By PRO, Niall O’ Sullivan.

Tramore was the venue last Sunday for the National Novice Cross Country Championships where the underfoot conditions were mainly good on this undulating course. These Championships are always very competitive as every club vies for these coveted titles. The distance for the women’s race was 4k while the men ran 6k.

In the women’s race Laura Cooney of Clonmel AC ran a fantastic race when finishing a very close 4^th in 15 mins 1 sec. Always well positioned throughout the race Laura was in the breakaway group of eight athletes going out on the 2^nd lap. She maintained that strong pace especially over the final 500m, moving from 6^th up to 4^th place with a storming finish. This course is familiar to Laura as she won the Munster under 23 title here last month but this by far her most impressive performance to date and making her mark at Senior level. Then we had Aoife Delargy of Nenagh Olympic also running well when finishing 17^th in 15.54. We also had good performances from Sharon Cantwell Moyne AC 27^th 16.11, Eileen McCullagh Moyne AC 40^th 16.36, Louise Fogarty Moyne AC 43^rd 16.42, Ruby Carroll Clonmel AC 71^st 17.49, Sarah Whelan 84^th 18.15, Lisa Quinlan Moyne AC 91^st 18.29, Sareen Walsh Clonmel AC 92^nd 18.33, Martina Ryan Thurles Crokes 104^th 19.22, Deniece Touhy Thurles Crokes 105^th 19.27, Joan Stakelum Thurles Crokes 116^th 20.38 and Regina Dorney Thurles Crokes 117^th 20.52. The County team of Laura Cooney, Aoife Delargy, Sharon Cantwell and Eileen McCullagh finished a very good 4th in such a competitive race. As regards competitiveness there were thirty-nine clubs competing in this event and it was great to see three clubs from the County having teams competing. Moyne were 7^th, Clonmel 9^th and Thurles Crokes 16^th.

The Men’s race was also very competitive with fifty-seven clubs involved. Here Daniel Ryan Ellis of Nenagh Olympic AC ran a brilliant race. Always up close at the business end of the event and setting the pace, Daniel put in a great effort over the closing stages when winning the bronze medal in 19 mins 9 secs, fantastic performance. This performance spurred on the rest of the County athletes like Luke Purcell Nenagh Olympic AC 11^th 19.33, Cian Hodgins Nenagh Olympic AC 37^th 20.16, Caolon Curran Thurles Crokes 38th , Jamie Moloney Nenagh Olympic AC 42^nd 20.23, Daragh O Leary Thurles Crokes 45th 20.28, Thomas McCarthy Thurles Crokes 46^th 20.31, Cathal Kennedy Thurles Crokes 48^th 20.34, William Hughes Thurles Crokes 52^nd 20.43, Conor Flaherty Clonmel AC 114^th 22.16, Mark Corcoran Nenagh Olympic 127^th 22.30, Denis McCullagh Thurles Crokes 157^th 23.01 and Jim Halley Dundrum AC 206^th 26.46.

Daniel had the distinction of leading his club team, Nenagh Olympic to win the silver medals, a first for any Club in the County since Athletics Ireland was formed, fantastic achievement and congrats to all involved. The quartet was Daniel, Luke Purcell, Cian Hodgins and Jamie Moloney, a historic achievement. Thurles Crokes also performed very well with their team of Caolan Curran, Daragh O Leary, Thomas McCarthy and Cathal Kennedy finishing a close 4^th. With two clubs from the County in the top four hopes were high that the County team would be on the podium, but alas no, finishing a very creditable 4^th place.

Sean Tobin to Compete at European Cross Country Championships.

Athletics Ireland confirmed a full 36 athletics team for the upcoming Spar European Cross Country Championships in Antalya, Turkey on Sunday 8th December. It is great to see that Sean Tobin of Clonmel AC has been selected on the Senior team. Sean is no stranger to these Senior Championships having competed in three already like in Samorin, Slovakia in 2017 when he was 15th, in Tilburg in 2018 when he was 10th and 2019 in Lisbon where he finished 18th. It is great to see him back competing again at the European Cross Country Championships. We wish him and the rest of the Irish squad the very best of luck.