How perverse we can be. We don't often beat Leinster in rugby but on Sunday we waited until we were down to 14 players to do the business. We don't often beat Cork City in soccer so on Friday night we waited until we were down to 10 men to record a famous win. And then add in the performance of Michael O'Connor in the Galway Bay 10, who waited for one of the worst days of the year to set a new time in winning the event on Saturday.

The Galway Oyster Festival Marquee at South Park got another day in the sun on Saturday last. Not so much sun but more a sanctuary for the brave souls who showed up for the 6th staging of the Galway Bay 10 Run and Walk in aid of Cancer Care West. They came in their hundreds and brought another €150,000 for the worthy cause of coping with cancer.

Saturday was a truly dreadful day and yet as many as 500 of the 800 entered, showed up. It was quite a spectacle to see the start on the new roadway for pedestrians and cyclists in South Park as the athletes headed for Salthill. It was a tough race that brought the runners out as far as Cappagh Road. Then up to the Western Distributor Road, on to Bishop O'Donnell Road, right out to Knocknacarra Cross and home to Nimmos Pier at South Park.

But when they all returned to the oyster tent they were well treated with Mocha Beans Coffee individually made, Arrabawn Milk in abundance, lashings of Galway Spring Water, the best of fruit and sandwiches and a well stocked bar! The physios saved the day for many. All the competitors had commemorative medals and tee shirts going home. New standards.

Michael O'Connor who won the first three in 2003, 2004 and 2005 won again on Saturday in a new course record of 53.50. The Galway City Harriers athlete from Kilcolgan had a terrific week as he won the Dublin City Half Marathon (1.07.58) in the Phoenix Park the previous weekend. Runner/up was Martin Conroy from Sligo in 57.33 and third was Conor Moloney (GCH) in 58.37. The Ladies Race went again to Regina Casey (Galway City Harriers) from Ballinrobe in 67.35. Orla Ní Mhuircheartaigh (GCH) was second in 70.52 and Eimear Butler from Cruachan Park was third in 72.18.

Category prizes went to Ian Egan (V40), Gearóid Quinn (V45), Mairtín O'Donnell, Aran Islands (V50), Don Deacy (V55) and Tom O'Connor, Corcullen (V60), Miriam Wall and Marie Treasa Beatty (V45).

Galway's new Olympian oarsman Cormac Folan showed his sporting versatility to finish in 19th place and with Enda Gaffney, Evin Donnelly and Orla Ní Mhuircheartaigh won the team prize for NUIG. Another NUIG oarsman Paul Giblin finished in the top 35. No sign of Alan Martin, he was rowing in a prestige regatta in Berlin. Hewlett Packard, great supporters of the event, were runners/up in the team event with Ray Glynn, James Ferry, Wally Walsh and Brian Murphy.

Kevin Thornton, who has swam Galway Bay from Clare to here as a fundraiser for Cancer Care West probably got even wetter on Saturday when running the race! He finished in the top 50. And we spotted the busy Darragh O'Brien the Chairman of Loughrea AC who spearheaded the successful 40th celebrations of the club last weekend. The Loughrea man finished in the top five. Galway Greyhound Stadium man Ollie Hestor finished in fine fettle.

Notwithstanding the fundraising for Cancer Care West, the Galway Bay 10 was by any standards an important day for athletics in Galway. So it was with sadness that we heard of the death of Murt Hynes, Cruachan Park and formerly of Newcastle Road who died at about the same time as the winner Michael O'Connor crossed the finishing line. It was like as if Murt knew how the race went and he could leave! Murt Hynes was a great advocate of the running game.

His working life was spent in the Department of Physiology in NUIG where he served the university well and enjoyed much respect from and had a particular empathy with the students. Murt Hynes was a gentle and polite man. He was, what is known as, a nice man. He spent much of his spare time enjoying a run with friends, particularly from the Galway City Harriers club. It was in the pedigree, his dad Thomas Hynes, an Irish champion and international athlete of repute, has a road called in his honour close to where the runners ran on Saturday. Murt Hynes has reached his finishing line. His PB is done. We remember him with affection.