Following last Sundays gold medal winning performance in the Leinster Senior Championships in Co. Kilkenny, Donore ladies cross-country athletes continued their good form in the last National Cross-country championships of the season. This time it was the Intermediate Ladies who produced a brilliant performance when finishing second to Crusaders.

The ladies intermediate race had just 54 runners but by the time the runners tackled 5k of the course it was churned up indeed.  A city of Derry runner took out the early pace but wisely the Donore ladies weren’t tempted to follow.  Reigning Dublin intermediate champion Karla Doran stuck to the second group.  Eventually Crusaders Marie Hyland overhauled Derry’s Caroline Whoriskey and stormed to an unassailable lead.  Karla alternated between 3rd and 5th but never gave up even in the tough later stages of the race and eventually finished 5th in another super run which we have grown to expect from this athlete over the season.  Ashling Swaine had probably her best ever run beating 2 runners in the crucial late stages to come 11th and Kim Hickey who also thrived in these tough conditions to come 13th.  Maura Kearns completed the team in 24th and it’s great to see her back on the cross country after a late decision to compete in the race.  This team which along with some other runners not present in Dundalk has been blazing a trail since last October on the cross country circuit was rewarded with the silver medal (Crusaders won gold by 9 points) – we last medalled in this competition in 2013 so a great achievement.  Karla and Ashling were scoring
members of the winning Dublin team with Kim winning silver in the Cork county colours.

The ladies National Masters 4K Cross Country race in the muddy sports grounds of Dundalk IT saw the biggest field ever assembled for this competition (196 finishers).  The master ladies tackled 2 laps of an undulating and at times very soggy course.  Barbara Murray who has come into very good form in recent times had a fine run and was first home in 39th place and 11th W40.  Florence Curley unfortunately never really got into the race and finished a disappointing 66th.  Karen Behan had  a solid run in 78th followed by Julia Hackett in 103rd and Mary Murphy in 166th bringing the team to 9th out of 17 in total.

Unfortunately coach Jim McNamara could not be there due to illness but his teams did him proud.

The Masters men 65+ race was run in conjunction with the ladies Barry Potts M65 was first home and then Terry Mee M70 who were a little unlukcy in that both finished just outside the medals in their categories coming 4th a piece.

The Men’s masters was a very competitive and tough affair with underfoot conditions very mucky. The large field set off at breakneck speed with Donore’s Michae Mc Mahon to the fore closely followed by John Dunne with our other team members lending great support. As the race
proceeded the team packed brilliantly with the 3rd 4th 5th 6th and 7 men, Niall Lynch. Ciaran McCarthy, Des Tremble, Philip Hennessy and Chris Muldoon pushing the team up to top positions. The team ran brilliantly with a total of 69 points to win convincingly from Rathfarnham /WSAF with 97 points and St. Finbarrs Cork 0n 127 points. John Dunne was 3rd in the o.45 category.

A great end to the club cross-country season for the club and a good start to 2016.

Elsewhere (in a snowbound New York) John Travers ran the elite men’s mile in the New Balance indoor Games at the iconic Armory and he came 10th in 4.07.  He will be back in action in NY in early February.

In the National combined events indoors in Athlone, Rolus Olusa won the senior men’s title with a score of 3205 points.  Staying with indoors, Sinead Lambe continued her comeback with a fine race as a guest in the Galway Indoors where she ran 800m in 2.25.

At the Eircom Business Houses cross country race in Cherryfield Park Ballyboden Susan Walsh was 28th and Ann Woodlock 43rd and 1st W75 in the women’s2 mile.  In the 4 mile race Alan Farrell 18th, Tom Fagan 52st, Peter Nugent 53rd, Tom Halton 149th