Blackrock’s Sarah Healy and Darragh McElhinney of Bantry made it an Irish U17 double at the Celtic International Cross-Country in Cardiff today. Youghal’s Jake McCarthy finished second in the M17 race. Winning the M20 race was Fearghal Curtin of Youghal. Amy Rose Farrell of Blackrock was second W20; both Irish U20 teams came out on top, as did the M17 team. The W17 team finished second. In the senior race, national cross-country champion Shona Heaslip of Riocht was third, with DSD’s Maria McCambridge just behind her in fourth and Una Britton of Kilcoole sixth. Leading home an Irish U23 team was Bethany Murphy of DSD in 16th place. She was followed by Elizabeth Carr of Mullingar Harriers 20th, Sarah Fitzpatrick of DSD 27th and Ciara Hewson of Le Cheile 32nd. 
At the National Intermediate Cross-Country in in Tuam, Aoife Cooke of Youghal and Gowran’s Niall Sheehan took the titles. In the women’s race, Sportsworld finished best of the teams led home by Sinead Tangney who finished second individual. Third of the women was Rachel Gibson of North Down with Mayo’s Catherine Conway fourth. Youghal was second of the eight teams entered with Mayo AC third.
In the men’s race, Niall Sheehan beat Ballyfin’s Colin Maher by five seconds for the title. Third was Ian Guiden of Clonliffe, with Damien Cauvet of Liffey Valley fourth, Thomas Hayes of Kilkenny fifth and Cathal Doyle sixth. Clonliffe beat North Belfast Harriers by four points to finish best of the twelve teams entered.
A RECORD 140-plus turned out for this morning Women’s Meet and Train 2-Mile cross-country race impeccably organised by Lucan Harriers at Griffeen Park.
Winning the race by a comfortable margin was Jane Cahill of Dunboyne who had also won the opening round of the four-race league last November. Second was the much-improved Fiona Shine of Crusaders, a Meet and Train “regular”. Coming tenth was international canoeist Aisling Smith of Waterstown Warriors, who were making their first appearance at a Meet and Train run. Virtually every club in Dublin was represented, along with Trim and Dunboyne from Meath.
The final Winter League race, hosted by Fingallians, takes place in Swords on February 5. After the race, a brief meeting will take place to decide on dates for the Summer League. A few pics at www.lindie.zenfolio.com
SHANE ASTON OF TRIM AC came out on top in a tightly-contested senior men’s competition at the Irish Life Health Indoor Combined Events Championships in Athlone IT yesterday. Aston and James Paoluzzi of Ballymena and Antrim were closely matched throughout the day. In the end, Aston’s superior long jump of 6.63m, along with his 12.43 shot putt was enough to see him home on 3597 points – Paoluzzi, in his first competition in eight months, finished on 3561 points.
Winning the women’s title was Amy McTeggart of Boyne AC with 3370 points. Laura Frey finished a close second with a better shot putt and the fastest 800m of the day. Clonliffe’s Snezana Bechtina took the W35 title with a total of 2,832 points, with Ger Cremin of Riocht best of the men on 2713 points. Winning the M40 title was Kevin Byrne of DSD on 2422 points.
Valdas Dopolskas, who ran the marathon for his native Lithuania at the Rio Olympics, ran away with the men’s five mile at the Eir BHAA Cross-Country in Firhouse yesterday. Dopolskas, aged 24, has a marathon best of 2:16.35 from Frankfurt in 2015 and ran 2:28.21 for 111st place in Rio. He won the Tuam 8km last week in 24 mins 47 secs and is a member of Balbriggan AC. In Firhouse, he finished well clear of second placed Simon Ryan.
Patrick Monahan finished second in the wheelchair race at Friday’s Dubai Marathon with a time of 1hr 31 mins 22 secs – not too far off his Irish record of 1:29.44. Monahan battled all the way to the finish with Rafa Botello of Spain. “Great push for January,” said the Kildare man after.
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