County Intermediate titles down for decision

Moycarkey Coolcroo AC are hosting the County Intermediate Cross Country Championships next Sunday and once again the County Board is indebted to Donal Hayes and his family for the use of his lands. The action gets underway at 10 am with the women’s 5k race followed immediately by the Men’s 8k at approx. 10.20am. Eligibility for these Championships are that athletes must be 20 years of age as of the 31^st of December 2025. All Athletes, except previous winners of this or a County Senior Cross Country title are eligible.

The women’s race should attract a good entry, following on from the County Novice which was very well supported by all the clubs. The three medalists at the recent County Novice Cross Country, Aoife Delargy Nenagh Olympic, Ruby Carroll Clonmel AC and Orla Healy Moyne AC are all well capable of winning this title. Other athletes that will have a say includes Sharon Cantwell Moyne AC. Mary Louise Ryan of Mooreabbey Milers, Laura Earley and Carol Molloy of Fethard as well as the Moyne AC duo of Edel Delaney and Lisa Quinlan. In the team event we can expect another great tussle between Moyne AC and Fethard AC as only one point separated them at the Novice. Other clubs vying for a podium place includes Clonmel AC, Thurles Crokes AC, Mooreabbey Milers, Dundrum AC and DBB AC.

The men’s race should also be competitive. Here again the Novice CC three medallists, James Moloney Nenagh Olympic, Tom Tracey and Thomas McCarthy, both Thurles Crokes are all capable of winning this title. Other athletes who can have a say include Emmet McNamara of Fethard AC who ran a brilliant race last Sunday when finishing 3^rd in the over 35 Cross Country trials in Abbotstown, his clubmate Louis Rice, Shane Moloney of Thurles Crokes as well as Mark Corcoran of Nenagh Olympic and Michael Bourke of Mooreabbey Milers. In the team event, the defending Champions are Fethard AC and they are well capable of retaining it for another year as they can call upon such athletes as Hugh Morgan, Fintan Rice and James Maher. They will face good competition from the County Novice Champions, Thurles Crokes who can also call upon Denis McCullagh and Austin Ryan. Other clubs that could have a say in the podium placings includes Mooreabbey Milers, Dundrum and Clonmel.

Great performances by Ryan, McNamara and Rice

The Autumn Cross Country Classic took place last Sunday in Abbotstown where conditions were very good. Dymphna Ryan of Dundrum Ac put in a brilliant performance when winning the masters women’s race in convincing fashion. In the Men’s equivalent, Emmet McNamara and Fintan Rice, both Fethard AC put in two sterling performances when finishing 3^rd in their respective categories, over 35 and over 60. Hopefully these fine performances will see all three athletes selected on the Irish teams for the upcoming Home Countries Masters Cross Country Championships on November 15^th in Leeds. Other good performances on the day included Dermot Gorman Carrick on Suir AC 6^th over 40, Eugene O Keeffe Carrick on Suir 8^th over 55, Willie O Donoghue Mooreabbey Milers 9^th over 60. In the Senior women’s race there were good performances from the Clonmel AC duo of Ciara O Neill 12^th and Laura Cooney 17^th as well as Sharon Cantwell of Moyne 29^th. In the Senior men’s race there were also good performances from the Nenagh Olympic trio of Daniel Ryan Ellis 16^th, Luke Purcell, 20^th, Jamie Moloney 31st as well as the Thurles Crokes duo of Tom Tracey 44^th and Thomas McCarthy 46^th. In the Junior men’s race there were good performances from the Nenagh Olympic duo of Diarmuid Moloney 10^th and Ben Walshe 18^th.

Earlier in the day at the National Senior Mixed Cross Country Relay Championships the Nenagh Olympic team of Cian Hodgins, Aoife Delargy, Jennifer O Leary and Jamie Tanner combined to win the bronze medals, a fantastic achievement by this young team.

National Marathon

The very best of luck to all our athletes competing in the Dublin City Marathon on Sunday.