County Athletic News by Niall O Sullivan County Senior PRO

Middlepiece, Moycarkey was the venue last Sunday for the County Intermediate Cross Country Championships. Despite the misty rain, conditions were good for Cross Country running. The women’s race got the programme underway at 10am. Here right from the start Laura Cooney Clonmel AC made her intentions known, as she wanted to add this title to the County Novice Cross Country title won in Galbally 2024, as she set a strong pace. The chasing group of Lisa Quinlan of Moyne and the Fethard AC duo of Laura Earley and Carol Molloy also moved well clear of the rest of the field on the first lap. Up front Laura Cooney made every stride a winning one as she came home a very worthy and convincing Champion. The battle for the other podium placings was decided over the latter stages of the race with Laura Earley going clear to win the silver medal followed closely by her clubmate Carol Molloy, winning the bronze medal. For the record Lisa Quinlan Moyne AC was 4th , 5th Jessica Kennedy Fethard AC and 6th Noelle O Brien Moore Abbey Milers AC. In the team event with three athletes to score on a team, Fethard AC with three athletes in the top five were worthy Champions. The Clonmel AC trio of Laura, Michelle Doherty 8th and Liz Lalor 10th won the silver medals. The Thurles Crokes team of Joan Stakelum 11th , Aimee Gallagher 13th and Fiona Judge 14th won the bronze medals. The Men’s 8K race over four laps saw a group of four athletes set the early pace and they were Louis Rice of Fethard AC, Mark Corcoran Nenagh Olympic and the Clonmel AC duo of Aidan Flannery and Patrick Davoren. At around halfway the leaders were down to just Aidan and Louis, then as they were going out on the last lap, Aidan went clear and kept a strong pace going all the way to the line to win convincingly his first County title. Then we had Louis running on well to win the silver medal. On the last lap Mark got clear of Patrick and kept it going to win the bronze medal. For the record Patrick Davoren was 4th , Paul O Halloran Clonmel AC was 5th and Michael Bourke Moore Abbey Milers was 6th . With three athletes in the top 5 Clonmel won the team gold medals with their 4th scorer Trevor Whelan 10th . The Fethard AC team of Louis, James Maher 7th , Jack Spillane 13th and Kevin Tobin 16th , won the inter club silver medals. The Moore Abbey Milers team of Michael Bourke, Kevin Patrick Lenihan 9th , Tom Blackburn 12th and Dariusz Gazdowicz 17th won the bronze medals. County Chairman, Owen Fanning, thanked Moycarkey Coolcroo AC for hosting these Championships and all the athletes for two great races.

Thanks to Niall Moran for his brilliant photography. See shots here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15ruJJMvJi/

Munster Senior Cross Country Championships
Middlepiece is the venue next Sunday for the Munster Senior Cross Country Championships along with the Munster Juvenile uneven age group Championships.
Hopefully all the clubs will once again encourage their athletes to compete at this level and if so, the County should be well represented at this level and it would be
great to see Club teams and indeed County teams succeeding at this level, with the National Championships not too far away.

International Masters Cross Country
Following on from some great performances at the recent Autumn Cross Country Challenge in Abbottstown, it is great to report that County athletes have been selected for the upcoming Home Countries Masters Cross Country Championships which will be held in Leeds on November 15th . Congrats to Dymphna Ryan of Dundrum AC and the Fethard AC duo of Emmet McNamara and Fintan Rice for their selection. Also, congrats to former County Senior Cross Country Champion, Kevin Moore, now with Mullingar Harries on his selection for this international event.

County Post Primary Schools Cross Country
This popular event takes place at the Thurles Crokes AC complex on Thursday November 13th , starting at 11am.
The programme of events:
Minor Girls – Under 14 on the 1st July 2026 – 1200 meters
Minor Boys – Under 14 on the 1st July 2026 – 1200 meters
Junior Girls – Under 15 on the 1st July 2026 – 1200 meters
Junior Boys – Under 15 on the 1st July 2026 – 1500 meters
Intermediate Girls – Under 17 on the 1st July 2026 – 1500 meters
Intermediate Boys – Under 17 on the 1st July 2026 – 2000 meters
Senior Girls – Under 19 on the 1st January 2026 – 2000 meters
Senior Boys – Under 19 on the 1st January 2026 – 3000 meters
Individual Awards: Medals will be awarded to the first three individuals in each race.
Scoring Team Awards.: For Boys it is four to score, and for Girls it is three to score.
Medals will be awarded to the scoring members of the first three teams. A Perpetual Shield will be presented to the best overall Boys and Best Overall Girls school. There will also be a Perpetual Shield for the best combined Girls and Boys School. For further details contact your local Post Primary School or Athletic Club. Entries close on Friday 7th November.

The Josie Garrett Perpetual Cup

This Cup is presented to the best overall Club at the end of the Adult Cross Country County Championships. After two events the table is as follows:1st Fethard AC 277
points, 2nd Clonmel AC 249 points, 3rd Thurles Crokes136 points, Moore Abbey Milers AC 121 points and Dundrum 102 points

Sunday 26th October 2025
Action from the County Tipperary Intermediate Cross Country Championships at The Turnpike, Two-Mile-Borris on the Hayes family farm.
Photo by Niall Moran.

Sunday 26th October 2025
Action from the County Tipperary Intermediate Cross Country Championships at The Turnpike, Two-Mile-Borris on the Hayes family farm.
Photo by Niall Moran.