The International Selectors of Athletics Ireland have finalised the six Irish teams and individuals for the upcoming European Cross Country Championships in Portugal next month. Ireland will be represented in all age group categories on the day: Men’s & Women’s Junior, Under 23 & Senior races. The athletes selected will all be expecting to compete well individually and as a team in their specific events.
Irish athletes have a good tradition of strong individual and team medal winning performances in the European Cross Country Championships since their inception. Ireland’s Catherina McKiernan won the Gold medal in the senior women’s race back in 1994. Last year the event was successfully hosted by Athletics Ireland in Santry, and those selected for this year’s championships will be hoping to put in performances worthy of a European Championship.
All athletes selected have shown good form so far this winter. Many were selected on the back of their performances in Sundays Woodie’s Inter County Cross Championships in Derry.
Irish athletes of the calibre of Ciara Mageean, Shane Quinn, Brendan O’Neill, Sarah Treacy, Joe Sweeney and Fionnuala Britton, among others, will all be toeing the line in Albuferia with great hopes and expectations of competing with the very best in their event on the day.
The following have been selected to represent Ireland in the forthcoming European Cross Country Championships in Albuferia Portugal on December 12th.
Junior Men
Shane Quinn (Ferrybank AC)
Emmet Jennings (Dundrum South Dublin AC)
John Travers (Donore Harriers)
Paul Robinson (St. Coca’s AC)
Darren McBrearty (Letterkenny AC)
Kevin Dooney (Raheny Shamrock AC)
Reserves;
Ryan McDermott (Dromore AC)
Liam Brady (Tullamore Harriers)
Junior Women
Ciara Mageean (Lisburn AC)
Emma Mitchell (Banbridge AC)
Laura Behan (KCK AC)
Fiona McKenna (Dundrum South Dublin AC)
Amy O Donoghue (Emerald AC)
U23 Men
Brendan O Neill (Dundrum South Dublin AC)
John Coghlan (Metro St. Brigid’s AC )
Michael Mulhare (North Laois AC)
David McCarthy (West Waterford AC)
Ciaran O Lionáird (Leevale AC)
David Rooney (Raheny Shamrock AC)
Reserves;
David Flynn (Clonliffe Harriers)
Stephen Scullion (North Belfast AC)
U23 Women
Sara Louise Treacy (Moynalvey / Kilcloon AC)
Becky Woods (Clonliffe Harriers AC)
Bryony Treston (Dundrum South Dublin AC)
Senior Men
Joe Sweeney (Dundrum South Dublin AC)
Mark Christie (Mullingar Harriers)
Dan Mulhare (North Laois AC)
Brian Farrell (Sli Cualann AC)
Mark Kenneally (Clonliffe Harriers AC)
Gary Thornton (Galway City Harriers)
Reserve:
Seamus Power (Kilmurry-Ibrickane AC)
Senior Women
Fionnuala Britton (Sli Cualann AC)
Elizabeth Lee (Leevale AC)
Siobhan O Doherty (Borrisokane AC)
Ava Hutchinson (Dundrum South Dublin AC)
Kerry Harty (Newcastle AC)
Hazel Murphy (Dundrum South Dublin AC)
Reserves;
Aoife Talty (Raheny Shramrock AC)
Ciara Durkan (Skerries AC)
We wish all our athletes and teams the best of success in the event on December 12th.
