Injury-hit Nollaigh O’Neill digs deep in Cork City Marathon while Philip Harty dominates on debut

Hometown heroine Nollaigh O’Neill claimed back-to- back victories in the Irish Examiner Cork City Marathon yesterday, overcoming recent injury struggles to take the women’s title in 3:00:41, while the men’s race was won for the first time by Waterford’s Philip Harty in 2:32:59.

O’Neill’s participation had been in doubt before the race as she severely injured her ankle two weeks ago, but the 44-year-old Leevale athlete battled through the pain over the latter half of the race to become the fourth two-time winner in the race’s 10-year history.

“It was a slow time, but I don’t care,” said O’Neill afterwards. “Considering my injury, I’m absolutely delighted. I had a terrible accident two weeks ago, I fell off a footpath, and I didn’t think I’d be running today. I was worried about my ankle, and it did affect me, but I wanted to fight through it. It held me back, but I just dug deeper and it worked out.”