By 
CONALL McClean made it back-to-back victories at the Greencastle 5 on St Stephen’s Day when he won the 40th running of the event, which attracted well over 1000 participants on a gloriously crisp Boxing Day.
In 2024, the Candor Track Club man equalled the course record of 24.07 minutes and while he had hoped to go one better on this occasion, he finished in 24.24 minutes, missing out on a new mark on the day.
In second place was David Spalding in 25.01 minutes, while Conan McCaughey of North Belfast Harriers rounded out the podium in 25.34 minutes.
The top three were the only runners to come in under the 26 minute mark on this occasion, with Oisin McGloin, who was the top junior on the day, taking fourth in 26.21 minutes, closely followed by the first of the M40 finishers, John Lenehan, and Barry Kelly in fifth and sixth positions respectively.
Dunamanagh triathlete, Adam Ward sealed seventh overall in 27.02 minutes, while David Gormley, Enda McKaigue and Tom McKeveney completed the top 10.
In the ladies section, Letterkenny AC’s Nikita Burke, who won the Rudolph Run in Eskra just before Christmas, was the victor in 28.43 minutes for 12th position overall, while City of Derry’s Catherine Whoriskey took second in 30.38 minutes.Ballymena Runners’ Kathleen Law completed the podium in 31.07 minutes, while Nadine McIntyre was fourth, Maggie O’Hara fifth, Holly Woodhead sixth and Omagh native, Cassie Lagan-Webb took seventh. Pauline McGurren, Anna Heagney and Aine Donnelly rounded out the top 10.
Meanwhile, in the junior ranks, finishing behind McGloin in the race was Omagh Harriers’ William McCausland and team-mate, Cillian Lynch in second and third respectively, with Jake McFarland fourth.
Overall, the event, which will mark it’s 40th anniversary in 2026 was hailed a massive success by all involved, particularly the more than 1100 finishers who each received a specially designed medal to mark the occasion.
l Full results from the race can be found via greencastle5.com.
