New guys and gals took the honours at the Athenry AC 5k Club Championships 2009 at Dangan on 6th Oct. with Orla Keady-Giblin taking the Senior trophy, and Tony Killarney winning in the Veteran category.

A surprised-to-win Orla came home in 28:18 and beat her handicap by 1 min and 52 secs, a fine achievement. Michelle Tooher took 2nd place among the seniors in beating her handicap by 35 seconds with a time of 24:44, and in third place Enda Munnelly smashed his pb (personal best) with 20:52.

Tony Killarney's recent hard training for the Dublin Marathon paid off as he also recorded a pb with 20:12, beating his handicap and his old pb by 13 seconds. The evergreen Martin Keane came second among the veterans with 24:32, despite labouring under a stiff handicap "suggested" by James Lundon.

A special mention for Mick Rice who won the Fastest on the Night category with 18 mins exactly. This is the third year in a row that Mick has won this particular trophy. It's rare to just about never that Mick, and indeed co-founder James Lundon, don't support club events and races, and in this they are real examples to all our members.

The best finish on the night saw Dave Dunne brilliantly time his finishing sprint to overtake Eimear Butler literally on the line. Both recorded times of 19:38, with the pair finishing with the 2nd and 3rd fastest times on the night. James Lundon also had a well timed late burst to pip Tony by just two seconds to take 4th fastest.

Fergus Dunne won in the Guest category.

Many thanks to all the helpers, whose noise volume lifted the proceedings to great heights of hilarity, if not necessarily profundity: Maire Trease Beatty and daughter Aine, Frank Burke, Alan Burke, and Deirdre Quinn. See you next year.