from Athletics Northern Ireland There were some excellent performances at the well organised Woodie’s DIY Cross Country Championships today at Gransha Park in Derry.
Under a snow coloured sky, the first races of the day were the boys and girls even age groups races of U12, U 14, U16 and U18 who ran in beautiful snowy conditions in the parkland of Gransha Park in Derry. The first three in the junior and senior races were able to secure their automatic selection for next month’s European Cross Country in Portugal.
The star of the Junior Women’s race was Ciara Mageean of Antrim who was won convincingly in 14:07 from Emma Mitchell of Banbridge AC and Laura Behan of KCK AC of Waterford. Lagan Valley’s Rachel Campbell finished 10th.
In the women’s senior race, Fionnuala Britton of Wicklow looked superb in winning by over 30 seconds in 27.44 over the 8000m course. Newcastle’s Kerry Harty had what she described as her best ever cross country run to finish 5th behind runaway winner Britton.
The junior men’s race was one of the most competitive races of the day. Victory went to Shane Quinn of Waterford in 18.39 from Emmet Jennings of Dublin and John Travers of Dublin, who will all have guaranteed their places for selection for the Euro Cross teams next month. Dromore’s Ryan McDermott was unlucky to miss out on selection with a 7th place finish. Lagan Valley’s Andrew Monaghan was 8th.
The senior men’s race was impressively won by Joe Sweeney of Dublin in 30.07 from Mark Christie of Mullingar Harriers and Brendan O’Neil of Dublin. Paddy Hamilton was 17th, Andrew Agnew 20th and Eddie McGinley 23rd.
O’Neill was the first U23 athlete from John Coghlan of Dublin and Michael Mulhare of Laois. Dublin took the Inter County prize from Cork and Donegal.
The first three in the men’s and women’s junior, Under 23 and Senior races were automatically selected for the European Cross Country next month in Portugal. The remaining three athletes for each event will be named by tomorrow by Athletics Ireland’s selection committee.
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Junior Women’s Result: 1. C Mageean 14.07 (Antrim), 2. E Mitchell 14.36 (Banbridge AC), 3. L Behan 14.40 (KCK AC). County: 1. Dublin 31, 2. Wicklow 58, 3. Laois 67
Senior Women’s Result: F Britton 27.44 (Wicklow), 2. E Lee 29.04 (Cork), 3. S Doherty 29.10 (Borrisokane AC). County 1. Dublin 26, 2, Meath 81, 3, Cork 83
Junior Men’s Result: 1. S Quinn 18.39 (Waterford), 2. E Jennings 18.45 (Dublin), 3. J Travers 18.47 (Dublin). County 1. Dublin 84, 2. Cork 151
Senior Men’s Result: 1. J Sweeny (Dublin) 30.07, 2. M Christie (Mullingar Harriers AC) 30.40, 3. B O’Neill 30.45 (U23, Dublin). County: 1 Dublin, 2 Cork, 3. Donegal
U12 Boys: 1. A Monaghan (Meath) 2. M Power, 3. R Little. County 1. Clare 122, 2. Kerry 146, 3. Meath 182
U14 Boys: 1. P Gibbons (Letterkenny AC), 2. H Larkin (Dublin), 3. W Hynes (Swinford AC). County: 1. Antrim 146, 2. Cork 173, 3. West Meath 194
U16 Boys: 1. S Fitzsimons (Mullingar AC), 2. A Hanlon, 3. J Maher (Kilkenny). County: 1. West Meath 125, 2. Dublin 171, 3. Kerry 222
U18 Boys: 1. K Dooney (Raheny), 2. A Monaghan (Lagan Valley), 3. R Finnegan (Letterkenny AC). County 1. Cork 109, 2. Dublin 122, 3. Clare 184
U12 Girls: 1. S Cotter (Cork), 2. H Hoynes (Kilkenny), 3. E O’ Donovan (Meath). County: 1. Cork 104, 2. Dublin 137, 3. Clare 167
U14 Girls: 1. A O’Reilly, 2. B Sherlock (Doheny AC), 3. N Power (Templeogue AC). County: 1. Dublin, 132, 2. Cork 132, 3. Waterford 187
U16 Girls: 1. S Cleirigh-Buttner (Dublin), 2. C Hewson (Westmeath), 3. A Lally (Galway). County. 1. Dublin 54, 2. West Meath 209, 3. Clare 221
U18 Girls: 1. K Veale (Waterford), 2. A Thorogood (Dublin), 3. M Doyle (Kilkenny). County: 1. Dublin 69, 2. Antrim 111, 3. Galway 190.
