The 20th Fr. Peter O'Brien (Ballina) 10k Road Race was held in Ballina at the weekend. Over one hundred and twenty athletes took part in brilliant September sunshine. Frances McAndrew, Leas Meara Ballina Town Council was the official starter of the race at the Town Park on the Sligo Road. The race took off at a blistering place and continued along by the River Moy, through the town, onto the Killala Road, through Belleek woodlands and the final stage of the journey on the opposite side of the Moy and finishing on Cathedral Road. Gerry Ryan, Galway City Harriers was the winner of the race in a time of 30.59m. He was closely followed by Robert Malseed, Mayo in 2nd place, Robbie Matthews, Dunshauglin, 3rd and Stephen McKeigne in 4th place.

The winner of the lady's race was Mary Gleeson, Mayo A/C who finished in 15th place overall, Lucy Brennan, Sligo A/c 2nd, Breege Blehein McHale, 3rd and Rosaleen Mitchell, Sligo 4th.

Senior Winners of the 2009 Fr. Peter O'Brien (Ballina) 10k Road Race. Left to right: Catherine Gillespie, treasurer, Ballina Athletic Club, Frances McAndrew, Lease Meara, Ballina Town Council, Gerry Ryan, GCH overall winner, John Walkin Cup sponsor, Mary Gleeson, Mayo A/C senior ladies winner, Marion Mattimoe, secretary, P. J. Reilly chairperson and Catherine Connolly PRO, Ballina Athletic Club pictured at the 2009 Fr. Peter O'Brien (Ballina) 10k Road Race. Picture: Corrine Beattie

Over 35 Category. Sean Gallagher, Ballina A/C 1st and 9th place overall, David Kearns, Sligo 2nd. Catherine Connolly, Mayo A/C 1st, Karen Gillen, Sligo 2nd.

Over 40 Category: Damien McSharry, Sligo, 1st, David Conway, Westport 2nd. Angela O'Connor, Mayo A/C 1st, Chris Gallagher, Mayo A/c 2nd.

Over 45 Category, Tommy Neville, Ballina A/C 1st, Mary Naylor, Mayo A/C 1st.

Over 50 Category, Tom Meehan, Sligo 1st, Bernie Kelly, GCH 1st.

Over 60. Tom Hunt Mayo A/C 1st.

U19 Boys; 1st, Daniel Murray, Ballina A/C.

Daniel had a fantastic run and finished in 6th place overall in the 10K race. 15year old David Harper of Westport A/C ran a fantatic race and finished 25th place overall.

Fit4Life Category. 1st Michelle Traynor, Ballina A/C, 2nd Mary Dunne, Ballina A/C, 3rd Sharon Cawley, Mayo A/C.

U15 Boys 2k Race. 1st Ciaran Treacy, 2nd Simon Gillespie, 3rd, Mikey Murray, 4th Fergal Gill & 5th Anthony Neville, Ballina Athletic Club.

U15 Girls 2k Race. 1st Triona Moran, 2nd Natasha Neville, Ballina Athletic Club. Five of Ballina Athletic Club athletes finished in the top 11 of the race. This is testament to the work our for Fit4Life coaches.

Liam Devenney presented the J. J. Deveney Cup to Sean Gallagher for the first local Master's Athlete home. Fr. Peter O'Brien presented the Fr. Peter O'Brien Perpetual Cup to Triona Moran for the first local U15 girls home. Gerry Hickey presented the Michael Hickey Memorial Cup to Ciaran Treacy for the first U15 boys local home. Seventy nine year old Sean Dooner of South West Vets, United Kingdom competed in the race and finished the race in a time of 66.35m.

Frances McAndrew, Leas Meara, Ballina Town Council, Sean Gallagher, winner of the O'35 race, Marion Mattimoe, Secretary, Ballina Atheltic Club, Mary McHale, Breege Blehein McHale, Mayo A/C 3rd, Mary Gleeson, Mayo A/C 1st, Lucy Brennan, Sligo A/C 2nd in the Senior Ladies Race, Robert Malseed, Mayo A/C 2nd, Robert Matthews Dunshaughlin, 3rd, Stephen McKeigne, Ferbane 4th in the senior race, Tommy Neville, Ballina A/C winner of the O'45 race, Catherine Connolly, PRO, P.J. Reilly, Chairperson, Catherine Gillespie, PRO, Ballina Athletic Club and Gerry Ryan GCH race winner at the Fr. Peter O'Brien (Ballina) 10k road Race. Picture: Corrine Beattie

Tea and refreshments were served in the Ballina Sports and Leisure Centre. Ballina Athletic Club would like to thank of the businesses in the area who contributed sponsorship to the race. The committee would like to thank all who participated in the race, all the stewards, volunteers and the ladies who provided the tea and refreshments.

Full results of the race:,

1, 243, 30:59, Gerry Ryan, Male, Galway CH, Senior

2, 227, 31:34, Robert Malseed, Male, Mayo Athletic Club, Senior

3, 225, 33:26, Robbie Mathews, Male, Dunsaughlin Athletic Club, Senior

4, 229, 33:35, Spephen Mc Keigne, Male, Ferbane, Senior

5, 246, 34:07, Roger Barret, Male, Ballina Athletic Club, Senior

6, 451, 34:46, Daniel Murray, Male, Ballina Athletic Club, Junior - Under 19

7, 224, 35:04, Michael Canty, Male, Ballina Athletic Club, Senior

8, 249, 35:26, Richard Gorman, Male, Sligo, Senior

9, 322, 35:38, Sean Gallagher, Male, Ballina Athletic Club, Over 35

10, 307, 35:46, Tom Meehan, Male, Sligo, Over 50

11, 253, 35:48, Michael Ford , Male, Ballina Athletic Club, Senior

12, 244, 35:55, Neal Higgins, Male, Sligo, Senior

13, 308, 36:28, David Kearns, Male, Sligo, Over 35

14, 250, 36:29, Ciaran Quinn, Male, Mayo Athletic Club, Senior

15, 353, 36:30, Mary Gleeson, Female, Mayo Athletic Club, Senior

16, 310, 36:41, Damien Mc SharrY, Male, Sligo, Over 40

17, 239, 36:47, Brendan Gill, Male, Mayo Athletic Club, Senior

18, 248, 37:09, Paddy O'Toole, Male, Mayo Athletic Club, Senior

19, 235, 37:42, Stephen Finnegan, Male, Sligo, Senior

20, 351, 38:01, Lucy BrennaN, Female, Sligo, Senior

21, 254, 38:15, Kevin Mellott, Male, Swinford, Senior

22, 321, 38:17, David Conway, Male, Westport, Over 40

23, 312, 38:23, Tommy Neville, Male, Mayo Athletic Club, Over 45

24, 252, 39:01, John Tighe, Male, Ballina Athletic Club, Senior

25, 474, 39:02, David Harper, Male, Westport, Junior - Under 19

26, 319, 39:04, Paul Mc Dermott, Male, North Leitrim, Over 45

27, 355, 39:14, Breege Blehein, Female, Mayo Athletic Club, Senior

28, 232, 39:20, John Courell, Male, Ballina Athletic Club, Senior

29, 303, 39:21, Terry Mc Gowan, Male, Sligo, Over 50

30, 251, 39:24, Brendan Sexton, Male, Sligo, Senior

31, 313, 39:38, Tom Hunt, Male, Mayo Athletic Club, Over 60

32, 317, 39:40, Brendan Naylor, Male, Ballina Athletic Club, Over 35

33, 318, 40:23, Rory Connor, Male, Sligo, Over 40

34, 241, 40:29, Conor Mc Cann, Male, Sligo, Senior

35, 240, 40:30, Kieran Coleman, Male, Sligo, Senior

36, 405, 40:49, Cathy Connolly, Female, Mayo Athletic Club, Over 35

37, 316, 40:59, John O'Brien, Male, Ballina Athletic Club, Over 40

38, 326, 41:00, PJ Hall, Male, Mayo Athletic Club, Over 50

39, 304, 41:03, Declan Byrne, Male, Sligo, Over 45

40, 414, 41:57, Angela O'Conor, Female, Mayo Athletic Club, Over 40

41, 236, 42:00, Brendan Walshe, Male, Westport, Senior

42, 223, 42:10, Kevin O'Dea, Male, Clare River, Senior

43, 221, 42:22, Roy Kelly, Male, Carrick, Senior

44, 301, 42:30, Marcus Allen, Male, Unattached, Over 45

45, 329, 42:42, Alan Murphy, Male, Ballina Athletic Club, Over 40

46, 258, 42:43, Patrick Dobes, Male, Ballina Athletic Club, Senior

47, 226, 42:50, Owen Duggan, Male, Westport, Senior

48, 406, 42:51, Chris Gallagher, Female, Mayo Athletic Club, Over 40

49, 309, 43:00, Eamonn Kennedy, Male, Unattached, Over 45

50, 230, 43:42, John Kilgallen, Male, Sligo, Senior

51, 245, 44:07, Pat Mc Munn, Male, Sligo, Senior

52, 352, 44:24, Rosaleen Mitchell, Female, Sligo, Senior

53, 412, 45:17, Karen Gillen, Female, North Sligo, Over 35

54, 314, 46:06, Michael Mc Grath, Male, Mayo Athletic Club, Over 50

55, 407, 46:09, Bernie Kelly, Female, GCH, Over 50

56, 306, 46:19, Gerry Mc Donagh, Male, Unattached, Over 50

57, 234, 46:41, Des Campbell, Male, Castlebar, Senior

58, 231, 46:42, Barney Murphy, Male, Sligo, Senior

59, 999, 46.50, James Devenney, Male, Unattached, Senior

60, 328, 46:55, Tom Cullen, Male, North Leitrim, Over 60

61, 354, 46:58, Maria McDermott, Female, Unattached, Senior

62, 255, 47:16, Ciaran Commons, Male, Bohola, Senior

63, 238, 47:22, Fintal Conlon, Male, Sligo, Senior

64, 320, 47:53, Robbie Reynolds, Male, Ballina Athletic Club, Over 40

65, 411, 48:11, Trish Battle, Female, Ballina Athletic Club, Over 35

66, 305, 48:20, Sean Mc Gowan, Male, Sligo, Over 50

67, 315, 48:29, Chris O Malley, Male, Mayo Athletic Club, Over 40

68, 413, 48:47, Mary Naylor, Female, Mayo Athletic Club, Over 45

69, 325, 48:52, Austin Gilmartin, Male, North Sligo, Over 40

70, 330, 49:35, Chris O'Connell, Male, Mayo Athletic Club, Over 50

71, 323, 49:55, Matthew Garrett, Male, Ballina Athletic Club, Over 35

72, 233, 50:05, Francis Regan, Male, Breaffy, Senior

73, 564, 50:25, Michelle Traynor, Female, Ballina Athletic Club, Fit4life

74, 256, 50:26, James Cawley, Male, Ballina Athletic Club, Senior

75, 563, 50:40, Mary Dunne, Female, Ballina Athletic Club, Fit4life

76, 311, 50:53, Tony Gleeson, Male, Claremoris, Over 40

77, 562, 50:54, Sharon Cawley, Female, Ballina Athletic Club, Fit4life

78, 402, 50:57, Fiona Melvin, Female, Sligo, Over 40

79, 237, 51:30, Paul Reilly, Male, Sligo, Senior

80, 410, 51.54, Brenda Murphy, Female, Mayo Athletic Club, Over 45

81, 324, 52.00, Ian Mc Phee, Male, Unattached, Over 45

82, 333, 52.11, Tom Horkan, Male, Ballina Athletic Club, Over 60

83, 404, 52:19, Laura O'Shea, Female, Sligo, Over 35

84, 247, 52:24, John Timothy, Male, Clalemorris, Senior

85, 357, 52:58, Carol Coughlan, Female, North Leitrim, Senior

86, 565, 53:16, Elizabeth Murphy, Female, Ballina Athletic Club, Fit4life

87, 401, 53:33, Ann Allen, Female, Unattached, Over 40

88, 560, 53:58, Mary Walshe, Female, Mayo Athletic Club, Fit4life

89, 409, 54:15, Deordre Ruddy, Female, Mayo Athletic Club, Over 40

90, 408, 56:17, Jill Connor, Female, Sligo, Over 40

91, 327, 56:55, Andrew Slater, Male, Unattached, Over 45

92, 568, 58:30, Joe Jordan, Male, Ballina Athletic Club, Fit4life

93, 569, 59:03, Seamus Ruddy, Male, Unattached, Over 40

94, 403, 59:28, JAthletic Clubinta Walsh, Female, Sligo, Over 35

95, 416, 59:51, Annette Muligan, Female, Unattached, Over 45

96, 415, 60:13, Caroline Judge, Female, Unattached, Over 40

97, 331, 60:17, DerEK Fair , Male, Ballina Athletic Club, Over 40

98, 257, 65:03, Martin Rafter, Male, Ballina Athletic Club, Senior

99, 561, 65:03, Evie Murphy, Female, Ballina Athletic Club, Fit4life

100, 566, 66:35, Bernie Kelly, Female, Ballina Athletic Club, Fit4life

101, 302, 67:24, Sean Dooher, Male, South West vets UK, Over 60

102, 356, 68:13, Violet Cullen, Female, North Leitrim, Senior

103, 228, 68:34, Rob Clough, Male, Ballina Athletic Club, Senior

104, 222, , Gerard Murphy, Male, Clare River, Senior

105, 567, , Susan Rogers, Female, Ballina Athletic Club, Walker

106, 332, , Harry Carroll, Male, Unattached, Over 60

107, 358, , Linda Carroll, Female, Unattached, Senior