Buncrana 5k Road Race expected to attract top entries

Furey Insurances Buncrana 5k
The Buncrana 5k is expected to attract some of the north's top athletes on Wednesday evening.The Buncrana 5k is expected to attract some of the north's top athletes on Wednesday evening.
The Buncrana 5k is expected to attract some of the north's top athletes on Wednesday evening.

All roads on Wednesday lead to the Inishowen peninsula where the 15th edition of the iconic Furey Insurances Buncrana 5K is set to yet again attract runners of all abilities to take on the fast course and chase 5K PBs.

Entries will be taken from 5.30pm at the usual race HQ in Schoil Mhuire on St. Oran’s Road and the race starts at 7.30pm, just a few yards from the school.

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With its downhill start and finish compensating significantly for the testing undulating section on the back road at Ludden and a minimum of twists and turns, the Buncrana course boasts a course record of 13m 57s from the Kenyan athlete Dan Tunai, set in 2017.

The female best of 16m 09s stands to Maria McCambridge and has resisted all comers for several years and with a plethora of other fast times down the years, Buncrana has a classy reputation.

Tunai may well be in attendance on Wednesday night. He is currently based in Ballymena and intends to travel with members of his host club but is unlikely to line out. However the upfront action should still be classy with the in-form Mark McKinstry, Wilkie’s Run runner up last Thursday and third last year in Buncrana, looking to go below 15m on the course for the first time.

He posted 15m 00.8s last year and has, of course, broken 15m elsewhere since but Buncrana holds a special attraction for the North Belfast Harrier and he will be among several visiting runners making the trip to the North West.

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Local man Keith Shiels was just ahead of McKinstry last year, 14m 59.5s, and has been active again recently and may be a starter.

Other fancied locals should include Declan Reed, Danny Mooney, Connor Bradley, Eoghan McGinley, JP Williamson and Kyle Doherty but Scott Rankin may miss out as he continues his return to fitness.

Victor in 2017 and a prolific Buncrana winner, Teresa Doherty, should line up again among the top females. She won in 16m 31.4s last year and will have the promoting club City of Derry Spartans’ Breege Connolly among the other leading contenders. North Down’s Rachel Gibson and Wilkie’s Run winner Ciara Toner who went close to a sub 17m run last year behind Doherty, are others to watch.

All set then for a memorable evening - an inviting course with an impressive history, classy upfront action and exciting down the field battles, PBs are there for the taking with great prizes and post race refreshments.

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