Despite mist and driving rain, John Lenihan (Riocht) added the
Irish Championship race on Galtymore in Tipperary to his list of wins this season.
The Irish champion had to break his own record by nearly one and a half minutes to
hold off Northern Ireland champion Brian Ervine (Ballydrain). The in form Ervine
made the foray south to test the recently crowned All Ireland
champion from Kerry on this demanding 12 kilometre course with
its 1295 metres of climb and descent. (An average climb and descent of 21.6% !!!)
The Ballydrain runner headed Lenihan up the steep climbs
of Cush and Galtybeg mountains, and was just pipped by a fingernail
to the summit of Galtymore by the Riocht man. On the way back,
Lenihan pressed home his slight advantage by pushing hard on the
rough descents and pulled out a narrow lead which he stretched
on the final drop off Cush. The champion crossed the line near
Clydagh Bridge in the Glen of Aherlow just under 2 minutes ahead
of Ervine with the English based Shane Green (Pudsey & Bramley) third.
In a race many runners said was run in the worst weather they
had ever seen and which prompted many retirements, Majella Diskin
came through the swirling ball of mist to win the womens category.
Former international Mike McAuliffe took the vets prize and 40
seconds off Martin McDonald's record set last year. Ballyduff's
Fergal Fitzmaurice won the shorter Junior race up and down Cush
and set a new record of 32 minutes 33 seconds to beat John Grimes
and Martin Bradshaw in a close run race over a slippery course.
Later, in the Caravansery Bar a mile or so down the road, we looked
up to see clearing skies and the lifting of the rain clouds which
marred a route that can be magical on a clear day. Settling down
before dark pints and a fervid Munster hurling final played out
to a thrilling draw, we thought of 1999 and a Galtymore race that
might reveal the views that are an entrancing feature of this
part of Tipperary.