by Perri Williams
The hallowed confines of the autumnal South Campus of Maynooth was once again host to the Inter-varsity Road Relays. One of the most exciting fixtures on the university athletics calendar since its inauguration in 1987, the relays have perpetually proved to be a popular winter event. The autumnal shades, the undulating muck free surfaces, the team concept and the variety of distances are perhaps the winning formula for college athletics participation.
It was Dublin City University (DCU) that took the men’s title this year after a three-year gold medal hiatus that saw University College Dublin (UCD) take three consecutive wins. UCD on the other hand retained the ladies title that they have now won for years in a row.
The men’s team of Cian Gorham, Harry Colbert, Cathal O’Reilly, Michael Murphy and the captain Finn Woodger fought a hard dual warding off the University College Galway (UCG) by a tantalizing one second margin. It was UCG that took an early lead with Oisin Davis handing the baton over to Oisin Murray who increased the UCG lead. However, a brilliant two-mile leg by Niall Murphy closed down on the Galway men to just a one second gap. UCD coming a close third with a good run by Lughaidh Mallon. Harry Colbert in fourth for DCU trailed the leaders by 42 seconds.
It was the three-mile leg by Cathal O’Rielly that really turned the fortunes for the DCU men. O’Rielly ran the second fastest three-mile leg of the day (only Trinity’s Pierre Murchan was faster) to gain nineteen seconds back. Handing over to Michael Murphy in third place, Murphy ran one of the best relay legs for DCU to date. His 9.48 was the second fastest fourth leg, narrowing the deficit to just six seconds. Handing the baton to the captain Finn Woodger in second place, just six seconds behind Galway. Woodger stormed the first half of the race, to overtake Galway’s Roland Surlis. With legs visibly filling with lactic acid, Woodger pumped the arms and hung on for dear life. It was a tensious final 100m as Surlis was closing rapidly. Heralded by the clearly audible cheers of the Dublin men, Woodger made it to the line throwing a punch of jubilation in the process – DCU were the winners in 44.11 just one second ahead of UCG. It was a sweet victory for DCU, marking their thirteenth men’s road relay victory. Back in 2019 the last time they took the title, it was the illustrious team of Conor Duncan, Olympians Cathal Doyle and Brian Fay along with Cormac Dalton and Colin Smith that took the relay crown with a cumulative time of 43.14.00.
The ladies’ race was less dramatic with UCD taking the title for the fourth consecutive time. The team of Hannah Kehoe, Emma McEvoy, Aoife McCreery and Sadhbh Mohan recorded a time of 33.00 – thirteen seconds ahead of University College Cork (UCC). DCU’s Avril Mellerick, better known for her longer distance pursuits handed over the leading mantle to Amy Greene with UCD’s Hannah Kehoe just five seconds adrift in fourth. Emma McEvoy (UCD) ran the fastest second leg to take UCD into a seventeen second lead over DCU. It looked like Queens were going to head for gold as Hannah Gilliland ran the fastest third leg, moving the Belfast University from fifth to second. UCC with Eimear Maher retained their third place, they too etching away at the UCD lead. However, a good run from Sadbh Mohan on the final leg ensured UCD of their victory, their fastest time since 2021.
In total there were 40 men’s teams, and 27 ladies’ teams entered, a total of three hundred and eight athletes pounding the leafy pavements of the Maynooth precinct. Can Galway be the team to really challenge both men and ladies relays next year – and seek their first victories? We look forward to 2025 with interest already.