Race 6

Hen Cock

8th May 2003

Race 6 (of 11)

Carty tightens his grip, McBurney romps home

The Hen & Cock race represents, already, past the half way of the Acheson & Glover Hill & Dale Series. Another 96 runners turned up for this week's challenge, which like all the other races in the Series is unique.
The weather was fine, after some earlier heavy showers and the recent wet weather, the underfoot conditions were wet in places. North Belfast's Neil Carty was hoping to make the most of the absence of Robbie Bryson and Deon McNeilly to make it three wins for the year and to take him into the Series lead. Bryson's and McNeilly's club mate, Ally McKibbin had other ideas and stalked Carty step for step up the first steep climb of Hen mountain. In the ladies category, Ballymena's Sharon McBurney was aiming for the victory to practically secure the title this early in the Series with five wins from the first six races.
It takes all sorts to make up a field of runners and special attention is drawn this week to the renowned architect, ACKC's Peter McGookin, whose achievements include the Waterfront Hall. However, whilst the Waterfront was completed on time, McGookin's timekeeping has worsened with the passage of time and he has singularly failed to make any race this season in what would be described as 'sufficient' time for the start. This has two impacts, the organisers and marshals are unsure exactly how many are in the race and, despite his useful shape, for a man of his age, he finishes further down the field than if he managed to turn up in time. This week was, obviously, no exception as he set off once again behind the mass of 95 runners quickly catching, it has to be said, Blayney's finest Dermot Neary. McGookin eventually came home 61st in just under 43 minutes having passed 35 runners only this week. I wonder if he will make it some week on time or is this to remain but a distant memory of halcyon days of towers and turrets and his Waterfront monument pride and joy.
Meanwhile, not long after McGookin got going Carty and McKibbin were descending from the summit of Hen, less than seven minutes after the start, and behind a bunch led by Ballymena's Alex Brennan, tailed by Newcastle's Damien Brannigan, fresh (if that is the right word) from his 2 hours 52 Belfast Marathon on Monday, Stevie Cunningham and Albertville's Steve Begley. Across the boggy ground and onto the climb of Cock and Carty made the decisive move, pushing hard he stole a few yards, McKibbin hit back, but soon after the elastic was broken and Carty pushed on to gain a 10 second lead by the summit of Cock arriving there in around 19 minutes.
On the fast descent Carty made his lead tell with McKibbin fighting hard but to no avail, Carty came home for his third victory in 28 minutes 45 seconds and a 44 second gap to McKibbin, who in turn had over two minutes on the fast finishing Brennan. Recent Newcastle AC recruit Stevie Cunningham produced the best run of his life in 4th, just out kicked by Brennan posting a fast 31 minutes and 34 seconds.
Former winner, BARF's Jim Brown was first veteran 40 in 32 minutes and 25 seconds. One of the other performances of the night came from the steadily improving Jonathan McCloy from mid-Ulster, who over the past two seasons has quietly progressed up the field and tonight produced his first top ten finish ever, coming home in 9th in 33 minutes and 18 seconds. At only 17, McCloy capped a successful past few weeks with this run and has great potential for the future and is now running better in than Eoghan Gill, last year's top junior, was at this time last year.
Larne's flying (he hasn't been this year yet) doctor Peter Howie showed a tentative return to form with his 11th place and first veteran 45 in 33 minutes 37 seconds with Albertville's Billy McKay, another Belfast Marathon participant, coming home first veteran 50 in 34 minutes 7 seconds. First veteran 55 was BARF's Denis Rankin in 21st overall in 36 minutes 15 seconds with Legends' Tom Donnelly first veteran 60.
Meanwhile, McBurney dominated the woman's section again to come home in 38 minutes 1 second, 46 seconds outside the still injured Shileen O'Kane's course record. Second to McBurney was also first lady veteran Alwyn Shannon in 48th overall in 40 minutes 40 seconds to tighten her grip on 2nd in the Series. 3rd lady was BARF's Stephanie Pruzina in 65th overall in 44 minutes and 12 seconds.
Alwyn and Dave Bell led the runners in the post-race celebrations to Downey's in the Square in Rathfriland, where a warm welcome was received for the prize-giving. Next week is the gap week and the Series returns for the first of five straight races, the Monument Race in Tollymore Forest, on 22nd May.

BOGBOY

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