Setanta Take Second at Croagh Patrick

I know all about the definition of news (the clue is the first three letters folks!) but just to let you know the Setanta team of Paul Mahon, Kevin O'Riordan and myself took second at the Croagh Patrick race on May 1st.

The weather was perfect and the tourists were out in force. I'd looked up the gradient but nothing prepared me for the toughness of the climb on the way up. As I crawled past a rosary-saying bunch on the way up it was all I could do not to join in!

Myself and Kevin must have changed places a dozen time on the ascent but by the top I had a good forty second lead. Which had me all the more startled as he literally slid past me on the way down, letting the scree take his weight as I carefully plucked off the pilgrims on the path beside.

Half way down I reckoned he was as good as gone and I thought the best I could do was to pick a path and try and hold off the evergreen Martin Francis behind me. Alas, Martin got me in the end but pulled me with him and I just pipped Kevin for 20th spot.

There was plenty drama elsewhere as an under pressure Jason Kehoe took shortcut across the scree and then a tumble. Still, Paul Mahon must have been the Setanta man with the most sins to atone for as he charged home in sixth putting us a distant but happy second after Rathfarnham WSAF. Derval Devaney was the first woman home with Brian Furey the first man.

It was a tired set of legs that pushed me up Ben Gorm the day after, my fourth race in eight days, and I plodded home eleventh. Brian Furey was again first man home but Setanta saw a good performance by Kevin to take 8th spot. A super run too from Fermo/DUO orienteer Rosalind Hussey to take the women's race and the record to boot.