Triumphant Road Race Wins and Historic National Championship Highlights for Drogheda & District A.C.

This past week has been nothing short of spectacular for Drogheda & District A.C. with runners delivering standout results in some of the most popular and challenging road races, including the Clonee 10K and the St. Cocas Kilcock 5K.

The highlight of the week, however, was undoubtedly the National Senior Championships at Morton Stadium, where our track team demonstrated outstanding skill and determination, competing against Ireland’s finest. 

Earlier in the week, Dunboyne A.C.'s annual Clonee 10K took place once again, offering participants a fast and flat looped route through the picturesque Meath countryside. The race, starting and finishing near Clonee village, features a gradual uphill climb for the first 5 kilometres followed by a downhill stretch for the remaining 5 kilometres, making it deceptively tough. 

This year saw strong participation from DDAC members, particularly the dedicated Reilly family. The results were as follows: Vincent Sheehy completed the race in 43:55, Nuala Reilly finished in 50:32, earning 1st in her category, Seamus Roe clocked in at 51:27, Olivia Reilly finished in 58:10, and Aishling Reilly completed the race in 59:44. 

On Friday evening, several DDAC athletes headed to Kilcock for the annual St. Cocas Kilcock 5K. This highly anticipated race is known for its fast and flat course, attracting top athletes from clubs across Leinster and beyond.

The race is a true showcase of speed, determination, and competitive spirit. Last year, Efrem Gidey set a new course record setting a new benchmark for the race, but this year DDAC athletes certainly left their mark.

Tadgh Donnelly claimed 1st place with a time of 14:34, followed by Colin Leonard in 15:44, Alan Wade in 18:32, Mary Leech in 18:47, David Murray in 19:27, Yasmin Canning in 20:04 and earning 3rd in her category, Paddy Murphy and Hugh Callan both finishing in 21:41, Nuala Reilly in 24:53, and Conor Cooney in 25:21. Donnelly's victory was closely contested by Ian Guiden of Clonliffe Harriers, both athletes have been neck in neck at recent races over the past several weeks, but Tadgh ultimately secured the win with an outstanding result. 

The highlight of the week was the National Senior Championships at Morton Stadium, one of the most anticipated track and field events in Ireland. Athletes from across the country, including Olympians past and future, gathered for this prestigious competition.

Despite challenging weather conditions on Day one, with continuous showers, DDAC athletes remained in high spirits and achieved remarkable results. Andrew Kelly ran a personal best in the Men's 200m Sprint, finishing 4th with a time of 22.73. Matthew O'Shea also set a personal best in the Men's 1500m, completing it in 4:02. In the Men's 400m Sprint, Jimmy English, despite nursing a foot injury, delivered a strong performance with a time of 58.06, considering the competition English was up against he still delivered an outstanding result.

Day two was even more memorable, drawing what could have been the largest crowd of supporters ever seen at this event. For the first time in DDAC's 25-year history, four of our young athletes competed in the 4x400m national senior relay. The Kelly brothers and the O'Shea brothers faced top competitors and demonstrated their skill and determination, finishing 6th overall with a remarkable time of 3:29.53.

Andrew Kelly ran the first leg, followed by Jordan Kelly, Louis O'Shea, and Matthew O'Shea. Competing alongside some of Ireland’s finest Olympians, including Adeleke, Barr, Lavin, and English, it truly is a remarkable achievement for these young men, one which not only made history for DDAC but more importantly made our club immensely proud of them.