Cross Country - the weekend's Provencial round-up

by Perri Williams

Nothing excites more than beautiful venues, great underfoot conditions and some great racing. Last weekend Leinster, Munster, Connaught, Ulster and Dublin held their juvenile and senior championships. In mostly pristine conditions, athletes both juvenile and senior battled out the plethora of medals on offer. For juveniles a place in the All-Ireland’s in Tramore, Co. Waterford on December 1st was at stake. Leinster seemed to have the highest number of participants in each race, with an increase in participation levels in the girls u19, which provides a promising outlook for female athletes going into the senior categories. While many athletes who are serious contenders for the up-and-coming national u20, 23 and senior Irish teams for Euro Cross, chose not to race, it was good to see some who were not opposed to racing in their provincials – athletes like Caolan McFaddan (Cranford), Sean Quinn (DSD), Hannah Kehoe (KCH), Emily Bolton (Clonliffe)to name but a few.

Leinster
Starting with Leinster on Saturday. Wicklow County Board sourced not only a stunning venue at Coolboy near Tinahely, but produced a well laid out athlete and spectator course. Set amid the south Wicklow hills, underfoot conditions were as excellent as the scenic backdrop. The largest field was the girls u11 with 151 athletes finishing. There was a surprisingly good participation level in the girls u19, with 35 finishers, certainly up from last year. An increase in numbers is always appreciated at this age group.
Dearbhla Allen (St Peter’s) was an impressive winner of the girls u19. Allen was in command of the race from start to finish. Initially easing away from Eimear Cooney (Ace) before finishing well clear of the remainder of the field. Allen must surely be confident of a good run at the u18 and u20 Nationals in two weeks’ time. In the boys u19 Callum Barron (KCH) has come into his own as an athlete and made light of the 6,000m running up and down hills and switchback loops. Another athlete to impress was James Foot (Bray Runners) who won the u17 event. Foot has emerged as a force in his age group over the past year and is one to look out for in the future. Rachal Keaney (Newbridge) added the u17 title to the u16 she won two weeks ago in Dunboyne. Also completing a double was Lily Walsh (Mullingar) who added the u15 title to her u14 one. Overall Wicklow emerged as a strong county force, winning four county team titles and finishing runner-up on three occasions. This breaks the traditional strong hold that Kilkenny and Meath have held for so long. Behind them it was Kildare and Louth that produced the county goods.
The senior ladies’ race was won by Claire Fagan (Mullingar). Claire retained the title she won in 2023. U23 athlete Alex O’Neill (Suncroft) finished runner-up. It is always great to see former juvenile athletes making the transition into the senior ranks.
Michael Murphy (Tullamore) hit the front at the early stages of the men’s race. Murphy seemed to be pulling away from his competitors. However, over the final 2,500m Vinny Connolly (Mullingar) started to close the gap. Connolly caught Murphy with 1500m to go, producing a thrilling final lap between the two athletes. It was Connolly who crossed the line for his first Leinster senior title. Murphy perhaps paying for the early pace. Mullingar were impressive winners of the team title. In fact overall Mullingar as a club produced the largest medal haul of the day.

Dublin
City West was the venue for the Dublin juvenile, junior and senior championships yesterday. Sixty one senior men contested the Senior Cross Country with Clonliffe taking the much coveted team title by a meagre four points from Dundrum South Dublin. However, the individual winner came from neither of the two big clubs. It was David Scanlon (Rathfranham WSAF) that emerged as the overall winner. Scanlon had the company of Stephen Cashin (Clonliffe) and Eanna O’Bradaigh (DSD) for much of the race. Dropping a much-improved O’Bradaigh it became a two-man race for the final lap. Cashin could not go with the increased pace that Scanlon injected over the final 600m, leaving the Rathfarnham man to take the title with three seconds to spare.
Sean Quinn (DSD) was one of the most impressive winners of the day. Quinn recently won the autumn open in as much of an impressive fashion as he secured the Dublin junior title yesterday. He finished thirty-three seconds ahead of MSB athlete Louis Woodger with u19 athlete Ryan O’Neill (Rathfarnham) in third. Quinn will be one of the main contenders for the national u20 title in Enniskillen in two week’s time. And must feel confident of securing one of those automatic spots on the u20 Irish team.
There was no stopping Emily Bolton in the junior ladies event. Readers may be reminded that Bolton is still u17 and to win the Dublin title by 31 seconds is no mean achievement. Bolton now running in the Conliffe colours cannot be discounted when considering the Irish u20 team for the European Cross Country. Runner-up was Lorraine O’Connor also of Clonliffe. Emma McEvoy (DSD) won the senior ladies by what was the largest winning margin of the day. McEvoy took out the race from the gun and moved further and further clear of the DCH pair Orla Duffy and Edel Monaghan. It was DCH that won the team title breaking the Clonliffe monopoly of team golds.

Munster
The Munster Championships were held at Tramore Racecourse, the same venue where the All-Ireland uneven age juveniles and novice will be held. Tramore AC produced a well laid out course, complete with some tough hills but as with Leinster, the underfoot conditions were excellent. 
Michael Harty (East Cork) the unstoppable 44-year-old veteran took the senior title, leaving much younger and able men in his wake. With six athletes in the top eleven, no one was going to take the county title from Cork. East Cork won the club title. Another veteran of the Irish racing scene Lizzie Lee (Leevale) won the ladies title. Again it was Cork that took the county team title. Leevale winning the club.
From a juvenile perspective there were some very impressive winners. Darragh Whelan (Limerick) completed the double added the u15 title to the u14 he won in Conna recently. Son of former Irish international Susan Murnane, Whelan looks set to emulate the accolades of his talented mother. Finnian Lawton (Durras) was an impressive and easy winner of the boys u19. Lawton had no difficulty moving away from the much improved Naoise Mac Murchadha and Peter Verling (St Nicholas). With plenty of hills on the Bearra Pennisula, the course was perfectly suited to Lawton. Can he grab the gold at nationals? The same title his brother Sean won last year in Navan. Andrew Hinds (Togher) and Kevin Finn (Nenagh) engaged in a two way battle for gold from about 400m into the race. Pulling further and further away from the main field, it was clear the gold was going to come from either of the two. It was Hinds who proved the better over the final hill to the finish, taking the u17 title from Finn. There was no catching Emma Haugh (Ennis Track) in the girls u17. From the start, she blitzed the race, moving so far ahead at times it was hard to make out if she was in the same race as her opponents. It was a local two and three for Waterford AC’s Ciara Ronan and Lucy Clinton.

Connaught
Connaught held their provincial Championships on Roscommon Racecourse. A well laid out venue which could potentially be used for a future national championship perhaps. Once again it was the Renton twins Holly and Freya who impressed in their u15 race. This time however, Westport produced a clean sweep of the podium, an event that can be difficult to achieve at a provincial level. The Renton twins were joined by May Duckett who took the bronze. With results like this it was as expected Westport who took the team title – Emma McGing sealing the quartets gold placing. Mayo won the county title with 56 points to spare over Galway. Ellen Trench (Claremorris) outsmarted Niamh McWalter (Tuam) to take the u17 girls gold. It may have been a Mayo individual win but as far as teams were concerned it was Galway all the way. Not only did Galway take the county title it was Galway City Harriers who also won the club title. A special mention on the performance of one athlete; Robin Og Murphy. Murphy is a top race walking and national title holder. The Longford AC athlete finished a very creditable 7th, perhaps demonstrating some hint of what we may see on the track this summer.
Lucas Lyons (North Leitrim) took the boys u19 title holding off Ciaran Constadine (South Galway). Again it was a Galway/Galway City Harriers that took the respective county and club titles.

Northern Ireland
The Northern Ireland championships were held at the Finn Valley Centre in Castlefinn, Donegal. It was their Novice as opposed to Senior Championships that took place. The winner of the Novice men was Minolaughas Balciouskas (Monaghan Town Runners) who outsprinted Jared Martin (Ballydrain Harriers) to take gold. Caolan McFaddan (Cranford) demonstrated that he is a serious contender for a place on the u20 Irish team for this year’s European Cross Country. The selection for which will be based on the nationals to be held in Enniskillen in two weeks’ time. McFaddan was over 100m clear of Loughview AC athlete Tom Flemming as he crossed the finish line. At ease and with lots more in the tank, McFaddan will be one to watch in two weeks’ time. Lucy Foster (Willowfield) won the girls u19. Foster one of several sisters who have made an indelible impact into Irish juvenile running over the last number of years, has been an incredible juvenile athlete. She will also be looking to make the Irish u20 Cross Country team. Her sister Jodi was fourth in the same race. 
As expected Emer McKee won the girls u17 title. McKee is no stranger to the Irish athletics podium having amassed several Irish podium places and is most commonly seen racing Emily Bolton (Clonliffe) in the race for gold. She was 80m clear of clubmate Emily Morris who took the silver. Odhran McBrearty (Finn Valley) suffered a surprise defeat at the hands of Harry McKenzie (Enniskillen) with the Enniskillen man now one of the favourites to take the national title in Tramore on December 1. Notwithstanding he will have a go at achieving a podium placing in his native Enniskillen in two weeks’ time. Overall throughout the day it was Lagan Valley who impressed with club teams in the older age groups and Finn Valley in the younger age groups.