John Coghlan held off London 2012 Olympic marathoner Mark Kenneally to take the St. Patrick’s festival 5k road race in Dublin city centre yesterday, a race organised by his father Eamonn Coghlan.

A fifth victory in a row by Sergiu Ciobanu of Clonliffe Harriers in the men’s race in and a course record winning time of 54:20 by Maria McCambridge of Dundrum South Dublin Athletic Club were the highlight performances at yesterday’s annual Ballycotton 10 mile in East Cork — the 38th running of this Irish road classic.

Sergiu Ciobanu didn’t take long to understand the prestige and history of the Ballycotton ‘10’. Fresh off the plane from Moldova, Ciobanu quickly realised victory in East Cork would guarantee household status in local running circles.

A surprise, but welcome, women’s team bronze medal brightened up a mixed day of Irish performances in Borovets as Fionnuala Britton battled to a sixth place finish at the European Cross Country Championships yesterday.

Fionnuala Britton led Ireland women’s team to bronze at today’s European cross country championships in Samokova, Bulgaria.

Sergiu Ciobanu of Clonliffe Harriers coasted to a comfortable victory in yesterday’s Ballycotton 10-mile in East Cork — the 37th edition of this famous road race classic.

Sergiu Ciobanu, the Moldovan native who runs with Clonliffe Harriers, will start favourite to win tomorrow’s annual Ballycotton 10 mile road race in East Cork — the 37th edition of this classic event.

Mary Cullen stormed to a course record of 25 minutes and 37 seconds in windy conditions at the Axa Raheny five-mile race yesterday while there was also plenty of action in the Woodie’s DIY National Junior and U23 Championships in Athlone.

It was a case of third time lucky for a delighted Siobhan O’Doherty as she led home over 40,000 women at the Flora Women’s Mini Marathon in Dublin in 34:20 having finished second the previous two years.

Sergiu Ciobanu (Clonliffe Harriers) coasted to victory in the 36th running of the Ballycotton 10 mile road race.

Strong wind at Santry Stadium played a telling factor on Day One of the 2012 Woodies DIY National Track and Field Championships today.

LINDA BYRNE will add to an already exciting women’s field in the National Lottery Dublin Marathon this morning with the national championships incorporated in the event.

CAITRIONA JENNINGS, Sportsworld Running Club, Terenure, yesterday led home a field of over 40,000 in the Flora Women’s Mini-Marathon in Dublin.

THE icy weather conditions failed to deter some of Ireland’s top athletes from competing at the Woodie’s DIY cross country championships at Gransha Park in Derry yesterday.

JAMIE COSTIN achieved the qualifying standard for the European championships but there was disappointment for Robert Heffernan and Olive Loughnane who were both disqualified at the Coppa Città di Sesto San Giovanni IAAF Race Walking Challenge on Saturday.

OVER 3,000 runners will go to the starting line for tomorrow’s “Ballycotton 10”, Ireland’s most enduring and successful road race.

DERVAL O’ROURKE continued her preparations for this month’s world indoor championships in Doha with a season’s best in Norway on Saturday.

EILEEN O’KEEFFE launched herself into 13th position in the global rankings for the year when she took her national record to 73.21 metres en route to a seventh successive hammer throw title at the Woodies DIY National Track and Field Championships at Morton Stadium on Saturday.

DERMOT GALVIN (St John’s AC) heralded his return to domestic competition with his first win in the Munster senior cross-country championships at St Augustine’s College, Dungarvan, yesterday, when he put his pre-Christmas injury problems behind him to win the title at the expense of fellow Clareman James McIntyre (Tulla) and fast-finishing Bryan McMahon (Carraig na bhFear).