The revival of Clonliffe’s traditional Club cross country races continues.  On Saturday the 18^th of January the Irwin Cup, the first club race on the 2003 calendar, took place.

The Irwin Cup has not been run for a couple of years so it was pleasing to see it make a return to the calendar.

  In perfect conditions, both weather wise and under foot wise, the 2003 version of the race took place in the Trinity playing grounds on Santry Avenue. Numbers taking part were down somewhat due no doubt to clash of dates with both Business House cross country race on the same day and also a large number of Clonliffe athletes taking part in the Eastern Regional cross country championships the following day. Thirteen athletes towed the line for the Irwin Cup. After some initial debate (!) over the required number of laps – 7 or 8, as is usual in these matters a consensus was arrived at.  To add a little 'spice' the organisers (and Pat Bonass!) decided it should be a race over jumps, with trees, bushes, crates and a goalpost making sure people had to put in a bit more effort. There were 4 jumps in total and they seemed to get a bit bigger with each lap!

  The race, in accordance with tradition, is run on an open handicap basis. First away was Tom Flood on the 7½ lap course. A minute later Club President Maurice Ahern tore away from the line in hot pursuit. The rest of the field was let away under the watchful eye of the handicapper until scratch man Gerry McCabe was let go nineteen and a half minutes after Tom Flood with a seemingly impossible task to make up the ground and get back on level terms (which proved to be the case). Maurice gradually hauled in Tom Flood to take over the leadership and despite the best efforts of the chasing pack he was never overhauled and the President galloped home to steal the Irwin Cup from under the noses of more fancied runners.

  The scratch man, despite a strong run and carving his way through the tail end of the field, ultimately finished up in tenth position however, was comforted in the knowledge that he had ran the fastest time of the day by over a minute recording a time of 32 mins 24 secs.

Good runs were also recorded by Paddy Tuite, Aidan Creaner and by early starter, the evergreen Mags.

The presentation of the Irwin Cup took place in the Club House following the Club cross country championships on the 1st of February.

Reported by Noel Guiden.