James McIlroy had his first race of the season at the GV Ryan meeting in Santry yesterday and stepped up a distance to the 1,500 metres for a comfortable victory in three minutes 53.18 seconds.
The Ballymena athlete, who made such a remarkable breakthrough over 800 metres last season to run 1:45.32, used this solo effort as a test of strength after missing three weeks last month due to a virus.
Opening with a 56 second lap, McIlroy was never threatened by the rest of the field and still finished 10 metres clear despite easing off on the last circuit.
His club-mate Paul Brizzel produced a highly impressive sprint double over 100 metres (10.57) and 200 metres (21.11) although Dundrum South Dublin (DSD) were good enough to collect the GV Ryan team trophy, thanks in part to a courageous victory in the 3,000 metres by marathon specialist Noel Berkeley.
The Louis Vandendries women's team trophy also went to DSD, but it was guest athlete Ciara Sheey who produced the performance of the day in winning the 200 metres in 23.74 seconds, the second fastest time ever by an Irish woman. Karen Shinkins also improved on her form in taking the 400 metres in 53.43 seconds.
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