14 hours ago
Drogheda & District's Tadhg Donnelly destroys strong field to win St Coca's 5K
Leading the trio was Andrew Kelly, who burst out of the blocks with intent and set a blistering pace through the first 200. Despite being reeled in by eventual winner Eoghan Buggy of St Abban's AC, Kelly dug deep to fend off a late surge from Éanna McElroy of Ennis Track Club, crossing the line in a superb 51.43sec.
Just behind him, Louis O'Shea demonstrated both grit and consistency as he held off Ciarán Dee of Leevale AC in a closely fought battle, clocking a strong 51.72sec.
Completing the Drogheda lineup was Jimmy English, who ran a steady race to finish in 56.48sec, rounding off a successful day for the club's 400m squad.
With these performances, the Drogheda men once again underscored their growing presence on the national sprinting stage.
There was plenty to cheer about for Drogheda & District AC on Friday last too, as 23-year-old Tadhg Donnelly delivered a commanding performance to win the prestigious St Coca's AC 5K in Kilcock, Co Kildare.
In a highly competitive field, Donnelly crossed the line first in a blistering time of 14:04, finishing 10 seconds ahead of his nearest rival, Daniel Canala. Remarkably, this wasn't even a personal best for the in-form runner, suggesting that even greater achievements are just around the corner.
All eyes now turn to the upcoming Morton Games on Friday week, where Donnelly is widely tipped to break new ground.
Paul Smith also impressed, clocking a solid 15:53 as he continued a fine run of form.
It was especially heartening to see Anna Isgro back in action, completing the course in 21:16.
Conor Cooney and Olivia Reilly also represented Drogheda & District AC with pride, finishing in 24:48 and 24:51 respectively.
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Spirits were high as Drogheda & District AC members took to the roads on Thursday evening for the Clonee 10K, hosted by Dunboyne AC.
With 527 finishers braving the elements, it was a true testament to the dedication and camaraderie that defines local running.
The event was impeccably organised, featuring a reasonably flat course ideal for fast times - though the weather had other plans as the rain kept both runners and supporters soaked throughout the evening.
However, the stewards and volunteers stood patiently in the downpour to keep everything running smoothly and the post-race hospitality didn't disappoint, with hot drinks and delicious pizza served at the Grasshopper Inn .
Drogheda & District had a great turnout, with several strong performances. Aedan Prone led the charge with an impressive time of 36:14, followed by Joe Hammel (39:44), Thomas Breen (40:04), and Karl Cooney (48:08).
Nuala Reilly not only broke the 50-minute mark with 49:53, but also took first place in her category - a fantastic achievement.
Other finishers included David Cooney (50:06), Karen O'Connell (50:11), Seamus Roe (50:56), Mike Staunton (51:07), Margaret Carroll (51:44) and Claire Smith, who crossed the line in 1:02:43.
Elsewhere, Liam Mulligan performed very well in the Phoenix Park on Sunday at the Biofreeze Athletics Ireland Race Series five-mile event, finishing in 11th place with a fine time of 25:42.
