Big finish from Shields ensures Half Marathon joy

After a wet and miserable Saturday, Sunday emerged bright and dry for the Derry City Council organised event and the runners, officials and spectators responded with a brilliant collective effort which will live long in the memory of all involved.

Keith Shields led home the 1400 finishers, just two seconds clear of Declan Reed, to become the first local male winner in 28 years and Lifford AC star Ann Marie McGlynn ensured the top awards would remain in the North West with an emphatic victory in the womens race.

Foyle Valley man Shields reprised last months Dessies Run 10K victory in Gransha, coming home in 69 minutes and 45 seconds, two seconds in front of the fast finishing Spartan Declan Reed with another Foyle Valley man Scott Rankin third in 71 minutes and 39 seconds.

This trio had battled out the Dessies Run podium places less than two weeks ago and once again produced a titanic tussle.

Together at half way out near the City of Derry Airport the top two broke away from Rankin and fought a real battle of attrition back to the Gransha grounds where Shields eked out a small advantage which he defended to the line.

A great win, his most prestigious to date, he now joins an illustrious Waterside Half winners roll of honour which includes only three more locals, Brian Mitchell in 1983 and brothers Paul and Gerry Craig in 1984 and 1985.

This year has been a major break through year for the Foyle Valley athlete who looks set to step up another level in 2014.

Declan Reed was the bridesmaid once again, Stephen Duncan besting him last year but the M40 ran another gutsy race to confirm his genuine class and Scott Rankin was a creditable third ahead of Greg Roberts on 71 minutes and 51 seconds.

Emmet McGinty placed fifth on 72 minutes and 04 seconds and completed the winning City of Derry mens team race winners.

Local rivals Foyle Valley took the runners up prize with Shields and Rankin supported by 11th placer Chris McGuinness.

The womens race was more clear cut as Anne Marie McGlynn took command early and stormed to a brilliant 21st place overall finish in a swift 79 minutes and 48 seconds, the first female sub 80 minutes since Olympian Pauline Curley’s 79 minutes and 58 seconds back in 2009.

The Lifford AC star was well clear of runner up 2011 winner, North Down’s Julie Balmer on 83 minutes and 24 secnods and Kelly Neely of City of Lisburn on 84 minutes and 22 seconds.

McGlynn like Shields has had a terrific 2013, performing brilliantly on track, road and country and will no doubt be targeting more big efforts in the upcoming months.

City of Derry’s F50 Anne Paul belied her years with 87 minutes and 02 seconds for fourth just two seconds clear of clubmate Marina Campbell and there then was a long gap to sixth placer Julie Murphy of Lagan Valey on 92 minutes and 31 seconds.

The runs from Anne Paul and Marina Campbell laid the basis of the female Spartans team race win over City of Lisburn.

Jackie McGinley was ninth on 93 minutes even and this was good enough to ensure a City of Derry team double on the day as Lisburn scored third, eight and eleventh to finish four points down.

Three of the stars of June’s Walled City Marathon, wheelchair athletes Jim Corbett, Paul Hannan and Karol Doherty were in the big field and had a one minute start on the rest.

Corbett got him the win, reversing the equally tight Marathon result with a one second advantage, over Hannan, finishing in 69 minutes and 44 seconds.

On a good day for the local clubs and indeed the more ad hoc running groups which have sprung up lately, the much coveted Local Awards went to Keith Shields (Male); Marina Campbell(Female); Declan Reed, Male Master and Jackie McGinley Female Master. Scott Rankin was the leading Waterside Male finisher and Denise McElhone of Foyle Valley, the first Waterside Female finisher.

Among the local age group prizewinners were top M40 James Brown with 73 minutes and 29 seconds for seventh overall; F45 Jackie McGinley and M45 James Crampsie on 80 minutes and 31 seconds.

Gerry Duddy M50, Una Gavin F50 and Sammy McAnaney M55 were age group runners up and in the U20 category Kevin Harkin and Anna Forbes joined F60 Patricia Callan as category winners.

See tomorrow’s (Wednesday) Londonderry Sentinel for eight page Half Marathon picture spread.