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League Champions 2005
Last weekend the Crusaders Mens Senior team reclaimed the National Track & Field team title back from Dublin City Harriers. DCH themselves were absent from the competition this year but stiff opposition from Clonliffe and especially North Down had the Crusaders more than a little worried.
North Down must have been confident that they could win their first Premiere title having ran away with round 1 & 2.Going into the final they lay 1st with Crusaders 4th Clonliffe 2nd & Dundrum South Dublin 3rd. Starting the final 4 points ahead of the team that were to be their main rivals was a significant advantage. On the day it was all about Crusaders and North Down. Despite a big effort from Clonliffe to travel with their best it wasn't enough to stay in contention and they began to fall out of the picture fairly early on.
The first few events saw North Down grow their advantage. Although Lorcan Carpenter won the hammer, North Down took the Long Jump and finished 2nd in the Pole Vault with Crusaders Ruairi O'Briain in 3rd. In the 110 hurdles it looked like Ian McDonald had it sewn up for the CRU until he smashed the final hurdle. Even then it was tight on the line. The announcer called it in North Down's favour but the result registered the win for McDonald. Neither team had an athlete for the walk so no advantage was lost or gained in that event. The 400 hurdles was less of a close run thing with National Champion Antoinne Burke carrying the torch for the Red & Whites and winning comfortably despite a niggling achilles injury. North Down's McConville was not far behind in 3rd.
Crusaders 4x100 relay was nearly washed up with another injury to Ian McDonald. McDonald and Burke bravely went to their zones hoping that their efforts with Steve Flemming and World Championship competitior Peter Coghlan would score some good points. Both Clonliffe and North Down were also very strong in this event. Coming into the final change over Crusaders were in 2nd, Clonliffe having dropped the baton. Burke charged down the North Down athlete and the finish was even closer than that of the 110 hurdles. Again the announcer called it for North Down but the result showed first for Crusaders.
At this stage Crusaders had taken the lead in the points race. The rules dictate that each team drop their worst 5 scores at the end. As such a slow start does always mean failure. Crusaders had to keep turning the screw if they wanted to hold on to their lead.
Next on the track was the 1500m. Ex-captain Eugene O'Neill had decided earlier that the team needed him to double in the 1500m and the 3000mSC if they were to have a chance of securing the win. He finished 2nd behing Mark Kennealy of Clonliffe.
Meanwhile on the field Ger Nagle took 3rd in the Discus and Francois Kulik battled against Robb of North Down in the High Jump eventually finishing 2nd.
Burke returned to the track one last time to narrowly take 2nd place in the 400m from Morgan of North Down who finished in third. O'Neill comfortably took first in the steeplechase, no surprises there. Peter Coghlan, having handed over the 110 hurdles to young Ian McDonald had volunteered to cover the 200m & 100m. The 200 came first. Coghlan took third, running his trademark fast top bend, but looked the worst for wear afterwards, suffering from the longer distance. North Down finished further back.
By that stage Crusaders lead at the top had grown but were by no means home dry. In the 800m Dyer of North Down tracked Eoin Cummins for the entire race and managed to overtake Cummins with 50 metres to go finishing 2nd behind Feidhlim Kelly of Raheny (a club who overall were struggling). Ger Nagle threw for a second time in the Shot Put. Menton of Donore/UCD and Crowe of Menapians took the top 2 spots but Nagle came in right behind them in 3rd pushing North Down back again. Steve Flemming also donned the Crusaders vest again to triple jump. Having dissapointed in the Long Jump at the start of the day Flemming redeemed himself taking the victory in fine style.
In the 5000m a race-shy Peter Madsen ran the whole race 50m ahead of his North Down competitor determined not to submit any points advantage to the challengers. More drama was happening in the field as Carpenter felt lack lustre with the 56lb weight beetween his legs. Minutes before the competition started John O'Connor was substituted in to attempt a daring victory over his younger counterpart from North Down. The victory was not to be but the struggle was epic, the 2 athletes being seperated by only a centimetre at the end.
Coghlan courageously came back from his lactic slump to run 100m and finish a creditable 3rd again ahead of North Down. Going into the final event the squad knew they were ahead but noone knew by how much. Throwing the relay was not an option. Burke was out of it with his achilles so dutifully the middle distance boys stood up to the plate. Leeney took the first leg, handing to Cummins, then to McCarron and to Kenny. The first leg left the 2 title contenders in front & despite a momentary surge from Kildare (in the form of David McCarthy) North Down dominated. However good efforts from the CRU MD squad kept them in second, not giving North Down an inch.
With the competition over the teams were left waiting for the final result. The CRU were fairly confident but not without doubt. When the result was announced it was suitably close, the margin only being 5 points 118 to 113, Crusaders were Champions!!
With DCH gone from the competition it was clear that a number of clubs had sniffed a chance at the title. Clonliffe and to some extent DSD must surely have felt in with a shout. North Down seem to have been planning a upheaval for a number of years. Stopping them this year was a challenge and with such a young team it surely will continue to be a challenge for years to come. While the sun is currently shining in Irishtown Stadium (lighting up all the silverware Crusaders have collected this year) , the future looks bright for North Down AC.
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posted by Hugo Leeney @ 12:59 PM
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