Cooney crowned Munster Cross Country champion

Tramore was the venue last Sunday for the Munster Under 23 and Senior Cross Country Championships.

The women’s race over 7.5k, five laps, attracted a good entry with six athletes running for the county.

Lizzie Lee of Leevale AC set a strong pace that soon had the rest of the entry well strung out and she went on to win very convincingly.

The chasing pack of three included two Leevale athletes and Laura Cooney of Clonmel AC. Laura ran a very good race when finishing third overall to win her first Munster Senior bronze medal in 28 mins 54 secs and this performance also saw her winning the under 23 Gold medal.

There were also had good performances from Eileen McCullough of Moyne AC 11th (31.28), Suzanne Shine Clonmel AC 15th (32.10), Carmel Fitzgibbon Clonmel AC 16th (32.29), Sareen Walsh Clonmel AC 20th (35.47) and Lisa Quinlan Moyne AC 21st (36.02).

The County team of Laura, Eileen, Suzanne & Carmel won the silver medals while the Clonmel quartet won the Inter Club silver medals, only three points separating the top two teams.

Men

In the Men’s race, Michael Harty of East Cork went from the gun and set a strong pace which he held all the way to win convincingly.

Behind him we had good displays from Tipperary athletes. Mossie Bracken of Moycarkey/Coolcroo was well positioned and he ran well when finishing 7th (24.42).

There was also great running from Cathal Kennedy, Thurles Crokes, 10th (25.16), Darragh O’Leary, Thurles Crokes AC, 15th (25.33), Thomas McCarthy, Thurles Crokes AC, 16th (25.35), William Hughes, Thurles Crokes AC, 17th (25.36), Emmet McNamara, Fethard AC, 18th (25.41), Dermot Gorman, Carrick-on-Suir AC, 19th (25.46), Conor Flaherty, Clonmel AC, 23rd (26.06), Christopher Aylward, Clonmel AC, 26th (26.53), Conor Keating, Moycarkey/Coolcroo, 31st (27.53), Patrick Roche, Carrick-on-Suir AC, 34th (29.28), Fintan Rice, Fethard AC, 37th (30.03), Peter Madden, Templemore AC, 38th (30.24), Willie O’Donoghue, Mooreabbey Milers AC, 40th (32.33) and Jim Hally, Dundrum AC, 41st (33.34).

The County team of Mossie, Cathal, Darragh, Thomas, William & Emmet combined to win the silver medals. At Club level, the Thurles Crokes quartet won the silver medals. At under 23 level Cathal Kennedy and Thomas McCarthy won the silver and bronze medals respectively, two great performances.

Juvenile

Aisling Costigan (Moyne AC) kicked off the success of Tipperary athletes when she finished twelfth in the U9 race and secured an individual medal. The county team finished just outside of the medals in fourth place.

Tipperary were very much to the fore in the Boys U9 race with three athletes inside the top 12. Daniel Maher (Templemore AC) finished in third place while Jim Cantwell of Nenagh Olympic AC finished in fourth. Robert Kelly (Dundrum AC) secured the third individual medal for Tipperary in eighth place.

Daniel, Jim, & Robert led the way for the Tipperary team where they were greatly supported by the other three scorers Billy Horan, Fethard AC, 14th, Fionn Halley, Fethard AC, 34th & Alex Walsh, Fethard AC, 35th. The six boys combined to win a team silver in the County competition.

The strong presence of Fethard AC on the county team was reflected in the club competition where the three aforementioned athletes combined with Darragh Smyth 38th won a tremendous bronze medal.

Moyne AC won a second individual medal in the Girls U11 race through Annie Ely with a tenth place finish and in doing so, securing a place at the National Championships.

Annie also led the Tipperary team to the bronze medals in the Inter-County competition and a place at the National Championships. Other scoring members included Meabh O’Donnell, Dualla Ballytarsna Boherlahan AC, 16th; Meadhbh Hall, Moyne AC, 21st; Poppy Shanahan, Moyne AC, 28th; Emer Dorney, Thurles Crokes AC, 36th; & Quinn Corbett, Moyne AC, 39th.

It wasn’t just individual success that made this race memorable for Moyne AC as their club team of Annie Ely, Meadhbh Hall, Poppy Shanahan & Quinn Corbett secured the silver medals, and as with the County team, they will also travel to the National Championships.

Darragh Joyce, Moyne AC, finished in fifth place in the Boys U11 race and claimed his spot at the National Championships. Led home by Darragh, a superb team performance saw the County team come home in third place and qualify for the Nationals. Scoring members included: Billy Heaney, Clonmel AC, 20th; Philip Croke, Dundrum AC, 25th; Cian Long, Thurles Crokes AC, 26th; Darragh Long, Thurles Crokes AC, 30th & George O’Brien, Newport AC, 31st.

Ellen Maher, Dundrum AC, was the first Tipperary athlete home in the Girls U13 race where she finished in 24th position. Despite a great performance, the county team were just outside of the medals in fourth place. Fionn Aird, Clonmel AC, secured his place at the National Championships where he finished in ninth place.

Fionn also led Tipperary to the bronze medals and National qualification. The scoring team alongside Fionn consisted of Brendan Judge, Thurles Crokes AC, 18th; Evan Bourke, Thurles Crokes AC, 30th; Cathal Grimes, Newport AC, 31st; Aaron Savage, Newport AC, 32nd & Matthew Esmonde, Moyne AC, 33rd.

A strong showing from the Thurles Crokes AC team saw them finish in fourth place with Brendan Judge, Evan Bourke, Henry Cahill 35th & Charlie Cahill 37th. Despite finishing outside of the medals, this team will go forward to compete at the National Championships.

The Girls U15 race saw Neasa Moloney, Mooreabbey Milers, claim an individual medal in ninth place. Neasa will go forward as part of the Munster team at the National Championships. The County team were just outside of the medals in fourth place.

Albert Maher, Dundrum AC, produced a great run to finish in seventh place in the Boys U15 race and secured his place at Nationals. Backed by a strong county team, Albert led the Tipperary team to the bronze medals and also National qualification. The other scoring members were Luke Duggan, Templemore AC 15th, Sean Sheehan, Moycarkey/Coolcroo AC 26th, James Long, Newport AC 28th, Aaron Byrne, Dualla Ballytarsna Boherlahan AC 52nd & Liam Carroll, Thurles Crokes AC 60th.

Alana Spillane secured another individual medal for Moyne AC as she finished eighth in the Girls U17 race. Alana will take part at the National Championships as part of the Munster team. The County team finished in fiurth place and just outside of the medals.

Nenagh Olympic AC were to the fore in the Boys U17 race thanks to a second place finish from Kevin Finn. In doing so, he qualified for the National Championships.

County Novice ‘B’ Cross Country

These Championships take place in Middlepiece on Sunday, 10th November with the women’s 3k race starting at 12 noon, followed immediately by the Men’s 6k race. Going on the great entry for the Novice Cross Country both races should be competitive if everyone who is eligible competes.

National Marathon

The Dublin City Marathon took place recently, which also incorporated the National Marathon Championships.

William Maunsell ran a brilliant race when finishing third (National bronze medal) in a new county record of 2 hrs 14 mins 23 secs.

Congrats also to the Clonmel trio of Maunsell, Joey Feery (2.45.43) & Nigel O’Flaherty (2.48.12) for winning the Masters Over 35 bronze medals.

There were also some great performances like Barry Hartnett (Dundrum AC) 2.32.06, Caroline Hassett (Templemore AC) 1st county women in 2.50.47.