Eileen McCullagh wins Munster Silver medal.

St Flannan’s College, Ennis was the venue last Sunday for the Munster Intermediate Cros Country Championships.

In the women’s race Eileen McCullagh of Moyne AC ran a brilliant race to win the Munster Intermediate Silver medal in 15 mins 49 secs. Eileen was well placed in the leading group of three athletes throughout the race. Then in the closing stages she held off a strong challenge to win the silver medal, fantastic achievement. Eileen is having a great cross-country season, and this was a well-deserved award for all the hard training. Then we had Sareen Walsh of Clonmel AC also running very well when finishing 10^th in 17 mins 35 secs.

In the Men’s race Denis McCullagh of Thurles Crokes ran a great race when finishing 9^th in 30 mins 51 secs. We also had good performances from Willie O Donoghue of Mooreabbey Milers 19^th in 34 mins 21 secs, Jim Halley Dundrum AC 23rd in 35.42 and Michael Moore 24^th in 36.04.

It is a pity that the County hadn’t teams competing in both events as they would have done well.

European Cross Country Championships

These Championships took place in Antalya, Turkiye last Sunday. Sean Tobin of Clonmel AC competed in the Senior Men’s 7.5km race. Sean was 63^rd in a very competitive race won by Jacob Ingebrigtsen of Norway. Congrats to Nick Griggs on winning the European under 23 silver medal, brilliant achievement.

County Senior Cross Country Championships

The blue-ribbon event of the County Cross Country season takes place in Cashel next Sunday with the hosting of the County Senior women’s and men’s Cross-Country races by Dundrum AC. The women’s 6k will start at 11 am followed immediately by the Men’s 10K race. The Course will be on a 2k loop. The venue is Ballypaudeen, Cashel just off the R639 road from Cashel to exit 7 on the M8. Eligibility is that athletes must be 20 years of age as of the 31st of December 2024. In the team event it is three to score on the women’s teams while it is four to score on the men’s teams. There is a B Section in both races for Clubs that enter more than one team. This is a new course but adjacent to last year’s venue.

Looking back on last years’ races Dymphna Ryan Dundrum AC was a very convincing winner, and she will be favourite to make it four in a row in Cashel. She can expect good competition from athletes like Laura Cooney of Clonmel AC who ran a brilliant race in the National Novice recently as well as her club mate Kealey Tideswell along with Linda Grogan of Dundrum, Eileen McCullagh of Moyne and Aoife Delargy of Nenagh Olympic. Dundrum AC are the defending club champions, and they will be aiming to retain the Cup for another year as they seek a six in a row achievement. They will also be looking to the likes of Catherine Fogarty, Once, again their main competition could come from clubs like Clonmel, Thurles Crokes, Moyne and Fethard AC.

The men’s race over 10k will also be very competitive. Here the defending Champion is Stuart Moloney of Mooreabbey Milers. He could face good competition from athletes like Danile Ryan Ellis of Nenagh Olympic who won the National Novice bronze medal recently in Tramore, Luke Purcell Nenagh Olympic, Barry Hartnett Dundrum AC, Mossy Bracken Moycarkey Coolcroo, Dermot Gorman, Carrick on Suir, Caolon Curran of Thurles Crokes, David Mansfield of Clonmel AC. In the team event, the defending Champions are Moycarkey Coolcroo who were winning the title for the very first time last year and they will be going all out to keep it for another year. They will be looking to athletes like Conor Keating, Matthew Ryan, Kevin Shortall. They will face good competition from Thurles Crokes, who will be looking to Daragh O Leary, Thomas McCarthy and Cathal Kennedy. Nenagh Olympic will also be vying for top honours with Jamie Moloney and Mark Corcoran. Other clubs in the mix will be Dundrum AC, Clonmel AC, Carrick on Suir AC and Mooreabbey Milers AC.