Latest news with #TadhgDonnelly
Irish Independent
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Tadhg Donnelly leads the charge as Drogheda & District AC take Dunshaughlin by storm
Against this high-calibre field, Drogheda & District AC rose to the occasion in stunning fashion, clinching the coveted first-place team prize in what many consider one of the most competitive road races on the provincial calendar. Tadhg Donnelly started well and got into the lead group, holding off tough competition to put in a challenge for the win at the half-way point. In the end he was beaten by just seven seconds as he scorching around the course with a time of 29:37. He was backed by strong performances from teammates Paul Smith, Colin Dyas and the determined Colin Leonard. The atmosphere in Dunshaughlin was electric, with enthusiastic local support lining the course and good - although warm - summer running conditions contributing to fast times across the board. The event has a good, flat route, although there is a tough hill just past the half-way point which caught out those that did not pay enough respect to it. Paul Smith, Paddy Murphy and Nuala Reilly all won best-for-age category prizes, and Paul Kierans had a stunning personal best (36:42), almost a minute and a half quicker than his last 10k in Drogheda seven weeks ago. For Drogheda & District AC, taking the overall title adds to a growing list of achievements this season and underlines their strength and depth in team competition. They can now look forward with confidence to entering teams at upcoming road and track racing events, including the annual Louth Track Championships which will be held at Lourdes Stadium on Thursday July 17. Elsewhere, two of Drogheda & District's standout local athletes delivered stellar performances at the UCD Track & Field Meet 2025, each recording a season's best in the Men's 400 metres. Gerry O'Connor clocked a time of 1:01.51, while Jimmy English surged to a strong finish in 56.45, both demonstrating form and determination as they competed among a talented field. Their efforts marked a significant step forward in their seasons, reflecting hard work and consistent improvement on the track. For English, the performance was a return to form after a challenging early season, while O'Connor's run marked his most competitive time yet, showing he's hitting peak condition as summer races approach. ADVERTISEMENT Both men ran smart, focused races and it's a testament to the training they've put in. Meanwhile, veteran sprinter Tony Corcoran delivered a masterclass in speed and determination at the Northern Ireland Masters Track & Field Championships held on Saturday at the Mary Peters Track in Belfast. Competing in the over-60 age category, Corcoran clinched double gold with commanding performances in both the 100m and 200m sprints. He stormed to victory in the 100m, crossing the line in a blistering 13.74 seconds, before following up with another dominant run in the 200m, clocking an impressive 28.5sec. His times not only secured first-place finishes in both events but also highlighted his exceptional athleticism and dedication to the sport.
Irish Independent
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Drogheda & District AC's Aoife Mundow is ‘ultra' impressive as she sets stunning new course record
Aoife finished in a time of 2:06:17, taking nine minutes off the previous best time and finishing first female and third overall. The race started at Dublin Castle and the runners made their way out to Kippure Estate in Wicklow, a distance of approximately 26km with a 650m elevation. Much further afield, Drogheda & District's Tadhg Donnelly had another incredible run in the 1500m at the Harry Ellis Invitational Meeting in New Jersey as the young man from Clogherhead finished sixth for his Iona college team in a super-fast time of three minutes 43.97 seconds and he is now the third fastest 1500m runner of all time in Louth. Back in Europe, Liam Farrell completed the Geneva 10K on Saturday evening in 51:15 and Fiona Branigan finished in 1hr 16min. Also on Saturday, there was fantastic running from the Drogheda & District juveniles at the Louth Championships up in Bush. The sun was shining and the atmosphere was electric as more than 40 of the club's juveniles took part and there were medals galore. Nancy Clerkin was second in the U12 shot putt, Isabella Ojo of St Paul's school was third in the U13 javelin, Euan Kirwan was third in the U13 shot put and Hannah Cunningham placed second in the U14 1500m race. In the U14 200m heats Eve Russell was second, as was Emily Garvey in her race, with Emily Cooney fourth. Danielle Nolan was second in the U15 80m hurdles and won both the high jump and 200m in her age group, while Beatrice Cunningham came second in the U15 1500m race. The podium finishes continued as Micheal Iloduba won the U16 200m, Lily Fitzharris came third in the U17 200m race, Aine Carroll won the U17 1500m, James Traynor placed third in the U18 200m, Niamh Carroll came third in both the U19 200m and 1500m races and Cormac Russell took first place in the javelin. There was more good news when Drogheda & District clubman Christopher Keenan was selected on the Leinster team for the Men's 1500m in the CSIT Games in Greece, based on his fine run last weekend.
