County Athletic news by Niall O Sullivan County Senior PRO

Middlepiece, Two Mile Borris was the venue last Sunday for the Munster under 20 and Novice Cross Country Championships. It was great to see County athletes competing in all four races. Conditions were ideal for Cross Country and great credit to Moycarkey Coolcroo AC for having the course well laid out in such short notice. Indeed, the County Board would like to thank Donal & Liam Hayes for the use of their lands for these Championships.

In the Women under 20 race over 4500 metres, Jennifer O Leary of Nenagh Olympic was well in contention throughout the race and she maintained that strong effort to win the bronze medal in 14 mins 57 secs. We also had good performances from Alana Spillane Moyne AC finishing 9^th (15.29), Emer Brennan Clonmel AC 18^th (16.08), Eadaoin Duffy Clonmel AC 20^th (16.10), Hannah Murray Clonmel AC 27^th (16.50), Alice Meegan Clonmel AC 31^st (17:04), Bibi Russell Moyne AC 35^th (17.17), Kate Delaney Moyne AC 43^rd (18.11), Anna Butler Dundrum AC 47^th (19.06) and Lily Casey Clonmel AC 49^th (19.17). The Clonmel team of Emer, Eadaoin, Hannah and Alice combined very well to win the bronze medals. The County team lead home by Jennifer and consisting of Alanna, Emer, Eadaoin, Hannah and Alice won the silver medals.

In the Men under 20 4500m race we had two great performances from the Nenagh Olympic duo of Diarmuid Moloney winning the silver medal in 12 mins 35 secs and Kevin Finn winning the bronze medal in 12 mins 51 secs. Then we had Daire O Donnell also of Nenagh Olympic finishing strongly in 5^th place in 13 mins 5 secs We also had good performances from Conor Kiely Newport AC 35^th (15.16) and Ruairi Walsh Nenagh Olympic 43^rd (19.16). The Nenagh Olympic team of Diarmuid, Kevin, Daire and Ruairi won the inter club silver medals.

The Novice Women’s race over 5k also saw County athletes to the fore right from the start. As the race progressed the leading group was down to a small group of athletes including Aoife Delargy Nenagh Olympic, the current County Tipperary Novice Champion. Aoife kept the strong pace going to win the silver medal in 17 mins 17 secs. We also had good performances from Sharon Cantwell Moyne AC 7^th (18.04), Eileen McCullagh Moyne AC 9^th (18.28), Orla Healy Moyne AC 14^th (19.04), Catherine Fogarty Dundrum AC 18^th (19.35), Suzanne Shine Clonmel AC 19^th (19.37), Carol Molloy Fethard AC 24^th (20.16), Edel Delaney Moyne AC 25^th (20.23), Tanya O Brien Fethard AC 30^th (20.39), Jessica Kennedy Fethard AC 31^st (20.44), Sareen Walsh Clonmel AC 33^rd (21.09), Aine Roche Clonmel AC 38^th (21.24), Paula Hendricksen Fethard AC 39^th (22.18), Michelle Doherty Clonmel AC 40^th (22.19), Martina Ryan Thurles Crokes 41^st (22.22), Liz Lalor Clonmel AC 42^nd (22.25), Joan Stakelum Thurles Crokes 43^rd (22.39), Aimee Gallagher Thurles Crokes 44^th (22.42), Regina Dorney Thurles Crokes 47^th ( 23.55), Kitty Conry Fethard AC 49^th (24.24), Fiona Judge Thurles Crokes 50^th (24.39), Nollaig Heffernan DBB AC 51^st (24.44), Aine Crosse DBB AC 52^nd (25.04), Catherine Dunne Thurles Crokes 53rd (25.29) and Emily Butler Thurles Crokes 54^th (26.34). The Moyne AC team of Sharon, Eileen, Orla and Edel combined very well in a tough interclub competition to win the bronze medals with Fethard AC 6^th, Clonmel AC 7^th and Thurles Crokes 8^th. It was brilliant to see athletes representing seven clubs from the County competing at this level. At Inter County level, the County team of Aoife, Sharon, Eileen, Orla won the silver medals.

The last event on the busy programme was the Novice Men 6k race. Here right from the start Emmet McNamara of Fethard AC was in the leading group and at times throughout the race dictated the pace at the front, testing the other contenders. Then with a km to go, Emmet went to the front and put in a strong surge that soon saw him open a lead on the chasing pack. Emmet held this pace all the way to win the Munster Novice Cross Country title very impressively in 17 mins 49 secs. This was a brilliant performance by Emmet who has shown great form all year. We also had good performances from Louis Rice Fethard AC 11^th (19.25), Mark Corcoran Nenagh Olympic 14^th (19.37), Hugh Morgan Fethard AC 22^nd (20.29), Fintan Rice Fethard AC 29^th (20.56), Eugene O Keeffe Carrick on Suir 31^st (21.07), Paul Halloran Clonmel AC 33^rd (21.09), James Maher Fethard AC 34^th (21.18), Conor Fleming Clonmel AC 36^th (21.28), Patrick Roche Carrick on Suir AC 37^th (21.29), Jody Sweeney Moyne AC 38^th (21.40), Jack Spillane Fethard AC 39^th (21.53), Kevin Tobin Fethard AC 40^th (21.54), John Renehan Moyne AC 47^th (22.36), Willie O Donoghue Mooreabbey Milers AC 51^st (22.20), Jim Halley Dundrum AC 53rd (23.48), John Butler Thurles Crokes 54^th (23.51), Austin Ryan Thurles Crokes 55^th (23.59), Niall O Ceallaigh Clonmel AC 59^th (24.33) and Michael Moore Dundrum AC 60^th (24.46). Once again it was great to see athletes from eight clubs competing at this level. At Club level the Fethard AC team of Emmet, Louis, Hugh and Fintan combined to win the silver medals, a brilliant achievement.