The Farranfore Maine Valley AC’s annual St Stephen’s Day road race, took place today in Farranfore for its sixty-first year. The weather was dry and cold and a field of over 230 took to the start line. Last year’s winner, Oisin Spillane, now running for Ennis AC, was the favourite and he lead the field from early on. By the half-way turn, he had a lead of over 50 metres.

On the steep climb at the start of the final kilometre, he stretched his lead to over 100 metres to finish in 15:22, just outside last year’s time but almost a minute ahead of Aodan Mac Domhnaill who finished in 16:14 seconds, first in the over 40 category. In third place was Daragh O’Leary of Killarney Valley A.C with a time of 16:28

Niamh O’Mahony of An Riocht AC, was a comfortable winner of the ladies’ race. She dominated the female race from the start and finished in a very impressive 17:20, some 2 minutes ahead of clubmates Siobhan Daly 18:06 and Sharon Cahill 19:37 who also won the over 40 and 55 age group categories.

Tommy Arthur of Kenmare AC won the boys under 17 event and Ciara Eager of Star of the Laune, winning the girls under 17.

Cian Spillane won the Junior men’s category.

First local athletes were Marie Fitzgerald with brother Arthur (part of the Kerry Senior Football management team).

Other winners in the age group categories were :

Siobhan Daly (O40), Mary O Connell, Gneevguilla AC (O45), Niamh O’Shea  (O50), Mary Deane (O65) and Carmel Foran (O70) Born to Run Tralee.

The men’s equivalent age group winners were :

Tim O Connor An Riocht AC (045), Robert Purcell GneevguillaAC  (O50), David Kennedy (O55), Kevin Griffin (O60), Michael Mangan Star of the Laune (O65) and MEP Sean Kelly was the winner of the (O70) category.