National Road Relays, Raheny, 13 April 2008.

Eagle's senior women's team of Niamh Roe, Rhona Lynch and Ann Marie Healy finished in second place in a highly competitive National Road Relay Championships in Raheny on Sunday.

Before the start people were asking about this new club from Cork but were not being mentioned as possible medal winners. Favourites for the event were the host club Raheny Shamrocks which included two members of the Irish team (Anette Kealy, Orla O'Mahony) that ran in the recent World Cross Country in Edinburgh. The only other team from Cork were Bandon (Colette Tuthill, Carmel Crowley and Louise Cavanagh).

The course consisted of a lap (just over a mile) around a housing estate in Raheny with the 1st leg runner doing one lap, 2nd leg; two laps and 3rd leg; one lap. The course itself was flat, half on concrete and half on tarmac and was car free for the duration of the races.

Fourteen teams lined up for the start of the Senior Womens race. Niamh went first for Eagle and ran a great race to come in to the first changeover in 5th position running 5.37 in the process. Raheny were in the lead with Finn Valley in second. 

Rhona went next in the two lap leg. Rhona's main concern was how close she could keep to Carmel Crowley over the two miles. She went off 13 secs. ahead of Carmel and coming through after the first lap that gap was down to 6secs. and Eagle were still in 5th place. A great second lap by Rhona brought Eagle through to the second changeover vying for 3rd place with Rathfarnham and had increased the gap on Carmel to 19 secs.

Ann Marie was just behind Helen Leonard of Rathfarnham starting out on the last leg. Leonard had been ahead of her on road and cross country over the winter while Ann Marie had beaten her at the indoor track so it was going to be a close one to call. Ann Marie passed her early in the lap but Leonard got in front again just before halfway. Both of them passed the Finn Valley runner and just when it seemed that Leonard was pulling away Ann Marie upped the pace again and with 250 metres to go unleashed her renowned finishing kick that Leonard had no answer for to take the silver medals for Eagle. Louise Cavanagh ran a great last leg to bring Bandon home in 4th position.

Results; Senior Women;

1st. Raheny Shamrocks;  A Kealy 5.18, O O'Mahony 11.07, S Byrne 5.24.  21.49

2nd. Eagle AC;          N Roe  5.37, R Lynch 11.25, A M Healy 5.35.  22.37

3rd. Rathfarnham;       D Mahon 5.45, C Jennings 11.17, H Leonard 5.40. 22.42

It was a great day for the host club with Raheny winning the Senior Women, Masters Women, Masters Men and second to Clonliffe in the Senior men. 

(Report by Pat Murphy)

Well done to Niamh, Rhona and Ann Marie and, of course, Team Coach Liam Doherty!