Finn Valley held their 26th 5K handicap race on St Stephen's Day. This is an annual event which started some 26 years ago and in the early days the course went through the forest in Drumboe. Over the past number of years the race takes in the main street of Ballybofey and is proving a very popular course. This year the race had over 97 starters, the best turnout for some time and over 500 Euro was raised for charity. Finn Valley competitors had some excellent results and the club was delighted to see so many young competitors and families taking to the road.

A very popular winner this year was Valley's Michael Kelly of Stranorlar who battled hard and came into real form towards the end of the race. The U15 boys was a great battle and Ian Ward of Castlefinn was the winner. Ian had an excellent time of 18.52 with his team mate Shane Bonner of Drumkeen just one second behind in 18.53. Very notable times for these young lads. The McGowans made it a family affair with Grainne winning the veteran women's section and her daughter Charlene who is a student at Luton University taking the senior women's section. Bernard Foy recently retired and well known in the referee scene as well as in athletics took the veteran men's prize, while Niamh Doherty won the U15 girls and was presented with the Anne McArdle cup. Catriona McGranaghan had the fastest ladies time and was seven seconds faster than last year (17.10). Kevin Holian was the fastest man and was also faster than last year (15.07).

The club wish to thank Mark Connolly who did an excellent job on working out the handicaps for the competitors. At one stage 38 athletes were on the track together heading for the finishing line a good indication of a job well done. Also a big thank you to the Doherty sisters Caoimhe and Eadoinn and Patsy McGonagle who did the recordings at the end of the race.

One particular incident in the race is very deserving of noting and that is when eight year old Conor Doherty got it tough just 50m from the finishing line and was lying on the track. Marcus McClintock of Letterkenny who was competing in the race picked up the young boy and carried him over the finishing line. The crowd around gave a great applause in appreciation of the gesture. Well done Marcus.

It was also great to see so many club members who are abroad attend the race, Richard Simms, Manus O Donnell, Darren O Dea and Wendy Watt.

The results of the race as follows.

1 Michael Kelly, 2. Liam McGlynn 24.36, 3. Seamus McAteer 21.11, 4. Manus O Donnell 24.15, 5. Ian Ward 15.52, 6. Shane Bonner 18.53, 7. Bernard Foy 26.22, 8. Declan Carlin 19.39. 9. Pat McCrudden 20.28, 10. Charlene McGowan 26.49, 11 Gerry Byrne 24.51, 12 Jim Hynes 20.,04, 13 Michael McNulty 21.30, 14. Grainne McGowan 27.04, 15. Paddy Hannigan 21.28, 16. Graham Watt 19.47, 17 Darren O Dea 18.24, 19 Charlene Rush 25.46, 20 Barry Herron 16.36, 21 Kevin Gallagher 20.38, 22. Pat Cassidy 15.26, 23. Nathan Pierce 16.45, 24. Paddy Douglas 17.02, 25. Pat Hegarty 16.18, 26. Oran McBride 18.06, 27. Kevin Holian 15.07, 28. Gary Crossan 15.07, 29. Frank Chaney16.39, 30. Catriona McGranaghan 17.10. 31. Seamus Curran 21.41. 32 Margaret Murray 22.12, 33. Martin Kelly 16.50, 34. Martin Gormley 16.52, 35. Mary Carlin 28.23, 36. Bridgeen Doherty 29.27, 37. Mary Bond 29.28, 38. Susan Doherty 29.28, 39 Anthony Murray 17.14, 40. Wendy Watt, 41. Brendan McNulty 22.40, 42 Sean McFadden 16.30 43 Colin McBride 44 Michael McGlinchey 45 Owen Furey 17.38, 46. Brendan Patton 22.09, 47 Gerard Bogle 17.40, 48 Ronan McCabe 26.56, 49 Sean Carlin 24.42, 50. Michael Black 16.58, 51. Simon Ward 16.14, 52. Drew Doherty 17.45, 53. Ivan Toner 16.04, 54. Mary Martin 23.35, 55. Andrew Gallaghr 23.51. f56. Noleen Porter 17.40. 57. John Daly 17.36. 58. Paul Toner 16.42, 59. Declan Hennessey 24.28. 60 Dean McBrearty 20.59, 61. Kieran Carlin 17.35, 62. Alan Kavanagh 18.38, 63. Neil Martin 20.37, 64. Paddy Bond 20.39, 65. Noreen McConigley 21.17, 66. Stefan Connolly 18.39, 67. Sean Lorenenko 24.31. 68. Margaret Synott 18.18, 69. Aidan Connolly 22.04, 70. Niamh Doherty 24.31. 71. Catherine Gallagher 24.42, 72. Rosemary Bogle 22.59. 73. Seanie McDevitt 23.03. 74. Conor Doherty 27.00 75. Marcus McClintock 18.22, 76 Enda Doherty 20,30, 77. Cormac Scully 30.01, 79 Gavin Carlin 22.30, 80 Siobhan Gallagher 26.20, 81 Brian Patton 27.08, 82 Joseph Gallagher 27.55, 83. Dermot Harold 28.57, 84. Christine Lynch 37.38, 85. Kathlenn Gallen 37.38, 86. Paula Gallen 37.38, 87. Pat Gallen 37.38, 88. Emily Murphy 39.07. 89 Anne Murphy 39.07, 90 Aisling Gallagher 44.14, 91. Tony Gallagher 44.15, 92. Ann Gallagher 43.25. 93. Maureen Doherty 43.25, 94. Joe Doherty 43.25, 95 Noreen Bonnar 46.25, 96. Laura Bonnar 46.25. 97 Mark Bonnar 46.25.

ULSTER SENIOR CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

Ulster Senior championships will be held at the Finn Valley Center on Sunday 5th January with 1pm start.

Trials for Donegal Relay teams U12 and U14 will be held on the same day starting at 12 noon. All Clubs have been notified. These trials are for selection of teams for the National Cross Country Relay championships to be held in Killybegs towards the end of January.

It is important now that all juveniles especially those in the U12 and U14 age groups return to training on Thursday 2nd January.

LEVEL ONE COACHING COURSE

Level One coaching course will be held in Donegal over two weekends. The first weekend will be at the Finn Valley Center on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th January. The following weekend the second part will be held in Donegal Town. Finn Valley encourages all its members who have completed the Introductory Coaching course to register. Applications forms are available at the center.

Work on the new synthetic grass pitch progressed well prior to Christmas. It is hoped to have all work complete in a few weeks time.

Training resumes for all on Thursday 2nd January and will be every Tuesday and Thursday night at 7.30pm and Sunday mornings at 10.30am.

Finn Valley wish all the best for 2003.