 10-mile times by an Irish woman when setting a course record of 52:51 at the John Treacy race in Dungarvan.

This was followed up with victory at the Dunboyne 10k in March which also doubled up as the national championship over the distance. 

Her time there of 31:44 was the fastest achieved on Irish soil and the third fastest all-time behind O’Sullivan and McKiernan.

“It’s rare that this happens, but I’ll take the win,” said Allen after her Midleton victory. 

“I had no expectations coming into it as I’d never run a five-miler before so I’ll look forward to the next one and see if I can get under the 25:30.

“It’s a lovely course, a fair course with maybe a few more hills than I was expecting. It’s on a lovely country road and I really enjoyed it.

“It was great at the start to have the lads to dovetail off so when I got the lead it kind of motivated me. 

"Over the last 400 metres when I knew I had the win I just enjoyed it as it’s rare that this happens.” 

Second across the line – and first man - was Mark Walsh, also Leevale, in 25:53. This was four seconds faster than he ran when winning the race two years ago.

Making it a night to remember for the city club, Donal Coakley took second (third overall) in 26:24, just five days after a running a marathon in Italy.

Results Overall:

1 Niamh Allen (Leevale) 25:31; 2 Mark Walsh (Leevale) 25:53; 3 Donal Coakley (Leevale) 26:24.

Men:

1 M Walsh (Leevale) 25:53; 2 D Coakley (Leevale) 26:24; 3 N O’Donoghue (East Cork) 26:48; 4 C McCauley (Leevale) 26:52; 5 D Carter (GCH) 26:57; 6 S Dineen (Cork TC) 27:22.

Women:

1 N Allen (Leevale) 25:31; 2 S Hoare (Togher, F45) 30:19; 3 T Muldowney (East Cork) 30:27; 4 C Murphy (Eagle, F45) 31:03; 5 L O’Sullivan (Watergrasshill, F50) 31:56; 6 E Collins (Togher, F35) 32:38.