Galway
Cross Country championships
The second day of the 2019 County Galway Cross Country competition took place on Sunday the 20th October last in Bushfield, Loughrea AC’s grounds. The event featured a packed programme including the Juvenile Even ages races from U10 through to U18, along with two senior races.
In the opening races of the day, at U10 level, there were wins for Alan Hallinan of Craughwell AC and Eimear Fallon of Tuam AC.
In the U12 age group, Oisin Maher of
Galway City Harriers was a convincing winner of the Boys race, as was the
talented Isla Day of Clare River Harriers in the U12 Girls event.
In the U14 event Mathys Bocquet of
Craughwell Ac won the Boys event with a commanding performance, while Aisling
Geaney of South Galway AC won the U14 Girls Galway title with a great front
running display.
At U16 level Emily Miskella of Craughwell AC took gold in the Girls event, with William McDonnell of Galway City Harriers winning gold in the Boys section.
In the U18
Greg Lundon 2nd, Michael Kerrin 3rd, Brian O'Connor 4th and winner Naoise O'Gibne (Credit John O Connor)
The County Adult Intermediate championships for Ladies and Men concluded the day’s action, with Aine O'Farrell of Athenry AC winning the Ladies5km event, ahead of Edel Kelly of Athenry and Julia Britton of GCH, while GCH ladies squad won team gold. In theMen’seventover an 8km distance, Naoise O'Gibne of GCH took the honours with a strong run, ahead of Greg Lundon of South Galway AC and Michael Kerrin of GCH, GCH took team gold again in this section,
(L to R) Edel Kelly 2nd, Aine O'Farrell Winner, Julia Britton third, Olive Gleeson 4th
(Credit John O'Connor)
Autumn
Open Cross Country
The SPAR Autumn Open International Cross-Country
Festival was held Sunday October 20th at the National Sports Campus, Abbottstown
in Dublin. The event is a high-classseason opener for the country’s top cross-country
runners, and featured a combined junior, senior and master’srace, with the
Masters trial for the upcoming British and Irish Masters cross country
internationalincorporated in the event
In the Senior Women’s race Laura
Shaughnessy of Galway City Harriers finished 8th overall with a strongfinish,
an encouraging performance ahead of the National Senior championships at the
end of November.
Thomas McStay also of GCH finishedfourth
in the Men’s Junior (U20) race over 6km.Next Junior Harrier home was Barry
Murphy, who finished an impressive 14th, followed closely by Aaron
Brennan in 16th, with William Fitzgerald of Craughwell AC splitting
the pair to take a fine 15thplaceWith GCH athlete Jack Maher finishing
in 23rd, Galway City Harriers had four top finishers in the first 25, which
bodes well for the upcoming National juniorcross-country team competition in
November.
In the Senior Men’s race, Eanna Folan of GCH made a welcome return to cross country competition and finished 34th in a strong field, just ahead of clubmate Keith Fallon and Craughwell's Jack Miskella.
In the Masters trial event, the talented Mark Davis of Craughwell AC ran a superb race to place fourth in his category and achieved a guaranteed spot on the Irish M45 team for the British and Irish Masters International next month in the process. Martin Keane of Athnery AC placed third O75 which should gain him selection also for the cross country international.
10k
Ceantar Na nOilean race
The inaugural 10km race entitled Ceantar
Na nOilean was held in Lettermullen in Connemara last Saturday 19th October.
Eoghan Jennings of GCH won the race in a time of 37.04, ahead of Michael O
Donhnaill in second, and Arkadiusz Skupin in third. First lady over the line
was Berata Koratz in a time of 46.26
Marathon
weekend ahead
Marathon season is well uponus and this
weekend sees the National Championships take place, which are being held in
conjunction with the Dublin Marathon, on Sunday next. The Dublin Marathon
celebratesits 40thanniversary and a huge entry of over 22,000
runners will assemble at the start line next Sunday October 27th.
Galway athletes will travel in force, with upwards of 200 club runners competing for honours over the 26.2-mile distance. GCH Ladies team is always strong and will have the likes of Grainne Ni Uallachain and Kathryn O'Regan competing, while GCH men will have Gerard Cuddy targeting a good run. Tuam AC athletes such as Sean Burke and Ger Hartnett will look for fast times, while Cathal O'Reilly of Loughrea AC will likely be the quickest of the Galway athletes competing on the day.
Meanwhile, in Germany, Frankfurt Marathon will see top GCH athletes Neasa De Burca and Sinead Foran chase the magical three-hour barrier, with both in superb form after an intensive training block, while
Ulster Winter Throws
A number of Galway athletes travelled to the home of Finn Valley AC in Stranolar, Donegal on Sunday to take part in the Ulster Winter Throws Competition. At juvenile level, Liam Shaw from Athenry AC moved up an age group to compete at U16, taking gold in the Shot Putt, throwing a new PB in the process and also took bronze in the discus. Tuam AC had great representation with Leonie Hegarty, Belinda McGreal, Conal Burke and Justin Lane all performing well taking multiple medals of all colours each across all the throws disciplines on offer.
