by Perri Williams
Another weekend of County Cross Country Championships across the nation. Juveniles, Seniors and Masters all partaking for their clubs in a plethora of county venues. The Southern coastal counties of Kerry, Cork and Waterford may have endured deluges yesterday that brought on flooding. However, the nation arose to a blissfully sunny autumn day. What could be than running through fields of fresh grass with no care in the world. This of course sounds very idyllic. The reality is athletes are a competitive lot and there is nothing more precious to a club athlete than to win that county title, which takes a lot of huffing and puffing and sweat in the process.
Starting with Cork, where the county senior cross-country title is the jewel in the leesiders crown. Hosted by St Catherine’s AC in Ballynoe, forty-nine athletes lined up for the senior and u23 race. Leevale AC have not won a county senior title since 2017 and the city club were gunning for gold. With Carlie O’Donovan poised to compete, their hopes were more elevated that they had been in years. However, it has been East Cork that have dominated this event since 2018. Paul Hartnett (East Cork) an u23 athlete took the individual title from the indelible Michael Harty (East Cork) with Charlie O’Donovan (Leevale) in third. While Harnett’s victory is an incredible achievement, what is more incredible is the performance of Harty. At forty-four years of age the East Cork man is still competitive in a senior field. Harty won the 2022 and 2023 titles but gave way to his youthful team-mate on this occasion. Occupying four of the top five places East Cork were easy winners of the team category from Leevale and St Finbarrs. The ladies’ race was won by Sinead O’Connor (Leevale) who took her second county senior title. Leevale won the team from St Finbarrs. Robert Troy (Liscarroll) took the junior men’s title with ease from William Verling (St Nicholas). The ladies u20 was won by Katie Hennessey (Middleton) from Saoirse Twomey (West Muskerry) – both athletes are u18. There were great fields in the juvenile races with the 111 athletes in the boys u10 race alone. Impressive wins from Nellie Bateman (Belgooley) in the u14 race and Eoghan Rooney (Blarney/Inniscara) in the boys u14. Team victories were distributed across a number of clubs.
Dublin hosted the county Novice and even ages cross country. Aaron Donnelly (DSD) took the gold in the 126 strong men’s novice. The Kilkenny native made a welcome return to competitive athletics after injuries thwarted his progress from a promising juvenile through his college years. Anthony O’Brien (Raheny) took silver with Benjamin Caulier (Lucan) bronze. Raheny took the team title from Donore and Clonliffe. The ladies novice race was won by Doireann Hughes (Crusaders). Hughes led her Crusader team-mates to victory over Sportsworld and Liffey Valley.
Having cancelled their county championships last week due to adverse weather conditions, Kilkenny hosted their postponed Juvenile even ages and novice championships in Castlecomer. The men’s novice was won by Martin Desgrandchamps (Gowran) from Paul Bolger (KCH) and JP Vereker (St Josephs). Gowran won the team title from KCH with St Josephs in third. Pia Langton (KCH) was an impressive winner of the u18 and novice titles. The European u18 800m finalist marked her victory from early in the race. KCH took both the u18 and novice ladies team titles. Amongst the juveniles Conor Carroll (Gowran) and Kate Kelly (KCH) scored impressive victories in the u14 and u12 races respectively with Tom Doherty (St Josephs) winning the u12 boys by the largest margin of the day.
Abbeyleix was the venue for the Laois uneven age juvenile and intermediate cross-country. Ronan O'Reilly (Abbeyleix/Ballyroan) turned his Novice Silver from last week into an Intermediate gold. Rachael Ayres (St Abbans) won the ladies. There were big numbers in the juvenile races, signifying the healthy state of Laois athletics.
Offaly was another county to stage their intermediate races. Ferbane's Ailbhe McDonnell (Ferbane) led her club to team and individual goal in the ladies race. Kevin Minnock (Tullamore Harriers) was the men's individual winner. Naomh Mhuire AC took gold with Tullamore silver. Some great numbers in the younger age juvenile races with emerging talent in the form of Meabh Duffy (Tullamore) in the girls u15 and Tony Douglas (Ballyskenach) who won the boys u15.
Tir Mona hosted the Kildare uneven age juveniles and Intermediate championships at Hodgestown. Iris McCartan scored an impressive victory in the girls u12 from clubmate Chloe O’Neil, leading the Clane AC team to victory. James Smith (Celbridge) took the u19 title from Conor Murphy (St Coca’s). Smith was also crowed intermediate men’s champion, leading his Celbridge team mates to victory. The ladies title went to another Celbridge athlete; Hannah Foely Wolmmer.
It was to Mullaghderg Banks for the Donegal Senior Championships, where Sean McGinely and Amy Green, both Finn Valley took the mens and ladies titles. The Finn Valley men took team gold and Letterkenny took the ladies team title. As anticipated Caolan McFaddan (Cranford) was the winner of the u18 race but was closely followed by Odhran McBrearty (Finn Valley).
Clare was another county who hosted their Senior races. At Corraclare it was Anne-marie Connellan (Ennis Track) and Dylan Casey (Ennis Track) that won the ladies and mens titles. Ennis Track took both the ladies and mens team titles.
Glenmore AC hosted the Louth Senior Cross Country at Bellurgan Park where Christopher Keenan (Dundalk) won the senior mens race and Nessa O’Rielly (Dunleer) the ladies. Another great race ensured between Eimear Cooney (Ace) and Dearbhla Allen (St Peters) in the girls u18, with Allen being crowed the champion for the fourth successive year.
Tipperary hosted their even ages and novice championships in Galbally deep in the picturesque Glen of Aherlow. Laura Cooney (Clonmel) is the new Tipperary Novice Champion and Daniel Ryan Ellis (Nenagh) took the mens novice crown from clubmate Luke Purcell with Nenagh taking the club title. Kevin Finn (Nenagh) impressed in the u20 mens with Alanna Spillane (Moyne) taking a decisive victory over clubmate Kate Delaney in the girls u18. The largest field of the day was the boys u12 with 58 athletes taking part.
Waterford was another county that cancelled their county championships last weekend due to adverse weather conditions. The postponed event was held in Dungarvan where x won the novice men’s title and x the ladies. Decisive juvenile victories went to TJ Flanagan (WAC) in the boys u16, Lucy Clinton (WAC) in the girls u16 with the Ferrybank girls u14 showing strong improvements to win the team title. The individual title going to Eimear Hayse.
The Galway Senior Cross Country resulted in a fine win for Thomas McStay (GCH) from William Fitzgerald (Craughwell). In the ladies GCH’s Eimear O’Leary snagged victory over Craughwell’s Helena O’Keeffe. Galway City Harriers took both the mens and ladies team titles. Tuam AC had a solid victory in the girls u14. However, it was Suin Ni Chonaill (Castlegar) who took the individual title.
The Kerry Novice & Juvenile Even Age Cross Country Championships in a beautiful Cahirciveen where Killarney Valley AC took the novice mens team and individual title. Conor Kissane produced a strong run to clinch the gold. Hannah Collins led her Killarney Valley AC ladies to both individual and team gold.
With the majority of counties finished their main championship program, the next stage is the provincial championships, which are an essential pathway for juveniles to qualify for the All-Irelands. Most provenances will also host their novice and senior championships within the next month.