Balla 10k Report and Results

Pictures and Report from Tom Hunt - Mayo AC

The Balla 10k is one of those races you either love or hate. The 'ups and downs' are in the same places year after year. Over the railway line at 2k, under it at 8k. The 'changeable' summer weather is always a major factor. This year it was bright and sunny, but quite humid and energy sapping. Some runners adapted to this better than others, so there were the usual tortured and triumphant tales afterwards. Balla has established itself as one of the landmark races in the West and has a great fundraising tradition. It was the third race in the 2008 Mayo AC race Series. This year over 420 runners and walkers took part and there was a carnival atmosphere about the town.

Robbie Matthews (Dunshaughlin AC) led a group of five over the railway bridge after the 2k mark. He steadily shook off the opposition and came home a clear winner in 32.53, 30 seconds ahead of Robert Malseed (Mayo AC). Anthony Devaney (Mayo AC) ran a PB of 16.25 when 2nd to Gerry Ryan (GCH) in the Boston Scientific 5k on the previous Wednesday evening. He was in brilliant form again in Balla, finishing 3rd in 33.50, ahead of clubmates (and rivals) TJMcHugh, 34.00 in 4th, and John Byrne, 34.09 in 5th. The o40 category was a very closely fought battle - Michael O'Connell (Sligo AC) 6th overall in 34.33, Martin Corcoran (Craughwell AC) 7th - 34.43, and David Corcoran (Civil Service) 8th in 35.28.

Mary Gleeson (Mayo AC) turned the tables on Regina Casey (GCH) in winning the women's race in determined style in 38.32 and is now a clear leader in the Race League series. Catherine Conway (Mayo AC) put her recent injury worries behind her with a great run to finish 3rd in 39.34.

The next race in the Mayo AC Road race Series is the Swinford 8k, on Sunday next 3rd August at 5pm.

Balla 10k Results

BALLA 10K RACE/WALK 2008 TOP 150 FINISHERS

Name Club/Address Category Race No Position Time

Robert Mathews Dunshaughlin AC Male Senior 186 1 32.53

Robert Malseed Mayo AC Male Senior 38 2 33.22

Anthony Devaney Mayo AC Male Senior 177 3 33.50

TJ McHugh Mayo AC Male Senior 45 4 34.00

John Byrne Mayo AC Male Senior 47 5 34.09

Michael O'Connell Sligo AC Male Over 40 8 6 34.33

Martin Corcoran Craughwell Male Over 40 80 7 34.43

David Corcoran Dublin Civil Service Male Over 40 32 8 35.28

John Lane Craughwell AC Male Senior 40 9 35.57

Enda Dooley Galway Triathlon Male Senior 110 10 35.41

Brian Bruton Athenry Male Senior 91 11 35.44

Sean Gallagher Ballina Male Senior 35 12 36.10

Sean McDonnell - Male Senior 183 13 36.17

Stephan McGuire DJK Muderspach Male Senior 31 14 36.26

Stephen McKeigue Ferbane Male Junior 89 15 36.35

Ronnie Naylor Mayo AC Male Over 50 298 16 36.46

John O'Brian GCH Male Over 40 199 17 36.55

Thomas Neville Mayo AC Male Over 40 18 18 37.07

Alan Kerins Sligo AC Male Senior 9 19 37.23

TJ White Tuam AC Male Over 40 163 20 37.33

Matt McCabe Tramore Male Senior 122 21 37.57

Peter Hynes Mayo AC Male Over 40 12 22 38.01

Mark Breen Athenry AC Male Over 40 187 23 38.03

Patrick Holohan Craughwell Male Senior 39 24 38.20

David Mullins Tuam AC Male Over 40 107 25 38.25

Mary Gleeson Mayo AC Female Senior 121 26 38.32

Tom O'Toole Mayo AC Male Over 40 51 27 38.36

Hugh Duffy Mayo AC Male Over 40 96 28 38.41

Owen Murphy Tuam Male Senior 44 29 38.45

David Huane Mayo AC Male Senior 46 30 39.01

Regina Casey GCH Female Senior 84 31 39.27

Michael Killeen Mayo AC Male Over 50 19 32 39.31

Catherine Conway Mayo AC Female Senior 29 33 39.34

Trevor Sweeney Sligo AC Male Senior 118 34 39.43

Jimmy Feeney Mayo AC Male Over 50 58 35 39.44

Unknown 276 36 39.50

Paul McDermott North Leitrim Male Over 40 113 37 39.55

John King Headford Male Senior 64 38 39.58

Brian Cusack Mayo AC Male Over 40 55 39 40.04

Niamh Murphy Westport Female Over 35 71 40 40.05

Ollie Higgins Galway Triathlon Male Senior 173 41 40.06

Gerry Galvin Mayo AC Male Over 40 54 42 40.07

Eddie Nugent - Male Senior 296 43 40.18

Martin O'Donnell Clare Harriers Male Over 50 24 44 40.29

Brian Kenny CRH Male Over 40 165 45 40.32

Thomas Porter GCH Male Over 40 175 46 40.34

Joe Holton Na Fianna Male Over 40 48 47 40.40

Fergal Flynn - Male Over 40 192 48 40.42

Michael O'Malley Border Ramblers Male Over 40 189 49 41.01

Rory Connor Sligo AC Male Over 40 26 50 41.05

Bernard McGuinness Ballina Male Over 40 66 51 41.14

Brendan Gill - Male Junior 198 52 41.15

James Tuohy Castlebar Male Senior 2 53 41.18

Vincent Kavanagh Ballina Male Senior 34 54 41.25

Unknown - 55 41.30

Jim Daly Tuam AC Male Over 40 142 56 41.35

PJ Hall Mayo AC Male Over 50 78 57 41.44

Brendan Naylor Ballina Male Senior 130 58 42.01

Pat Burke Galway Triathlon Male Over 40 77 59 42.02

Ann Murray Mayo AC Female Over 35 43 60 42.08

Eddie Reid Dunboyne Male Over 50 174 61 42.15

Ronan Casey - Male Senior 83 62 42.22

Gary Doherty Athenry AC Male Senior 103 63 42.23

Celene Sands Ballina Female Senior 193 64 42.24

Noreen McManamon Mayo AC Female Over 35 30 65 42.30

Declan Davoren - Male Senior 188 66 42.43

Tony McNicholas Galway Triathlon Male Senior 109 67 42.47

Fergus Keenan Male Junior 185 68 42.57

Cathy Connelly Mayo AC Female Senior 59 69 43.00

Maura Dervin Mullingar Harriers Female Over 35 74 70 43.08

Peter McDermott Dublin Male Over 60 10 71 43.41

Joe Campbell Mayo AC Male Senior 7 72 43.47

Willie Park Sligo AC Male Over 60 16 73 43.50

Trevor Rennick Mayo AC Male Senior 106 74 43.53

Paul Rooney Sligo AC Male Senior 70 75 43.55

Maurice Hope Balla Male Senior 123 76 44.00

Connell Swords GCH Male Senior 141 77 44.09

Bernard Barret - Male Senior 85 78 44.15

Barry Murphy Male Senior 184 79 44.18

John Flaherty CRH Male Senior 139 80 44.20

Stephen Donnelly Ballina Male Senior 42 81 44.22

Paul Casey Ballina Male Senior 133 82 44.26

Jamie Mills Castlebar Male Senior 129 83 45.00

Cindy McCarthy Sligo AC Female Over 35 102 84 45.01

David Conway - Male Over 40 101 85 45.02

Damien Walsh Tubbercurry Male Senior 111 86 45.11

Peter Gillespie Ballina Male Over 40 52 87 45.19

Peter Dooley Headford Male Over 40 50 88 45.27

Martin Moran Castlebar Male Senior 1 89 45.30

Martin Crehan Mayo AC Male Over 40 180 90 45.32

Verena Tarpey West Limerick Female Over 35 120 91 45.33

Michael McGrath Mayo AC Male Over 50 60 92 45.37

Name not registered 454 93 45.48

Name not registered 451 94 45.49

Kevin Dunleavy Castlebar Male Over 40 61 95 45.52

Michael Courell Ballina Male Over 60 22 96 45.55

Tom Jennings Castlebar Male Over 50 104 97 45.56

Maire Treasa Beatty Athenry Female Over 45 62 98 46.01

Christina Regan Mayo AC Female Senior 178 99 46.03

Kevin O'Dea CRH Male Senior 137 100 46.05

John Sheehan CRH Male Over 50 136 101 46.11

Gerry McDonagh Breaffy Male Over 50 23 102 46.13

Valerie Glavin Athenry Female Senior 112 103 46.24

David Kenny Castlebar Male Senior 57 104 46.32

Andy Neary Mayo AC Male Senior 117 105 46.42

Patrick Murphy CRH Male Senior 138 106 46.44

Unknown 254 107 46.48

Unknown 253 108 46.50

Tomas Lynn Liquid Motion Male Junior 81 109 46.54

Christy O'Malley Mayo AC Male Over 40 21 110 47.00

Sandra Finnerty Ballina Female Senior 53 111 47.05

Unknown 377 112 47.20

John Lannon Limerick Male Over 40 15 113 47.34

Martin Wood Haadford Male Over 40 56 114 47.36

Unknown 299 115 47.38

Sean Leonard Balla Male Senior 67 116 47.39

Ann Fahy Mayo AC Female Over 35 127 117 47.40

Jude Lohan Roscommon AC Female Over 35 75 118 47.41

Mark Donnelly Ballina Male Senior 37 119 48.09

Gayle Culleton Sigo Female Senior 119 120 48.15

Noel Duffy Dunboyne Male Over 50 116 121 48.18

Robert Coyne Castlebar Male Senior 126 122 48.20

Name not registered 123 48.30

Alan Murphy Newport Male Senior 68 124 48.34

James Cawley Ballina Male Senior 79 125 48.38

Mark Birmingham Westport Male Senior 132 126 48.40

Yvonne Byrne Mayo AC Female Senior 90 127 48.41

Simon Shevlin - Male Senior 99 128 48.45

Name not registered 250 129 48.55

Brendan Farrely Killala Male Over 40 36 130 49.00

Name not registered 490 131 49.23

Name not registered 213 132 49.24

Sheila O'Hora Mayo AC Female Senior 181 133 49.32

John Lavin Balla Male Senior 5 134 49.34

Tom Cullen North Leitrim Male Over 60 114 135 49.39

Paul Walsh - Male Senior 158 136 49.50

Name not registered 496 137 49.52

Rob Whelan - Male Senior 191 138 49.54

Breege Stanton Mayo AC Female Senior 176 139 49.55

Patricia Tuohy Castlebar Female Senior 3 140 50.09

Bernie Kelly GCH Female Over 50 92 141 50.18

Frank Regan Breaffy Male Senior 41 142 50.31

Ken Whelan - Male Over 50 190 143 50.43

Joseph Fahy Hollymount Male Senior 128 144 50.51

David Tierney Craughwell Male Over 40 28 145 50.55

Chris O'Connell Mayo AC Male Over 50 140 146 50.56

Brendan Hession - Male Senior 179 147 50.57

Seamus Weekes - Male Over 40 182 148 51.09

James Peyton - Male Junior 194 149 51.16

Seamus Ruddy Ballina Male Over 40 135 150 51.27

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