ON a misty evening, Declan Guina (West Limerick AC) took a comfortable victory in the Courtmacsherry 10km road race, finishing 32 seconds ahead of Sean Davin (St Finbarr’s AC) with Bantry AC's Patrick O'Driscoll third.
St Finbarr's AC runner Sinead O'Connor equalled the course record (34 minutes 51 seconds set by Aoife Cooke of Eagle AC in 2023) while she also finished an impressive fifth overall, with last year's winner Jennifer Martin taking second in the female category some 37 seconds behind.
The performance of local Courtmacsherry lady Lucy O'Flynn, a member of Bandon AC, was truly remarkable. On her maiden 10km outing, she came home third in the female category with a time of 37 minutes and 46 seconds.
‘This is my first 10k race – I did a few 5kms – so I'm really happy. I ran alongside a guy from Ballincollig and he was very helpful – he encouraged me to keep going (at his pace) otherwise I probably would have slowed down a lot,’ Lucy said.
The top three in the women's category of the Courtmacsherry 10km road race; from left, Courtmacsherry's Lucy O'Flynn (Bandon AC), who was third in her first ever 10km road race; Sinead O'Connor (Leevale AC) first, and Jennifer Martin (Tafelta AC), who was second and set a PB.
Guina was quickly away as the 430 runners exited the village and was quickly into his unique stride. By the time he reached Timoleague, he was around 60 metres ahead of Sean Davin (St Finbarr's) with Patrick O'Driscoll (Bantry AC) a similar distance further behind in third. The margin remained virtually the same throughout and although Guina tired a little around the five-kilometre mark, neither Davin nor O'Driscoll could take advantage.
‘That's my first win in quite a while, probably three years I think,’ said Guina.
‘I went out at a steady pace, I'd never run here before so I kept the same pace I ran in the Cork City Marathon in June. It’s a good, fast course and that was one of the reasons I came down to get a good time.’
Patrick O'Driscoll, the top West Cork runner, said: ‘I think about 300 metres up the road, Sean (Davin) moved away from me, I thought there would be a pack but I was pretty much on my own and it was all about staying on for third.’
Courtmacsherry's Eoin O'Donovan was the top local runner with a time of 37 minutes 25 seconds, finishing 31st overall.
Even though Sinead O'Connor (Leevale) set a course-equalling record, the organising Courtmacsherry Rowing Club gave her the €100 bonus prize.
The top three in the Courtmacsherry 10km road race; from left, Patrick O'Driscoll (Bantry AC), third; Declan Guina (West Limerick AC), race winner, and Sean Davin (St Finbarr's AC), second.
‘We went out a bit too cautiously at the start because of the head wind. There was a big group so I tucked in,’ said O’Connor, a winner of a recent 10k event around the Marina (Cork).
‘I lost a bit of time in what I was aiming for (the course record), I was in the group and didn't want to push on my own. Three of us did in the second half but there was too much to make up in the end. I feel like I am in good form but maybe just didn't show it tonight. There's a lovely atmosphere here, I will definitely do it again.'
Results: 1. Declan Guina (West Limerick AC) 33m. 00s; 2. Sean Davin (St Finbarr’s AC) 33m. 32s; 3. Patrick O'Driscoll (Bantry AC) 33m. 57s; 4. Michael Morgan (St. Finbarr’s AC) 34m. 31s; 5. Sinead O'Connor (Leevale AC) 34m. 51s; 6. Lawrence Prunty (Unattached) 34m. 52s; 7. Fergus Nugent (Eagle AC) 34m. 55s; 8. Adhamh O'Leary (Leevale AC) 35m. 00s; 9. Daniel Dollard (Bandon AC) 35m. 01s; 10. Gearoid O'Flynn (Eagle AC) 35m. 04s.
Top 6 Female: 1. Sinead O'Connor (Leevale AC) 34m. 51s; 2. Jennifer Martin (Tafelta AC) 36m. 28s; 3. Lucy O'Flynn (Bandon AC) 37m. 46s; 4. Rachel Goggin (Cork Track Club) 38m. 15s; 5. Catherine Murphy (Eagle AC) 38m. 46s; 6. Diane Duffy (unattached) 39m. 15s.
