Meade Pulls Away From Grufferty to Win County Road Championships

The County Road Championships were held in Firmount, Donoughmore today in warm sunny conditions.  The men had two laps of the course, with the women settling for one.  By halfway the leaders had a familiar look about it, with Eric Meade and James Grufferty out on their own.  However, in the final mile Meade reversed the order of last Friday’s Streets of Cobh race by pulling away from Grufferty to win well in a time of 20:32 for the four miles.  There was also a change in the minor placings with Timmy Murphy well clear in third ahead of Alan O’Shea.  Eamon McEvoy was fifth, followed by Dermot Callaghan of Donoughmore in sixth.  Mary Sweeney again won the womens race (11:51); from Mary Murphy in second, and Monica Twohig in third.  Photo (right) shows the early stages of the race with Grufferty leading from Murphy, Meade (174), and Leevale’s Mark Hanrahan (214). (Results).