Ailish Murtgh claimed the Dublin junior cross country championship, some 10 seconds clear of DSD’s Emma Ryan.
A very solid win by Murtagh, with Aoibhinn McGoldrick fourth, some 16 seconds of a medal in Santry. Ruth Colbert took ninth place.
Unfortunately Murtagh, McGoldrick and Colbert were the club’s only two competitors in the junior women’s race where just 11 athlete’s finished the course.
Clonliffe Harriers collected the team prize, surprisingly they were the only club who managed to field a team, actually comprising half the field.
Overall it was a disappointing day in Santry, the senior men’s team, were severally weakened as the race was too close to the Dublin marathon for Mick Clohisey, Mark Kirwan and Cillian O’Leary.
While Brian Fay and Kevin Dooney were called abroad for international action.
The men’s team finished in fourth place overall led home by Michael McMahon in ninth place with Des Kennedy 17th, Robert Frewen 28th, Rory O’Sullivan 35th, Davey Duane 36th and Donal Foley 38th.
The women’s team finished fourth overall Karen Crossan 12th, Orla Manley 14th, Blaithin Sheil 15th an Lucy Barrett 16th.
Aine Crimin took 25th place with Niamh Corry 27th. In the junior men’s race Andrew Hyland took eighth place with Aaron Tansey 25th.
Editor Comment: What an alarming lack of numbers took part in the Dublin Championships.
Jnr Women 10, Jnr men 26, snr women 29, Snr men 52. What the numbers show more than anything else, a number of athletes, coaches and clubs need to take a serious look at themselves and question what their actually doing day to day.
