Calamity Jane…but Carty Glory
A teacher's management and co-ordination
skills are challenged regularly in the confines of
the school, however, rarely are they on show like
they were last Thursday night at the Loughshannagh
Horseshoe, the 8th of the 11 race Acheson & Glover
Hill & Dale Series 2003. The organiser shall remain
nameless, some of us do know who he or she is, at
least with 104 racers for the toughest outing of the
Series, he (there's a clue) easily missed being the
most unpopular, as well as the most inept, of the
Series organisers.
'Don't panic Mr Mainwaring' (that's
not his real name obviously, but think Dad's Army
and you're starting to get the picture of Thursday
night's events). I suppose the stress built up as
7.30pm approached, wanting to run the race as well
as organise is always designed to generate stress,
particularly when the green Wellington boot clad Fontenoy
and official starter, Frank Morgan, doesn't turn up
before the official start time (in case, you're not
following this, it's difficult to fulfil duties as
official race timekeeper if you turn up after the
race has started).
Anyway, recognising the danger of not being able to
time the race and run in it at the same time, Ba…oops,
the organiser left his able, and normally super chilled,
daughter to complete taking the entries; by the way,
there seems to be a new sport within a sport developing
in the Series, inspired by celebrity architect Peter
McGookin, that is 'how late can I turn up and gain
an official entry and still make the start line by
7.30pm?' Well, it was causing Jane (that's Bar…oops,
the organiser's daughter, keep up, if you can) no
end of stress, because her dad was gone, disappeared,
up the track shouting that she should leave the car
and come to the start line and get the race started
(she would have to time the race as well now). Or
would Brian Ervine be able to start it? No, he was
too busy selling, or was he still too injured to make
it to the start?
All's well that end's well, Jane got
the race started, her dad got to run the race (and
finished in the top half) and, true to form, Morgan
turned up at 7.40pm. Down to the serious racing and
after the plod through the mud and bog to the top
of Carn, the runners faced the treacherous and steep
descent to the Lough Shannagh itself, before the steep
climb onto Doan. To give Bart (oops) credit, the marshalling
was superb with every move covered and Roy Donaldson
was able to report that North Belfast's Series heir
apparent Neil Carty and Newcastle pair Robbie Bryson
and Deon McNeilly reached Doan almost together.
At this point, Bryson must have been
the favourite, but this year Carty has been more determined
than ever and his fitness now matches his desire.
At every descent or flatter section Carty stole the
lead and a few yards. By the summit of Slieve Loughshannagh,
McNeilly had been dropped and Carty turned for home
just ahead of Bryson. There was no stopping Carty
as he plunged down alongside the Mourne Wall and then
climbed towards the summit of Ott Mountain. Once there
he literally sprinted for the finish line to win in
41 minutes 38 seconds, nearly a minute ahead of Bryson
and over two minutes clear of McNeilly.
Carty (the Funky Worm) is effectively uncatchable
now in the Series with five wins and a second place.
Newcastle AC made up the next five places, after Bryson
and McNeilly came Ally McKibben, Stevie Cunningham
(deafened by the noise from the biggest personal fan
club ever seen at a Hill & Dale race - it's alleged
that half of Annalong were on the mountain) and Damien
Brannigan.
Remember Jane and Bart, that loving
father daughter pairing? Well normal service resumed
after he finished and reassumed his organising responsibility.
Jane, well she couldn't work the watch, while Bart
couldn't read it (digits too small for a man of his
age without his glasses), it was a bit like the Jack
Spratt nursery rhyme; thank goodness for Frank Morgan,
it was a surreal occasion.
So Carty won the day with Violet Linton,
Bryson, Alwyn Shannon, Cookie O'Hagan, Billy McKay,
Des McHenry, and Adam Mitten winning respective categories
on the night.
More news, Bob Cooke returned his oversubscribed
shot glass and what about Banjo? Banjo is now a celebrity
from Newry, infamous previously for his marshalling
skills at, for example, the Hen & Cock race (although
he never liked going further than Hen). Last May he
competed in the Kilbroney race at Rostrevor and after
finishing 67th of 87, he felt himself in good enough
shape to declare an attempt on Everest. Well congratulations
from all involved in the Hill & Dale Series, for
on 31st May this year (last Saturday) he succeeded
in making it to the summit of Everest.
Next week is the Rocky from the Leitrim
Lodge on the Lower Hilltown to Rostrevor Road at 7.30pm
as usual.
BOGBOY
| 1 |
Neil Carty |
North Belfast |
O |
41:38
|
| 2 |
Robbie Bryson |
Newcastle AC |
V40 |
42:27
|
| 3 |
Deon McNeilly |
Newcastle AC |
V40 |
43:52
|
| 4 |
Alan McKibben |
Newcastle AC |
O |
46:31
|
| 5 |
Stevie Cunningham |
Newcastle AC |
O |
41
|
| 6 |
Damien Brannigan |
Newcastle AC |
O |
47:11
|
| 7 |
Andy Gregg |
Larne |
O |
21
|
| 8 |
Gareth Arnott |
Willowfield |
O |
51
|
| 9 |
Mark Alexander |
Ballymena |
O |
54
|
| 10 |
Francis O'Hagan |
Team Purple |
V45 |
48:32
|
| 11 |
Jim Brown |
BARF |
V40 |
49:00
|
| 12 |
Steve Begley |
Albertville |
O |
:00
|
| 13 |
Billy McKay |
Albertville |
V50 |
29
|
| 14 |
Brian McBurney |
Newcastle AC |
V40 |
47
|
| 15 |
Gary Bailey |
ACKC |
O |
53
|
| 16 |
Adam Mitten |
Newcastle AC |
OJ |
50:01
|
| 17 |
Cathal McGreevy |
Team Purple |
O |
39
|
| 18 |
Jonathan McCloy |
Mid Ulster |
OJ |
51:01
|
| 19 |
Barry Wells |
Newcastle AC |
V40 |
14
|
| 20 |
Steven Linton |
NWOC |
O |
18
|
| 21 |
Eddie O'Hagan |
Team Purple |
V40 |
46
|
| 22 |
Richard Campbell |
ACKC |
O |
52:18
|
| 23 |
Jonathon Lynn |
U/A |
O |
53:00
|
| 24 |
Johnny Gregg |
Team Purple |
O |
11
|
| 25 |
Vince McAlinden |
BARF |
O |
19
|
| 26 |
William Marks |
ACKC |
O |
51
|
| 27 |
Robert Hamilton |
U/A |
O |
54:04
|
| 28 |
Samuel Herron |
ACKC |
O |
12
|
| 29 |
Des McHenry |
Willowfield |
V55 |
22
|
| 30 |
Paddy Mallon |
BARF |
O |
23
|
| 31 |
David Bell |
Newcastle AC |
V40 |
54:41
|
| 32 |
Marty McMullan |
Newcastle AC |
O |
47
|
| 33 |
Mark Hanna |
U/A |
O |
49
|
| 34 |
Mark Kendall |
Newcastle AC |
O |
55:10
|
| 35 |
Peter McGookin |
ACKC |
V50 |
14
|
| 36 |
Denis Rankin |
BARF |
V55 |
16
|
| 37 |
Charlie McAlinden |
Newcastle AC |
V45 |
33
|
| 38 |
Ian McCollam |
U/A |
O |
44
|
| 39 |
Wes Kettyle |
ACKC |
V50 |
56
|
| 40 |
Billy Magee |
Larne |
V55 |
56:09
|
| 41 |
John White |
LVO |
V45 |
13
|
| 42 |
Mike Barton |
ACKC |
V50 |
23
|
| 43 |
Patrick Lemoine |
BARF |
O |
30
|
| 44 |
James Keown |
U/A |
O |
32
|
| 45 |
John Savage |
Newcastle AC |
V45 |
35
|
| 46 |
Violet Linton |
LVO |
L |
44
|
| 47 |
Jez Anderson |
U/A |
O |
57:07
|
| 48 |
Mael O'Hare |
Newcastle AC |
O |
12
|
| 49 |
Alwyn Shannon |
Newcastle AC |
LV |
58:03
|
| 50 |
Cecil McCullough |
U/A |
V40 |
04
|
| 51 |
Peter McClenaghan |
BARF |
V40 |
08
|
| 52 |
Andrew Campbell |
ACKC |
O |
13
|
| 53 |
WJ Brown |
Newcastle AC |
V50 |
59:02
|
| 54 |
Brian Campbell |
Newcastle AC |
O |
14
|
| 55 |
Francis Nugent |
U/A |
O |
20
|
| 56 |
Mervyn McCollam |
U/A |
O |
33
|
| 57 |
Ian McMurray |
BARF |
V45 |
60:31
|
| 58 |
Fintan Quinn |
U/A |
V40 |
35
|
| 59 |
David Fulcher |
U/A |
V45 |
38
|
| 60 |
Darren Herron |
ACKC |
O |
42
|
| 61 |
Kevin Quinn |
Newcastle AC |
V50 |
61:01
|
| 62 |
Jonathon P Sloan |
ACKC |
O |
05
|
| 63 |
Paul Fegan |
U/A |
O |
13
|
| 64 |
Brian White |
LVO |
OJ |
24
|
| 65 |
Michael O'Hare |
St Peters |
V40 |
34
|
| 66 |
Stephanie Pruzina |
BARF |
LV |
35
|
| 67 |
Andy Bridge |
U/A |
V40 |
36
|
| 68 |
Ricky Cowan |
Willowfield |
V50 |
62:10
|
| 69 |
Francis Boal |
Ballydrain |
V55 |
12
|
| 70 |
Martina Elliot |
Lunchtime Legends |
LV |
16
|
| 71 |
Mark Allen |
Willowfield |
O |
63:12
|
| 72 |
Harry Teggarty |
U/A |
V50 |
24
|
| 73 |
Roma McConville |
N Down |
LV |
64:06
|
| 74 |
Trevor Wilson |
BARF |
V40 |
26
|
| 75 |
Tom Donnelly |
ACKC |
O |
28
|
| 76 |
James Smyth |
U/A |
V40 |
65:12
|
| 77 |
Stewart Magill |
U/A |
O |
18
|
| 78 |
Michael Forsythe |
ACKC |
V40 |
45
|
| 79 |
Michael Dorrity |
U/A |
O |
55
|
| 80 |
Harry Harron |
ACKC |
O |
66:16
|
| 81 |
Andrew McGibbon |
U/A |
O |
59
|
| 82 |
Connel Nugent |
U/A |
V40 |
67:46
|
| 83 |
Jim Walker |
East Antrim |
V40 |
68:25
|
| 84 |
Ashley Fisher |
U/A |
O |
69:21
|
| 85 |
Clarke Campbell |
BARF |
O |
26
|
| 86 |
Ronnie Donaldson |
CIYMS |
V55 |
28
|
| 87 |
Noel Douglas |
Newcastle AC |
V45 |
55
|
| 88 |
Bob Cooke |
ACKC |
V50 |
71:25
|
| 89 |
Joanne Cousins |
U/A |
L |
33
|
| 90 |
Hugh McCloy |
Mid Ulster |
V45 |
73:26
|
| 91 |
Ian Taylor |
BARF |
V55 |
29
|
| 92 |
Kieron McDonald |
BARF |
O |
74:26
|
| 93 |
Charlotte Smith |
ACKC |
L |
33
|
| 94 |
Gary Sloan |
ACKC |
V45 |
47
|
| 95 |
Des Robinson |
ACKC |
V45 |
57
|
| 96 |
Mark Eccles |
Ballydrain |
V45 |
76:09
|
| 97 |
Heidi Kelly |
BARF |
LV |
47
|
| 98 |
Bill Hopkins |
LVO |
V55 |
78:47
|
| 99 |
Pauline O'Hara |
BARF |
LV |
81:30
|
| 100 |
Gary McLoughlin |
Newcastle |
O |
84:14
|
| 101 |
Leo McGrath |
Lagan Valley |
O |
29
|
| 102 |
Tom Donnelly |
ACKC |
V60 |
96:01
|
| 103 |
R Douglas |
ACKC |
O |
99:52
|
| DNF |
Nigel Ireland |
U/A |
O |
|
Team Results
|
1
|
Newcastle AC |
9
|
|
2
|
Team Purple |
48
|
|
3
|
ACKC |
63
|
|
4
|
BARF |
66
|
|
5
|
Willowfield |
105
|
|
6
|
LVO |
151
|
