Last year’s McConnell Shield race produced what was described as one of the best races ever in the 80 year history of the event. The chances of anything to equal it were therefore thought to be remote. However it is fair to report that, if anything, the action surpassed that of 2014. An incredible 220 runners turned out for the race, 55 more than last year and boasted a high class elite entry including Paddy Hamilton, Declan Reid, Brendan Teer, Scott Rankin, Mark McKinstry, Brian Campbell, Allan Bogle, Eamonn White, Jarlath Falls and Newcastle’s Seamus Lynch. It was the in-form Hamilton who as pre-race favourite moved to the head of affairs early on the first of the 5 laps race and sat with the leading quartet until Reid upped the pace in lap 3 in an attempt to run the finish out of the Slieve Gullion man’s legs. All the while Lynch was looking ominous in third place but Rankin, Campbell and Teer were beginning to slip out of contention. The decisive move was made by Hamilton early in the final lap and though he never gave up, Reid was unable to close the gap, losing out by 8 seconds at the line with Lynch 6 seconds further back.

CONTRAST
Even allowing for Brendan Teer’s recent Dublin marathon exertions, the fact that he could finish no better than 13th was an indication of the quality of the field at the front. Further proof if it is needed is that while only 8 of the top ten finishers would have beaten my earlier race time of 27.47, they ran 2 miles further. Good to see Tom Dowey make an appearance in Club colours in the same race as me – if we can get one or two more in the “Mature” category to turn out we could have a Senior Senior team.

FRANCIS EARNS HIS INTERNATIONAL CALL UP
Francis Tumelty celebrated his call up to the NI Masters Team for next weekend’s British and Irish Master’s Cross Country Championships in Santry, by being the East Down club’s second man to cross the line. Congratulations and best wishes to him from all at East Down and also to Barrie Atkinson who has again earned his place on the team. Michael Cultra, Ciaran Denvir and Dee Murray all finished close behind Francis while Mark McDowell and Liam Smyth continue to impress as they renew their liking for the grass underfoot. Mark O’Connor and Gary Cull ran well to secure 2 extra points for the Club. However 9 runners is a long way short of the 16 necessary to secure maximum appearance points.
LADIES
The Ladies fielded 5 runners, due to the demands of transfer tests etc on mothers availability, to claim what could be a very valuable bonus point come the end of the season and were well served by Catherine O’Connor in 13th place, Edie Carroll in 25th , her Mum Alison in 93rd in spite of a fall and a trampling on during the first lap, (there was no suggestion of diving here) Janine Murray 120th and Carmel Tumelty 156th in another huge field.

EDIE STARS IN UNDER 14 RACE
Earlier Edie Carroll set the standard for the day with a hard fought 2nd place in the Under 14 Girls race in which Hannah Gilliland was 4th, while Mackenzie Murray running with boys 3 years his senior took 10th place in an excellent 6.46. And half an hour later, as reported above, Edie was in action again in the Ladies race, helping secure points in the Cross Country League contest.
The Under 16 race saw just 6 competitors in total between Boys and Girls line up with the entire Girls field comprising East Down’s Aoife Cochrane, Ella Carroll and Mary Jo Tumelty. Finishing in that order these girls are inspirational to everyone in the club, turning out week after week in all weathers so it was fitting that they should have a podium to themselves for once.

LAURA and ANNA TRIUMPH IN DONEGAL
Several East Down Juniors travelled to Stranorlar for the NI and Ulster Uneven Age Group championships. In the same championships last year
Laura Gardiner finished in 6th place in the Under 17 age group, but this year having moved into the Under 19 category she put her experience from 2 weeks ago in the Under 18 race to good advantage and won the title. Though finishing strongly at Jordanstown she had left herself too much to do and didn’t make the podium. This time however she took the initiative with just over 1 kilometre left and held off the challenge of her rivals from Enniskillen and Omagh to win comfortably by 7 and 21 seconds respectively. She would have been inspired by the performance earlier of her 9 year old sister Anna who was a very close 5th in the Under 11 Girls race and qualifies for the All Ireland Championships next month.

Daiel Atkinson appears to have travelled well, taking 36th place in the Under 17 Boys race ahead of clubmate James Smyth in 52nd . Well Done to all who travelled so far in poor weather and for performing so well in the awful conditions.
LAST WEEK and EVEN FURTHER BACK
Great to note that Bernice McCann was back in action with ever faithful partner Eithne McGrattan in the Born2Run Minnowburn 10K last Saturday, a race in which Niamh Kellett was the 2nd Lady finisher. And a welcome for latest recruit Sean Sealey who completed his first ever marathon in Dublin 2 weeks ago, while his membership paperwork was in the post. Well Done on a splendid time of 4.17 – a good mark for future attempts??

COMING UP
It’s Griddle time again on Sunday 6 December and a big turnout is expected in the event this year, which has increased prize money, a Relay section and is being superbly organised as a project by a class of young people from SERC. The race begins at 12 noon and entries will be taken on the day in Saul GAC Clubrooms from 10.00am onwards.
Joe Quinn

9 November 2015