On a wet and  windy  Wednesday evening, in the second of the Furey Insurance 5K series this time at Lisnagelvin,  Foyle Valley’s Scott Rankin ran a well judged race under those difficult conditions to see off the challenge of City of Derry’s Noel Logan and Sperrin Harrier, Chris Mc Peake.   Rankin , winning at Lisnagelvin  for the second year in succession, looks set to be a major contender for  this years  Furey’s Insurance overall prize.

Rankin overpowered his main rival Logan in the final lap coming home a commanding fifteen seconds ahead of the Sparta runner in a gutsy 15.54.  Noel Logan held on for second spot in 16.9. with the Sperrin runner, Chris McPeake  just  two seconds back  in third.  Spartans Kieran Hurley and James Brown clocked 16.22. and 16.23. respectively with Foyle Valley’s Chris Mc Guinness completing the top six in 16.51.   Other  leading  Foyle Valley finishers were:   Pius Mc Intyre who completed the 5k  course in just 17. 06. with St Johnston man Dara Mc Nulty in good form for  18. 08.  and Ciaran  Graham close by on  18.13.

Foyle  Valleys’ Seamus Mc Callion ran a sterling race to clock 18.57. registering  a M50 win with Brian Baker second in that category  with a time of 19.51.  A cluster of Foyle Valley athletes finished  between nineteen and twenty minutes- Brian Killan  19.05., Chris Ryan , 19.08., Colly Doherty .19.10., David Campbell ,19.12., Barry Dinsmore, 19.21., Declan Whoriskey, 19.42 , Alan Clarke, 19.58., with Billy Orr, still not yet back to full fitness,  clocking  20 minutes bang on.  Declan Daly- 22.05., Liam Clarke , 22.47., and, last but not least, Eamon Baker, 28.48.  completed the course for Foyle Valley.

Coach Gabriel Bell pronounced himself well satisfied with the evening’s  shift put in by Valley runners  and had a particular word of praise for Kevin O Neill, 28.45. coming back positively  from illness, who  ran his second Furey insurance 5K  of this year’s series   and was warmly welcomed at the finishing line  by team mates and fellow athletes alike.

 

SISTER ACT

In the women’s race, Foyle Valley  sisters  Dawn Mc Daid and Rosie O Brien figured prominently throughout with Dawn  claiming fourth place overall and the F40 win in 19.25 and Rosie finishing sixth overall  in a time of 19.56. The only other Foyle Valley woman competing, Kate Meehan, was content “to  run her own race”,  getting  round  in 23.56.

 

WILKIE’S CLASSIC Run/Walk

Foyle Valley AC looks forward to big numbers for its annual  five mile run/walk  out the line next Thursday evening,  19th May, with entries being taken at the Long Tower  Youth and Community Centre as usual from 6 pm with race starting at 7.30.   Beneficiary charities this year are Foyle Hospice, the Pink Ladies and Multiple Sclerosis (Foyle).

Foyle Valley A C thanks once again all the sponsors  of  the Wilkies Classic : Prime Decor, Home Service, Michael Clifford,  Celtic Bar, C&C Ireland Ltd and A. Mc Clean Bookmakers for their continuing support.