Double team success for BA&D in sunny Ballyroan
BA&D Laois Senior winning Ladies Team
BALLYROAN Abbeyleix & District AC played the host for the 2025 edition of the Laois Senior Road Championships on Sunday last in a sunny Ballyroan.
The Ladies 4km and Men's 8km followed the loop up the rock, right at Kinsella's, right again down the hill towards Larchfield cross and back to the village via the main Abbeyleix/Ballyroan road.
The Ladies race was led from gun to tape by Kate McDonald in impressive style. This was a third individual title in a row for Kate. Kate's sister Breda, rounded out the podium and added another Senior Bronze to her Cross country bronze last season. Lisa Sweeney (St Michaels) split the sisters for Silver on the day.
With three athletes in the top four, BA&D’s ladies took the team title comfortably from St Michael's (2nd) and St Abban’s (3rd). The BA&D team consisted of Kate (1st), Breda (3rd), Michelle Keenan (4th), Rebecca Condell (8th) and Liz McWey (18th).
The Men's race was over approx 2.5 laps of the course. Cian McDonald took to the lead from the off and held it for the majority of the race, only to be passed by Cian Kelly (St Abban's) with 1km to go and had to settle for second place.
Cian led our men's team to victory by one point, over St Abbans (2nd) and Oughaval (3rd). The Men's team consisted of Cian (2nd), Jack McMahon (3rd), Eoghan Whelan (5th), Ronan O'Reilly (7th), William Kerr (11th) and John Troy (16th).
This day was a milestone for the club as it is a first for both their Men's and Ladies’ Senior teams to take the titles at the same championship.
On the Individual side of things, the club took three of the six medals on offer.
As can be seen from recent results, the club is going from strength to strength and it is hoped to keep this momentum for the coming months.
Well done to all who competed and a word of thanks must go to all who helped in any way, to An Garda Siochana for some great traffic management and to Ballyroan for the use of the Old School on the day.
TOM Dunne headed west last Sunday week (23 March) to compete in the Michael Egan Memorial 8km in Quilty, Co. Clare. This race is part of the 'Run the Banner' series. Tom finished 13th in a time of 30:11.
A shout out must also go to Tom's brother Eamonn who raced on the day. Eamonn, once an Abbeyleix resident, now resides in Quilty and competes for the local club Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare AC Another National title for O'Reilly Also last Sunday week was the date for the National 10km Road Championships which were incorporated in the Dunboyne 10km. The excellently run event attracted a field of just over 1400 finishers.
The race was won by Jack O'Leary, Mullingar Harriers (29:15) and Niamh Allen, Leevale (31:44) which was a new Irish Ladies 10km record for Irish Soil Matthew McConnell led the BA&D contingent in 37th place in a time of 31:34, with Cian McDonald next in 41st place and a time of 31:55 Ronan O'Reilly continued his great vein of form of late to produce another winning performance. Ronan ran a time of 34:45 to take gold in the M55 category ahead of Pauric McKinney and Martin McLucas both of Innishowen AC.
William Kerr rounded out the club finishers dipping under the 36 min mark, completing the 10km in 35:58.
Great running by all four on the day, this bodes well for the season ahead and let's hope Ronan inspires more Success for the year ahead.
