Sweeney to Defend Intercounty title; Britton in France

Defending champion Joe Sweeney leads a strong Dublin squad at Sunday’s Woodie’s DIY National Intercounty Championships in Sligo – the trial race for the European Championships next month.

Last year, Sweeney battled blizzard conditions in Derry to beat Mark Christie of Mullingar for the title. He has dominated Irish cross-country since then, winning the Gerry Farnan race a few weeks ago. He didn’t turn out for the Dublin Championships, leaving John Coghlan of MSB to take a memorable victory over Sean Hehir from Rathfarnham.

Both these men, along with Christie, Dan Mulhare of North Laois, and Leevale’s Mark Hanrahan are among likely contenders on Sunday, although Christie lost to Andrew Ledwith and Paddy Hamilton at last Sunday’s Seeley Cup 10km in Belfast. 

Only the first two across the line are sure of a place at the European Cross-Country Championships in Slovenia. It means that the Irish men’s U23 team may not defend the title they won so heroically last year in Portugal. It also means that a full junior team, the basis for future U-23 and senior teams, may not be sent.

Standards for selection are rigorous – if an athlete is outside the top two, he or she must be capable of a top-16 placing as an individual, or a top 30 placing in the case of a likely team member at the Europeans.

Last year the junior men, led by Shane Quinn in 12th place, finished a commendable fifth in Portugal. With Quinn currently in the USA, Dublin-based athletes Emmett Jennings of DSD, who was second last year, the much-improved Kevin Dooney of Raheny  and Donore’s John Travers will all fancy their chances. 

One athlete sure of her place is Fionnuala Britton of Kilcoole,  fourth last year in a blanket finish; Britton was just seven seconds behind the winner Jessica Augusto of Portugal. Britton misses Sligo for a race in France. With Deirdre Byrne and Mary Cullen also out of action at the moment, it leaves Lizzie Lee of Leevale, last year’s runner-up as pre-race favourite.

With UCD’s Ciara Mageean injured, the women’s junior race is wide open. Leading the Dublin team is 16-year-old Siofra Cleirigh Buttner. Her biggest rival could be  Emma Mitchell of Banbridge, a comfortable winner of the Ulster U-19 title recently.

Peter Matthews of DSD heads for Glasgow this weekend aiming to defend the British and Irish Masters cross-country title he won so dramatically last year at Santry. Only on the final lap did Matthews shake off a strong English challenge led by John Herbert, who is only a reserve on a predictably strong English team this year.

Another big threat is Northern Ireland’s David Morwood, third last year, and ahead of  Matthews at the Gerry Farnan Cross-Country. Other defending champions include Niamh O’Sullivan of Riocht W45  and Leevale’s Carmell Parnell W55, both of them multiple winner at this level.