Crusaders rise to the task at Lugnacoille

Jason chases Brian to the summit

Jason chases Brian to the summit

Plenty of highlights for the club at the third of five Irish Championship races at Leinster’s highest peak Lugnacoille this weekend. Jason Kehoe had to defend a twelve second lead in the King of the Mountains competition over Brian Furey and duly rose to the occasion with a combative performance. Willpower compensated for any fitness lost since his injury at Carrauntoohil and he summitted five seconds adrift of the Rathfarnham man before cruising home in second ahead of Sliabh Bhuidhe Rovers Bernard Fortune.

Aoife Joyce set a new PB on the course as she finished 2nd woman behind Northern Ireland’s Diane Wilson while Amidou Dembele produced a breakthrough performance on the descent, covering the difficult 5.25k downhill in 17:54, not only the fastest time of the day but one of the fastest descents in recent years. This took him from ninth position at the summit to fifth by the finish line, his highest IMRA finish yet.

Diarmuid O’Colmain took the M60s prize, his third in a row in the Irish Championship confirming him as the winner of his age category 2011. Jason’s second-place finish maintains him the lead in the Irish Championship ahead of the final two fixture at Galtymore in Tipperary and Slieve Donard in Co. Down.


RESULTS (Summit - Crusaders)
1. Brian Furey, Rathfarnham 35:55 - first man
2. Jason Kehoe 36:00
9. Amidou Dembele 40:24
19. Diane Wilson, Lagan Valley 00:44:32 - first woman
20. Aoife Joyce 00:45:00
36. Diarmud O’Colmain 52:20
38. Cathal Lally 52:40
47. Ken Cowley 55:50
50. Tony Berkery 56:20
53. Niamh O’Ceallaigh 01:01:10

FINAL TIMES (Crusaders)
1. Brian Furey, Rathfarnham 00:54:19
2. Jason Kehoe 00:56:39
5. Amidou Dembele 00:58:18
23.Aoife Joyce 01:10:11
36. Diarmud O’Colmain 01:18:22
37. Cathal Lally 01:18:38
48. Ken Cowley 01:24:08
50. Tony Berkery 01:25:34
52. Niamh O’Ceallaigh 01:32:15

IRISH CHAMPIONSHIP (3 of 5)
1. Jason Kehoe, Crusaders AC 5 pts
2. Brian Furey, Rathfarnham 6 pts
3. Bernard Fortune, SBR 8 pts

Full results at IMRA