McGrady Financial Services Junior XC Series – Race 1

Race 1 Provisional ResultsPhotos by Graham McCauley

Sunny September Series Starter
By The Non-Runner
The late September sun prompted the dusting of the sunscreen bottles for the first race of The McGrady Financial Series 2015/16.  Newcastle AC athletes were again joined by East Down AC, Dromore AC, Burren AC and 3 Ways AC.  Over 200 runners had registered online and we had 171 of those rocking up on the day to join in the races and earn valuable series points for their club.

The McCrickard family were noticeable by their absence, word has it that PJ was away dancing.    We have a new team of volunteers for this series, the brave Pauline McCauley, Kathryn Hanna and Joanna Dougherty.  Without them the races would not have gone ahead.  The ladies got together and meticulously planned out each detail of the race in preparation for another successful series.  Word has it that Gwenda Kenneally was up in the early hours to make some tray bakes.  I didn’t see them with my own eyes, but I have it on very good authority.  The detailed planning approach is fairly new to NAC and I’m delighted to say it all went really well.  Well done ladies, keep up the excellent work!  Except erm, who was taking the photos?

Families started arriving to the registration area in good time and we are delighted to welcome all the new runners to our series, and of course it was great to see the familiar faces coming back to join in the fun. This year, in order to streamline registration and compilations of results, the decision was taken to encourage parents to register online and avoid a £2 penalty (which goes to charity at the end of the series).  I know we harp on continuously about online registration, (well, maybe it’s just me), but not only does it help speed up the event it also helps with the results.  At registration we had Collette Valentine and the latest girl band, The 3 Kenneallys.  When Joanna Dougherty wasn’t busy directing traffic she was organising the club kit and making sure all NAC runners were suitably attired.  And yet still some parents were turning up after we should have closed the registration….  Apparently there was someone going around using a cross tone of voice, trying to get the clubs to close registration in order to get the races started.  That person was me.

The duties of MC and starter were ably handled by Richard Rodgers along with NAC’s Kerry O’Flaherty.  At the finish line were Frank Cunningham, Frank Morgan and Phil and Sarah Hodge.

It may just be the first race of the series but the club shields are at stake and from this event it’s wide open.  Get out and run for your club, no matter where you finish you are earning valuable points!

P4 and under
Boys 1st Keiran Trainor EDAC 2nd Leo Madine EDAC 3rd Eoin Eakins NAC
Girls 1st Lyndsey Kelly 3 Ways 2nd Jodi Foster EDAC 3rd Blathnaid McCarthy Burren AC

P5
Boys 1st Noah Sheridan NAC 2nd Tiernan O’Hare 3Ways 3rd Oliver Robinson EDAC
Girls 1st Anna McDonagh Burren AC 2nd Laura Hanna NAC 3rd Amy McCartan Dromore AC

P6
Boys 1st Cathaoir King NAC 2nd Jack Dornan EDAC 3rd James McVeigh NAC
Girls 1st Lauren Madine EDAC 2nd Aoibheann Mynes Burren AC 3rd Aoife Monaghan 3 Ways

P7
Boys 1st Caolan O’Hare 3 Ways 2nd Brian Watters 3 Ways 3rd Mackenzie Murray EDAC
Girls 1st Lara McCarthy Burren AC 2nd Hannah Owens 3 Ways 3rd Kirsti Foster EDAC

Year 8
Boys 1st Odhran Hamilton 3 Ways 2nd Calum McDonagh Burren AC 3rd Ultan O’Callaghan 3 Ways
Girls 1st Caitlin Coffey 3 Ways 2nd Olivia Hall 3 Ways 3rd Sofa McAleer 3 Ways

Year 9
Boys
1st Cathal Farrelly Burren AC 2nd Christopher Neill NAC 3rd Nathan Tumelty EDAC
Girls
1st Aoife McGreevy 3 Ways 2nd Eve Kenneally NAC 3rd Emma McGivern Burren AC

Year 10
Boys 1st Darragh Connolly 3 Ways 2nd adam McKibbin Dromore AC 3rd Adam Morgan EDAC
Girls 1st Edie Carroll EDAC 2nd Hannah Gilliland EDAC 3rd Aine Rice NAC

Year 11+
Boys 1st Ethan Dunn Dromore AC 2nd John Farrelly Burren Ac 3rd Adam Hilditch Dromore AC
Girls 1st Aoife Cochrane EDAC 2nd Ella Carroll EDAC 3rd Elisha Surginor EDAC

Those who stayed on until the end were rewarded, we are grateful to The Toscano for their vouchers for the spot prizes.  The winners were Hayden Tumelty, Lucy Bradshaw, Aine Rice, Laura Green and Eve Kenneally.  Well done and enjoy your pizzas.

Thanks to all the coaches and volunteers from NAC, EDAC, Burren AC, Dromore AC and 3 Ways AC.  A big thanks to the Rangers in Castlewellan Forest Park for again facilitating our race.  Thanks to Hillyard House for their flasks of hot water for the tay. Thanks to all the parents and families who supported our brilliant runners and of course we would not have a series without athletes, we are proud of all of the junior runners, many running the series for the first time.

The next race will be organised by Dromore AC, assisted by 3 Ways AC and is on Sunday 18th October at a new venue for our series, Dromore Lesiure Centre.  For more details visit the website www.newcastleac.org  Please remember to bring your race numbers with you!