Another victory for Ciobanu

Athletics.

Organised by the local club and sponsored by Right Price Tiles, over 320 runners took to the flat and fast course in cold but sunny conditions.

Ciobanu, running for Clonliffe Harriers, finished 19 seconds clear of Letterkenny’s Ciaran Doherty, the M35 world masters indoor 3000m champion in 2012, the year he also won the Irish cross-country title in the same age-group. Third in 15:38 was Ciaran Lane with Elton Heffernan of the promoting Togher club, having a fine run to take fourth in 15:45.

Teresa Doherty, wife of second-placed Ciarán – who were on a weekend break in Cork – easily won the women’s race in the fast time of 16:42.

Sinead O’Connor of Leevale was second in 17:38 with her clubmate Andrea Bickerdike, better known as a 400m and 800m runner, third in 19:28 in what was her first ever 5km race.