Autumn Open Cross Country Preview

by Perri Williams

The Athletics Ireland Autumn Open Cross Country will take place this Sunday at the Sport Ireland campus in Abbotstown. Designated a World Athletics Silver Tour status, the races will attract international athletes and offer prize money. 

The 2023 winners of the men’s and ladies events Keelan Kilrehill (Moy Valley) and Íde Nic Dhómhnaill (West Limerick AC) will line up for their respective senior races, as will a host of talented u20 athletes.

The event will also incorporate some mixed relays including the senior mixed, which will see the top two clubs qualify for the European Club Cross Country Championships in Portugal next February. The National Juvenile Mixed Relays will also take place, which always bring excitement to the day’s action. This year will feature the Cross-Country Experience, an event which encourages runners of all ages to take part in cross-country, many for the first time. Cross Country might be challenging for some, but it is a well-known fact that it is easier on the body than road-running. 

The full entry list for all races is available: Here

Senior Mens 

The 2023 winner, Keelan Kilrehill (Moy Valley AC) will be seeking to retain his title. With a host of Ireland’s top athletes currently in France altitude training, his path to victory is made somewhat easier. Kilrehill is a tough competitor and recently won the Castlegar International Cross Country in Galway (bronze status) in a convincing manner. While the Moy Valley man may be the favourite to take the title he will still have to out-kick the ever-improving Finley Daly (Sligo AC) who was third is last year’s edition. Cathal O’Rielly (KCH) has had a momentous track season with massive improvements in every distance from 1500m to 10,000m and should be an interesting participant to watch. O’Rielly will be hoping for a good race as he bids for a place on the European u23 Cross-Country team later this season. Other athletes to consider are Matthew Lavery (North Belfast Harriers), Michael Murphy (Tullamore Harriers), John Travers (Donore) and Sean Tobin (Clonmel). Murphy has recently returned from a stint of altitude training and like O’Rielly has made great progress in 2024 across multiple distances. Tobin, a notoriously tough competitor can never be discounted in any race.

Senior Ladies

Íde Nic Dhómhnaill (West Limerick AC) will be out to retain the title she won in 2023. The 2024 5000m track champion is another athlete who has had a remarkable season. Nic Dhómhnaill will face the 2023 Irish Cross Country Champion Fiona Everard (Bandon) who should give her a run for her money. Also competing will be some of the u23 athletes; Lucy Holms (West Waterford), Hannah Kehoe (Kilkenny City Harriers), Aoife Coffey (Lucan Harriers), Amy Greene (Finn Valley), and Emma McEvoy (Dundrum South Dublin) all of whom will be looking to test their form ahead of the national championships in Enniskillen next month. Not to be discounted are Lauren Tinkler (Dublin City Harriers) who won the Castlegar International recently and Nakita Burke (Letterkenny AC). Internationals Kirsty Walker (Scotland) and Charlotte Penneman (Belgium) will be looking to test their form against their Irish competitors.

Junior Men’s

This year’s junior men’s race looks to be more thrilling than in previous years. There has been an emergence of talent in this category over the past year, with previous favourites now looking to be challenged by others. Sean Quinn (DSD) who missed 2023 through injury made a welcome return to athletics for the u20 national track and field, winning the steeplechase and 5000m. His steeplechase was particularly good, despite a tumble in the final stages he managed to recover to beat Jonas Stafford (UCD) and narrowly miss out on a World Junior qualification. He then went on to take the 5000m title a few hours later. Quinn has been training well this season and looks a firm favourite to lead a talented posse. He will be challenged throughout the race by Noah Harris (Parnell) who was 4th in the European u18 3000m. Harris who joined Joe Ryan’s group last year has been a steady force over cross country and track and will also be seeking to make this years European u20 team. Lughaidh Mallon is another athlete who had an outstanding track season and should challenge. Back from the World u20 championships in Peru, the 1500m specialist has just returned this week from three weeks at altitude. Other athletes to look out for are Christopher Keenan (Dundalk), Sean Cronin (Clonliffe), David Williams (KCH), Cillian Gleeson (Celbridge), Gearoid Long (St Senans) and Louie Wodger (MSB). 

Junior Ladies

Kirsty Maher (Moy Valley) who finished 12th in the u20 European Cross Country in Brussels last year looks like the leading contender for the junior ladies race. She will be pushed all the way by Avril Millerick (Youghal) who was the 2023 winner. Maher is a terrific performer and has her sights set on even bigger performances this season. 

Dearbhla Allen (St Peter’s) may be only u18 but the tough Louth competitor has a strong reputation for coming through when races are strong. Allen is a steeplechase specialist who has won individual medals at age-group cross country running. Other athletes to look out for are Clodagh Gill (Moy Valley), Emily Bolton (Donore), Pia Langton (KCH) and Charlotte Carpendale (St Senans). This race will also feature some international juniors, who will strengthen the field.

Masters Races

The Jum McNamara Cup is up for grabs in the masters races as are places on the Irish teams for the Home Countries International. In the ladies former Irish International u20 and u23 athlete Breffini (Tuohy) Kelly now running with Clane AC will make a bid to make the Irish masters over 35 team as she did last year. There are a host of other ladies across various categories who will also be out to prove their place; Michelle Cox (Newbridge), Fiona Gettings (Longford), Sorcha Loughnane (Donore Harriers) to name but a few. 

David McCarthy (West Waterford) is an interesting entry in the over 35 men’s. He led the Irish U-23 team to gold at the European Cross Country in 2010, clocked a 3:55 indoor mile in 2012, then came within inches of reaching the world indoor final over 1,500m in 2014. He stepped away from competitive athletics for many years while still actively engaged in running for his own purpose. All eye’s will turn to McCarthy to see if he can reproduce those performances he was so well known for in his younger days. Michael Harty (East Cork) finished second in last Sundays Cork Senior Cross-Country and at 44 years of age became the oldest ever podium medal winner. Other names to look out for are Stephen Conroy (Clane) and Kenneth Rogers (St Johns). Absent this year is Kilkenny City Harriers Eoin Everard who won the 2023 race.

The timetable for the days events can be found below. (Athletics Ireland).