Tipp runners impress at Munster Cross Country
St Flannan’s College, Ennis was the venue last Sunday for the Munster Intermediate Cros Country Championships.
Women
Eileen McCullagh of Moyne AC ran a brilliant race to win the silver medal in 15 mins 49 secs. Eileen was well placed in the leading group of three athletes throughout the race. Then in the closing stages she held off a strong challenge to win the silver medal, fantastic achievement. Eileen is having a great cross-country season, and this was a well-deserved award for all the hard training.
Sareen Walsh of Clonmel AC also ran very well when finishing tenth.
Men
Denis McCullagh of Thurles Crokes ran a great race when finishing ninth in 30 mins 51 secs. There were also good performances from Willie O’Donoghue of Mooreabbey Milers 19th, Jim Halley Dundrum AC 23rd and Michael Moore 24th.
It is a pity that the County hadn’t teams competing in both events as they would have done well.
Juvenile
The final Munster Juvenile Cross Country Championships took place last Sunday with the Munster ‘B’ Championships in Ennis.
Large numbers of Tipperary athletes travelled to take part and ensured a large amount of silverware returned home.
Tipperary had three individual medal winners in the Girls U9 race with Jessica Harrahill, Templemore AC 7th, Aifric Heffernan, Dualla Ballytarsna Boherlahan AC 8th and Evie Farrell, Dundrum AC 11th.
The three girls combined with Harriet Ely, Moyne AC 27th, Caoimhe Quinlan, Moyne AC 28th and Molly Hackett, Moyne AC 30th to win silver medals in the Inter-County team competition.
Moyne AC also won team bronze medals in this race thanks to Harriet Ely, Caoimhe Quinlan, Molly Hackett and Molly Dempsey 31st.
Gearoid Shanahan, Dundrum AC, was Tipperary’s sole medallist in the Boys U9 race as he finished in eleventh place overall.
Tipperary won bronze medals in the Girl’s U11 Inter-County competition with the team being made up of Shona Ryan, Dundrum AC 18th, Kate O’Mahony, Newport AC 21st, Clodagh Walsh, Nenagh Olympic AC 25th, Beau Bourke, Dundrum AC 31st, Jenny Ryan, Newport AC 32nd and Aoife Curtin, Newport AC 35th.
Billy Heaney, Clonmel AC, struck gold when he won the Boys U11 race. Not far behind in seventh place was Kieran Girard, Nenagh Olympic AC. These two boys led Tipperary to silver medals in the Inter-County competition. Other scoring members were: Rian O’Brien, Dundrum AC 15th, Tom Tierney, Clonmel AC 16th, Daniel Clarke, Templemore AC 17th, and Patrick Meehan, Templemore AC 21st.
Templemore AC packed very well to ensure that they brought home bronze medals in the club competition. The aforementioned Clarke and Meehan combined with Martin Kennedy 24th and Cathal Kennedy in 31st to make the podium.
Cate O’Brien, Newport AC, led a whole host of Tipperary athletes home to individual medals as she finished in fourth place in the Boys U11 race. Close behind her were Ruth O’Neill, Dundrum AC 6th, Beibhinn Pamplin, Thurles Crokes AC 9th, Doireann Moloney, Mooreabbey Milers AC 11th, and Katelyn Shanahan, Dundrum AC 12th.
These five girls alongside Farran Ryan, Dundrum AC 22nd, won the silver medals in the Inter-County competition.
The prominence of Dundrum AC on the team also meant that they secured bronze medals in the club competition. Team members were Ruth O’Neill, Katelyn Shanahan, Farran Ryan and Bella Curling 36th.
Odhran Dorney, Thurles Crokes AC, secured an individual medal in the Boys U13 race as he finished in twelfth position.
Odhran also led the Tipperary team to third position in the Inter-County competition with scoring members including Cian Cowan, Templemore AC 19th, Paul Clarke, Templemore AC 24th, Tom Renehan, Moyne AC 28th, Aidan Kennedy, Newport AC 35th and Jack Noonan, Newport AC 38th.
The Girls U15 race was highly successful for Tipperary athletes. Orla Pamplin, Thurles Crokes AC, secured a top three position as she won the bronze medal. She was followed home by Caoimhe Slevin, Moyne AC 4th, Katie Butler, Thurles Crokes 8th, and Abbey O’Leary, Clonmel AC 11th.
These four girls joined with Belle Kelly, Dundrum AC 14th and Elisse Kelly, Dundrum AC 15th to claim victory in the Inter-County competition.
Cian Fahey, Dundrum AC, was Tipperary’s only medallist in the Boys U15 race as he finished in tenth position.
The Girls U17 race brought a high level of success for Tipperary athletes. Eadaoin Duffy, Clonmel AC, was first home for the county in second place. She was closely followed by Leah Berry, Newport AC 3rd, Alice Meegan, Clonmel AC 4th, Kate Delaney, Moyne AC 5th, Hannah Murray, Clonmel AC 6th and Lily Casey, Clonmel AC 8th.
The six girls mentioned took home the title in the Inter-County competition while the four girls from Clonmel AC mentioned above also took home gold in the club competition.
Conor Kiely, Newport AC, won Tipperary’s final medal of the day as he finished in eighth position in the Boys U17 race.
This race brings a close to Munster Juvenile Cross Country races for the year as many athletes will now turn their attention to the track season after Christmas.
European Cross Country Championships
These Championships took place in Antalya, Turkiye last Sunday. Sean Tobin of Clonmel AC competed in the Senior Men’s 7.5km race. Sean was 63rd in a very competitive race won by Jacob Ingebrigtsen of Norway. Congrats to Nick Griggs on winning the European under 23 silver medal, brilliant achievement.
County Senior Cross Country Championships
The blue-ribbon event of the County Cross Country season takes place in Cashel next Sunday with the hosting of the County Senior women’s and men’s Cross-Country races by Dundrum AC.
The women’s 6k will start at 11.00am followed immediately by the Men’s 10K race. The Course will be on a 2k loop.
The venue is Ballypaudeen, Cashel just off the R639 road from Cashel to exit 7 on the M8.
Eligibility is that athletes must be 20 years of age as of the 31st of December 2024. In the team event it is three to score on the women’s teams while it is four to score on the men’s teams. There is a B Section in both races for Clubs that enter more than one team. This is a new course but adjacent to last year’s venue.