Richie Corcoran wins Dublin 10km Track Championship
Recent VU graduate Richie Corcoran -- Villanova's last Irish import -- made a winning 10,000m debut on Wednesday night May 4th when he claimed the 25 lap Dublin championship race in very windy conditions in Irishtown in 29:49.18. Corcoran led from the start, and on the last lap just held off Eddie McGinley of Annadale, with Brian Maher of Kilkenny third. A final lap effort of 62.04 enabled RC to burn off the opposition. Here's what Athletics Ireland had to say about the race:
The balmy early summer weather of the preceding weeks had disappeared as 14 athletes lined up for the Dublin 10000 metres championships at a windswept Irishtown Stadium on Wednesday night. With Richard Corcoran, Eddie McGinley, Brian Maher,Tomás Fitzpatrick and Sean Hehir in action the scene was set for an interesting 25 laps.
Richie Corcoran took the field around the first 400 in 72 seconds and set the tone for the steady for what was to be an absorbing race. The 2k mark was reached in 5.57 with Corcoran, bedecked in black knee socks which have become quite a style item among distance runners it appears, Maher and Fitzpatrick making their contributions to the front of the six man leading group where they were joined by McGinley, Hehir and Patrick Hamilton. By the time 5k was reached in 14m58s Hamilton had become detached from the leaders .
Whilst the main focus may have been on the leaders there was quite an absorbing battle underway in the chasing group which consisted Paul Robinson, who was running at a distance far in excess of his normal 1500 mtrs, Liam Brady in search of a European Junior qualifying mark,Eoghan Tatten and Michael Mc Diarmada.
The leaders reached 8k in 24.02 and the destination of the title was now down to four Corcoran,McGinley, Maher and Fitzpatrick who was next to drop away. The bell was passed in 28.47.14 and Brian Maher was hanging on to McGinley who had made very infrequent appearances at the front of affairs but it was Richie Corocran who proved he had the best kick as his 62.04s lap proved and he held off the Anndale man to win on his debut at the distance with defending champion Brian Maher running 18 seconds faster than his winning time of last year having to settle for third. P.B’s were recorded by Fitzpatrick and Hehir among most of the field who were running faster than ever before.
Clonliffe’s long striding Michael MacDiarmada lead the chasing bunch home in an impressive 31.16.17 with Tullamore’s Liam Brady getting inside the European Junior standard clocking 31.20.00 ahead of a very pleased Paul Robinson who clocked 31.21.85.
Racing 10000 metres on the track has for some time now not been the most popular of races but last nights race shows what can be achieved if athletes turn up and engage in some good old fashioned racing. Richie Corocran will not be running another 10000 this season “ I am moving down now” was his post race comment “ the 1500 will be my event in the Nationals. I want to get my p.b. down from that long standing 3m46 which has been hanging around for too long”.
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