Fagan fights to claim third place finish

Running despite an groin injury, Martin Fagan fought through the pain to record an third place finish in the 7th Annual Great Ireland Run - finishing just behind the winner, Portugal"s Rui Pedro Silva.Olympic marathon star Fagan was out to prove a point in the Dublin leg of the Great Run series this year, having pulled out of the 2008 Great Ireland Run at the last minute with stress fractures sustained during his Olympic qualification process.Although injury hampered his attempt last Sunday, the Mullingar Harriers distance runner can be more than happy with his performance - finishing just a second shy of his hero, legendary Kenyan athlete Paul Tergat, who came in second.Much of the pre-race coverage of the Great Ireland Run had focused on Fagan"s showdown with the veteran Tergat, but in an exciting sprint finish to the 10 kilometre race, Portuguese star Silva finished in pole position, in a lifetime best time of 28:45.Saying that he was keen to run on home soil, Fagan endured the pain barrier said that he 'felt flat' for the entire run, but 'wouldn"t have missed the race for the world'.Based in Flagstaff, Arizona, USA, Fagan finished in a time of 28:47, and had an MRI scan on Monday to determine the nature of his injury.