Clonmel’s Sean Tobin and Michelle McGee of Brothers Pearse were emphatic winners at the Woodie’s DIY National Novice Cross-Country Championships in Waterford.
McGee, originally from Longford and coached by Enda Fitzpatrick, may be new to the sport, but her tenth place at last month’s Inter County Cross-Country underlined her promise. She had warmed up for today’s race by winning the Jingle Bells 5km on the roads last weekend.
She dominated the 4,000m race from the beginning with Kate Cronin of Raheny Shamrock and Portlaoise’s Mary Mulhare the only athletes attempting to stay with her. By the finish she had build up a 17 second gap winning the race in 14.48. Cronin in second place had the consolation of leading Raheny Shamrock to team victory.
After his ninth at the European Cross-Country in Belgrade, Tobin was always the man to beat in the men’s 6,000m race. Along with local athlete Andrew Connick of Ferrybank, Tobin tucked in behind early leader Cathal O’Donovan of St Finbarr’s AC on the opening lap. Connick made an attempt to break away on the second lap, but couldn’t shake off Tobin, who applied the pressure on the final lap to come home a comfortable winner in 19.23.
Connick was just nine seconds adrift for second, with O’Donovan third. Donore Harriers took the team gold, with Dublin winning both men and women’s team titles.
Among the winners in the juvenile uneven ages races heldearlier in the day wasMullingar’s Linda Conroy, who won the W19 title holding off DSD pair Sarah Miles and Ella Fennelly. Con Doherty of Westport ran a brave race to take the M19 titles, beating Andrew Coscoran of Star of the Sea and Riocht’s Brendan O’Connor.
Kevin Mulcaire from Ennis TC was a clear winner of the M17 race ahead of Cathal Doyle, who was leading Clonliffe to team victory, with Celtic’s Pierre Murchan finishing third. Siobhra O’Flaherty of St Laurence O’Toole dominated the W17 race, where DSD took the team honours, led by Isabelle Odlum in second place.Isabel Carron of Skerries was third.
* At the Telford 10km in England, Conor Bradley of City of Derry finished second in an excellent time of 29 mins 52 secs. Winner was Liverpool’s Jimmy Mellor in 29:39.
Woodie’s DIY National Novice and Juvenile Uneven Ages C-C, WIT, Waterford.
Women’s 4000m (116 finishers) : 1 Michelle McGee (Bros Pearse) 14:48, 2 Kate Cronin (Raheny Shammrock) 15.05, 3 Mary Mulhare (Portlaoise) 15.26. 4 Martina O’Dwyer (Carrick-on-Suir) 15:31, 5 Rachel Smyth (St Coca’s) 15:35, 6 Danielle Fegan (Armagh) 15.38, 7 Maria McCarthy (Kerry) 15.44, 8 Chloe Doran (Raheny Shamrock) 15.51, 9 Deirdre O’Toole (St LOT) 15.56, 10 Fiona Kehoe (Kilmore) 16.02. Teams – Club: 1 Raheny Shamrock 87, 2 Portlaoise 105, 3 Leevale 14. County : 1 Dublin 43, 2 Cork 51, 3 Laois 68.
Men’s 6000m (222 finishers) : 1 Sean Tobin (Clonmel) 19.23, 2 Andrew Connick (Ferrybank) 19.32, 3 Cathal O’Donovan (St Finbarr’s) 19.44, 4 Stephen Kerr (Armagh) 19.49, 5 Ben Thistlewood (Leevale) 19.54, 6 Gavin Sweeney (Togher) 19.56, 7 Mark Dooley (Donore Hrs) 19.59, 8 Thomas Hayes (KCH) 20.06, 9 Peter Dalton (DSD) 20.09, 10 John Reidy ( Crusaders) 20.11. Teams – Club (24) : 1 Donore Harriers (7,12,14,18) 51, 2 Rathfarnham WSAF (15, 23,40,46) 124; 3 Leevale (5,25,29,80) 139. County (14): 1 Dublin 76, 2 Cork 132, 3 Tipperary 201.
Juvenile Uneven Ages –
Girls –
W19 (45): 1 Linda Conroy (Mullingar Hrs), 2 Sarah Miles (DSD), 3 Ella Fennelly (DSD). Teams – Club: 1 DSD (2,3,7) 12, 2 Mullingar Hrs (1, 10.32) 43, 3 Clonmel AC (11,20, 23) 54. County (2) 1 Dublin 38, 2 Kilkenny 88.
W17 (93): 1 Siobhra O’Flaherty (StLOT), 2 Isabelle Odlum (DSD), 3 Isabel Carron (Skerries). Teams – Club (10): 1 DSD (2,6,12,55) 75, 2 Omagh Hrs (15,16,19.27) 77, 3 Skerries (3,24,28, 39) 94. County (4) : 1 Dublin 76, 2 Antrim 175, 3 Cork 214.
W15 (113): 1 Caoimhe Harrington (WestMuskerry), 2 Emma O’Brien (Inbhear Dee) , 3 Jodie McCann (DSD) . Teams – Club (14); 1 Inbhear Dee (2,10,16,36), 2 DSD (3,5,46,56) 110; 3 Omagh Hrs (8,14,21,82) 125. County (9) : 1 Cork 121, 2 Wicklow 167, 3 Dublin 168.
W13 (144): 1 Sarah Healy (Blackrock, 2 Laoise Geraghty ( GCH), 3 Saoirse O’Brien (Westport) . Teams – Club (16); 1 Blackrock 138, 2 Thomastown 158, 3 Mullingar Hrs 159. County (11): 1 Dublin 87, 2 Mayo 140, 3 Cork 228.
Boys –
M19 (60): 1 Con Doherty (Westport), 2 Andrew Coscoran (Star of the Sea) , 3 Brendan O’Connor (Riocht). Teams- Club (3): 1 DSD (4,9,12,15) 40, 2 Eermald 150, 3 St Senan’s Kilkenny 183. County (4): 1 Dublin 76, 2 Cork 227, 3 Kilkenny 279.
M17 (114) : 1 Kevin Mulcaire (Ennis TC), 2 Cathal Doyle (Clonloiffe), 3 Pierre Murchan (Celtic). Teams – Club (13): 1 Clonliffe Hrs (2,21,28,32) 83,2 DSD (23,29,38,51) 141; 3 Leevale (16,30,43, 52) 141. County (7) 1 Dublin 88, 2 Cork 149, 3 Antrim 247.
M15 (120): 1 Christy Conlon (Beechmount Hrs) ,2 Eoin McCann ( St Malachy’s), 3 James Maguire (DSD). Teams – Club (12); 2 Omagh Hrs (11,22,23,25) 81, 2 Ennis TC (19.21,27, 30) 97, 3 Burren AC (13,26,40,43). County (9): 1 Clare 135, 2 Meath 221, 3 Galway 238.
M13 (143): 1 Finn Looney (Emerald ), 2 Jack Gillespie (Finn Valley), 3 Cathal Corcoran (Sligo). Teams – Clubs (17); 1 Togher (9,18,19,20) 66, 2 Finn Valley (2,32,34,80) 148, 3 Westport (5,15,44,92) 156. County (11): 1 Cork 149, 2 Mayo 235, 3 Dublin 242.
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