Hill and Dale Race Series Results 2003
Race 1
Race 2
Race 3
Race 4
Race 5
Race 6
Race 7
Race 8
Race 9
Race 10
Race 11
Overall


Race 7

The Monument Race

22nd May 2003

Race 7(of 11)

McBurney secures Acheson & Glover Hill & Dale Title for 2003

The summer is a fast fading memory and the recent weeks of rain and more rain have left the narrow forest tracks used in the Monument Race muddy, to say the least. This was the seventh race of eleven in this year's Acheson & Glover Hill & Dale Series.

Thursday night, itself, was mild with a strong westerly wind, which would batter the runners on the open mountain behind the forest park itself on the short climb out to Luke's Mountain and back. 109 runners toed the start line for the cavalry charge from the Pillar down to the Ivy Bridge.

To cut a short story even shorter, Ballymena's Sharon McBurney decimated yet another field to win her sixth race of the season and capture the 2003 ladies title with the perfect score of six wins, with four more races yet to go. McBurney has dominated the Series like Shileen O'Kane has done in recent years and, on the way, stolen some of O'Kane's records. Tonight, the race was again more to McBurney's liking and she stormed around to finish 23rd overall in 35 minutes and 41 seconds, a new record with this being a new course. As McBurney gets stronger in future years and better at the more technical descents, she is surely destined for a long time at the top of the sport locally or will O'Kane make a serious comeback?

Behind McBurney, Newcastle AC's, out of Rathfriland, Alwynn Shannon came home first lady veteran in 39 minutes 33 seconds, again improving with every race, 2nd overall and securing the 2003 lady veterans title. Congratulations also to Shannon on securing the victory so early. Third lady was Violet Linton in 40 minutes 6 seconds.

The men's title will likely go to the wire with the picture slightly clearer but not complete after this evening's race. From the gun, North Belfast's Neil Carty made his intentions clear covering the early five minutes downhill at breakneck speed shepherded by BARF's Simon Taylor and Newcastle's Alan McKibben. Deon McNeilly, current champion, soon worked his way to the front on the climb and pulled slowly away stalked by Carty. The climb from the Shimna River to the top of Curraghard took the leaders just over 9 minutes, very steep at times.

Behind, one of last year's Northern Ireland World Cup representatives, Willowfield's Gareth Arnott, making his first Hill & Dale appearance of the year, was in a nip and tuck battle with Newcastle's Damien Brannigan. Neither could catch McKibben, but were moving clear of the rest of the 104 runners, including Taylor, now suffering a little on the steep climbing.

Off the summit of Luke's Mountain and McNeilly had a ten second advantage over Carty, a win tonight would close the gap on Carty who has three wins against McNeilly's one. But Carty had other ideas. Over the years Carty has slowly improved both his strength and speed and tonight he had McNeilly in his sights. It takes less than 10 minutes to get to the finish at the top of the 'green rigg' at the Car Park. After the fast initial drop, the return becomes more undulating, but still fast and it was here that Carty caught and surged past McNeilly and text-book stuff, didn't let up but pushed home his advantage, pulled further away and left McNeilly with no hope.


Could this be the turning point of this year's series? Carty's time of 29 minutes and 8 seconds was 18 seconds clear of McNeilly, giving him four wins against one. Four races are left, but can McNeilly do enough to win? One more victory and the title will be Carty's. With McKibben in third and Brannigan fifth, Newcastle secured the team.

First veteran 50 was Albertville's Billy McKay, securing the veteran 50 title. First veteran 45 was Team Purple's Cookie O'Hagan in 12th overall in 33 minutes 54 seconds. First veteran 55 was Jim Patterson, edging out Willowfield's Des McHenry. First veteran 60 was ACKC's Tom Donnelly in 60 minutes 27 and also a word for Jim Metcalfe, first veteran 70 in 104th overall in 50 minutes and 8 seconds.

Next week is the Loughshannagh Horseshoe from the Spelga Pass at 7.30pm as usual.

BOGBOY

1 Neil Carty North Belfast O
29:18
2 Deon McNeilly Newcastle AC V40
26
3 Alan McKibben Newcastle AC O
30:50
4 Gareth Arnott Willowfield O
31:30
5 Damien Brannigan Newcastle AC O
35
6 Simon Taylor BARF O
58
7 Steve Begley Albertville O
32:41
8 Richard Rodgers Newcastle AC O
33:07
9 Paul Rodgers Newcastle AC O
23
10 Stevie Cunningham Newcastle AC O
28
11 Billy McKay Albertville V50
33
12 Francis O'Hagan Team Purple V45
54
13 Joe McCann Newcastle AC O
34:02
14 Cathal McGreevy Team Purple O
21
15 Gary Bailey ACKC O
31
16 Jim Patterson Newcastle AC V55
41
17 Johnny Gregg Team Purple O
46
18 Mark Kendall Newcastle AC O
57
19 Richard Cowan Willowfield O
35:04
20 Jonathon Lynn U/A O
08
21 Lee Maginnis U/A O
16
22 Mael O'Hare Newcastle AC O
29
23 Sharon McBurney Ballymena L
41
24 Barry Wells Newcastle AC V40
54
25 Des McHenry Willowfield V55
59
26 Mervin Chambers Willowfield V40
36:06
27 Eddie Bell Abbey V40
21
28 Owen McMurray U/A OJ
32
29 Eddie O'Hagan Team Purple V40
49
30 Charlie McAlinden Newcastle AC V45
59
31 Richard Campbell ACKC O
37:17
32 John Stevenson Ballydrain V45
33
33 David Bell Newcastle AC V40
35
34 Ian McCollam U/A O
36
35 Peter McGookin ACKC V50
54
36 David Fulcher U/A V45
38:10
37 Samuel Herron ACKC O
13
38 John Savage Newcastle AC V45
15
39 Kevin Balmer U/A V50
18
40 Jez Anderson U/A O
24
41 Jim Johnston U/A V45
34
42 John White LVO V45
41
43 Peter McClenaghan BARF V40
44
44 William Marks ACKC O
46
45 Mark Allen Willowfield O
50
46 Derek Parkins Albertville V40
39:03
47 Brendan O'Boyle Larne OJ
12
48 Mark Hanna U/A O
14
49 Wes Kettyle ACKC V50
16
50 Cecil McCullough U/A V40
17
51 Brian Campbell Newcastle AC O
24
52 Jonathon P Sloan ACKC O
27
53 Alwyn Shannon Newcastle AC LV
33
54 James Keown U/A O
39
55 Mike Barton ACKC V50
45
56 Francis Boal Ballydrain V55
49
57 Violet Linton LVO L
40:06
58 Brian Wilson U/A O
9
59 Euan Naismith U/A O
14
60 WJ Brown Newcastle AC V50
25
61 James Smyth U/A V40
28
62 Stewart Magill U/A O
42
63 Ricky Cowan Willowfield V50
42
64 Martina Elliot Lunchtime Legends LV
46
65 Mervyn McCollam U/A O
48
66 Andrew Campbell ACKC O
52
67 Tom Donnelly ACKC O
41:06
68 Brian White LVO OJ
22
69 Paul Fegan U/A O
30
70 Ed Smith Lunchtime Legends V50
33
71 Darren Herron ACKC O
43
72 Stephanie Pruzina BARF LV
42:09
73 Fintan Quinn U/A V40
25
74 Jim Walker East Antrim V40
27
75 Roma McConville N Down LV
28
76 Harry Teggarty U/A V50
41
77 Trevor Wilson BARF V40
48
78 John McDonald U/A O
43:04
79 Ronnie Donaldson CIYMS V55
07
80 Martin Houlihan U/A O
10
81 Michael Dorrity U/A O
13
82 Marty McVeigh Newcastle AC V50
20
83 Kevin Quinn Newcastle AC V50
32
84 Gary McLoughlin LVO O
57
85 Mark Eccles Ballydrain V45
44:18
86 Des Robinson ACKC V45
24
87 Mark Pruzina BARF O
27
88 John Welshman U/A V40
27
89 Jonathon McKinley U/A O
27
90 Donal O'Kane BARF V40
39
91 Connel Nugent U/A V40
40
92 Bob Cooke ACKC V50
59
93 Ian Taylor BARF V55
45:24
94 Gary Sloan ACKC V45
47
95 Noel Douglas Newcastle AC V45
47
96 Andy McCaw U/A O
58
97 Richard McConnell BARF O
46:19
98 Kieron McDonald BARF O
44
99 Mark Hopkins Ballydrain O
51
100 Charlotte Smith ACKC L
47:59
101 Joanne Cousins U/A L
49:11
102 Bill Hopkins LVO V55
13
103 Nigel Ireland U/A O
50:04
104 Jim Metcalfe U/A V70
08
105 Heidi Kelly BARF LV
52:04
106 Pauline O'Hara BARF LV
53:40
107 Maureen Oliver Dub Runners LV
56:33
108 Tom Donnelly ACKC V60
60:27
109 Dermot Neary U/A O
77:39

Team Results

1
 Newcastle AC
10
2
 Team Purple
43
3
 Willowfield
48
4
 Albertville
64
5
 ACKC
81
6
 BARF
121
7
 LVO
167
8
 Ballydrain
173

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