Gerry Brady

23 November, 2009

Girls u/16: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24280411@N06/sets/72157622745398811/
Under 18: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24280411@N06/sets/72157622869803968/
Juniors: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24280411@N06/sets/72157622745453363/
Seniors: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24280411@N06/sets/72157622869846622/

There were many good performances together with a few disappointed runners after an afternoon of tough racing run in a strong wind and yielding underfoot conditions. Northern Ireland runner Elaine Burch who ran in the recent British and Irish junior international won the under 16 girls race with Siofra O'Cleirigh-Buttner (Dublin and DSD) close behind her in third place. Kevin Brennan (Carlow and St. Mary’s Knockbeg) was 11th in the boys under 16 race. Aine McCann (Down) finished strongly to take 3rd in the under 18 girls. Niamh Denny (Dublin and DSD) picked her way through the field for 7th and Laura Hanningan (Dublin and DSD) also made it into the top ten. The boys under 18 race was a very tight affair with a large group still in contention at the halfway stage. At the finish Christy O'Brien (Tipperary and Thurles Croke) was 4th followed closely by Michael Treacy in 5th (Dublin and Rathfarnham) and Kevin Dooney in 6th (Dublin and Raheny Shamrocks).

Tekea Ghebrezghi (Dublin and Celtic DCH) ran in the top three for most of the junior women’s race but the cold conditions eventually took their toll as she faded a little towards the end to 6th position. Emmet Jennings (Dublin and DSD) was similarly to the front of the junior men’s race and got away in a five-man break. He was the first to be detached but fought back on the last lap to snatch 4th from former mountain runner Noel Collins (Tyrone). A disappointed John Travers (Dublin and Donore) will have to wait to see if the selectors are sufficiently influenced by his outstanding win in Belgium a few weeks ago.

Siobhan O'Doherty (Tipperary and Borrisokane) ran close to the top ten throughout the senior women’s race and she eventually finished 10th. Edel Mooney (Offaly) after a slow start worked her way towards the mid-teens before fading a little to 20th. Cathy McCourt ran well in 25th. Barry Minnock (Offaly and Rathfarnham) had his best ever cross-country race when finishing 13th in the senior men and he was closely followed by Stephen Scullion (Antrim) in 17th, this also made Stephen the third finisher in the under 23 section so a European cross-country championships should await him in mid-December. Great also to see Colm Hill getting involved at this level and finishing 17th in the under 23 category.

Girls under 16
1. Elaine Burch
3. Siofra O Cleirigh-Buttner
15. Siobhan McGinley
22. Claire Brennan
23. Claire McCarthy
27. Sinead McDonald
29. Meghan Ryan
30. Sorcha Humphries
32. Una McCarthy Deering

Boys under 16
11. Kevin Brennan

Girls under 18
3. Aine McCann
7. Niamh Denny
10. Laura Hannigan
19. Sinead Cronin
39. Breda McDonald
53. Karli Krobb

Boys under 18
4. Christy O Brien
5. Michael Treacy
6. Kevin Dooney
16. James Egan
17. John Harrington
32. James Griffin
36. Jonathan Phillips
42. Fintan Doherty
48. Shawn McCormack

Junior women
6. Tekea Ghebrezghi

Junior men
4. Emmet Jennings
11. John Travers
40. Vincent Molumby

Senior women
11. Siobhan O Doherty
20. Edel Mooney
25. Cathy McCourt

Senior men
13. Barry Minnock
17. Stephen Scullion
72. Eoin Rowan
84. Colm Hill