Charlie Gallagher wins Donegal 5K Road Championships and Valley dominate the event

Charlie Gallagher was an impressive winner of the Donegal 5K Road Championships which were hosted by Letterkenny A.C. on Sunday. Charlie won the race in a time of 15.06 followed by team mate Barry Harron 15.10 ahead of Letterkenny's Pauric McKinney. Kieran Carlin 4th (15.45), Michael McGlinchey 11th (16.28), Frank Chaney (16.47), Eunan Quinn (17.35), Kevin Holian (17.18). Finn Valley won the team competition.

Women's Race

Catriona McGranaghan was equally impressive winning the Women's Title with a time of 17.50 with Noeleen Porter winning the Masters Title in 17.57, Kay Byrne (18.27), Teresa McGloin (20.01), Noreen McConigley (23.21), Mary Martin (24.06) winning the O/45 section. Finn Valley won the team competition here also.

Dominic Bonner was the club's 3rd individual winner of the day with an excellent run in the Masters Championships in a time of 16.18, Pat Hegarty picked up the bronze here (16.53) with great runs also from Mark Connolly (17.17), Bernard McCabe (17.31), Gerard Bogle, Pat McCrudden and Jim Hynes. The Masters men also lifted the team title.

Junior Men

Our Junior Men's team of Maurice Boyle (18.24), Enda Doherty (19.04) and Brian Patton (20.05) also put in very strong performances for such a young team to take 3rd Team place.

Grand Prix

This Championship completed the Grand Prix series with victory in the Men's going to Finn Valley's Charlie Gallagher with club-mate Kieran Carlin 3rd. The Masters Women's Winner was the very deserving Mary Martin who had excellent runs throughout the series. Noreen McConigley took 2nd place in the Womens with Teresa McGloin 3rd.

Joe Byrne

Joe Byrne has won his first two races in America. At the weekend he won an 8K Cross Country race in a time of 24.22 mins.

Training Day

A very successful training day for our juvenile athletes was held on Sunday morning on the beach in Buncrana. Ninety athletes enjoyed a tough training session on the beach and sand dunes followed by a trip to Buncrana Leisure Centre for a swim. This session was a good preparation for the upcoming Donegal Cross-Country Championships which will be held in Fintra, Killybegs on Sunday 3rd October and the Ulster uneven age Championships which will also be held in Killybegs on the 30th October.

Limerick

Several of our athletes and coaches will be travelling to Limerick this weekend for the 2nd Meeting of the Academy of Irish Athletics and the National squad preparing for the European Cross Country Championships in Germany.

Awards Night

An Awards function will be held at the Finn Valley Centre on Sunday, 3rd October at 7.00 p.m. to acknowledge the fantastic achievements of our juvenile athletes during the past twelve months. We had an extremely successful year with 58 of our juvenile athletes winning 148 All-Ireland or Scottish Indoor Championship medals between them.

Annual General Meeting

The Finn Valley A.C. A.G.M. was held on 20th September and the following officers were elected:

Chairman: Patsy McGonagle, Secretary: Noreen Bonner, Registrar: Grainne McGowan, P.R.O. : Bernie Alcorn, Joint Treasurers: Kieran O'Donnell and Rosaleen McGonagle, Senior Competition Secretary: Neil Martin, Juvenile Competition Secretary: Bridgeen Doherty, Records Officer: Mark Connolly, Childrens Officer: Rosemary Connolly.

Committee: Peadar McGranaghan, Christine Feely, Frank Feely, Richard Alcorn, Sean Carlin, Gerard Doherty, Sean McGowan, Brid McMenamin, Maureen Doherty, Brendan Patton, Grace Boyle, Conor McGonagle, Kieran Carlin, Tony Gallagher and Noeleen Porter.

Captains. Women Kay Byrne, Men Charlie Gallagher, Masters Men Pat Hegarty.

Bernie Alcorn, P.R.O.