Congratulations to Grace Lynch on an excellent 7th place finish, in the Senior Women’s National Cross Country Championships yesterday in Gowran Park, Kilkenny. Supported in 12th place by Meghan Ryan, Eimear Maher 17th and Serena Tuffy 26th our Women’s team finished in 2nd place. Many of our senior athletes were not available yesterday, but those who were there gave it everything, with some very good performances. Eimear Maher finished 3rd in the U.23 Women's race. Our Men’s team finished 8th, with Emmet Jennings on the winning Dublin Team.
Well done to all!
Senior Women
7th Grace Lynch 39.02
12th Meghan Ryan 40.02
17th Eimear Maher 40.58
26th Serena Tuffy 41.32
Team 2nd
Grace and Meghan on winning Dublin Team
U.23 Women
3rd Eimear Maher
U.20 Women
13th Emma McEvoy
18th Saoirse O'Brien
75th Isabella Tomkin Beddy
98th Isabella Chambers
Team 4th
Senior Men
26th Emmet Jennings
50th Edward Zuecher
68th Eanna Moynihan O’Bradaigh
88th Morgan Clarkson
Team: 8th
U.23 Men
14th Eanna Moynihan O’Bradaigh
29th Morgan Clarkson
U.20 Men
37th Sean McMahon
42nd Jamie Byrne
47th Declan O'Meara
56th Andrew McGilton
(Report by Donal)
An extremely muddy Gowran Park played host for the national Juvenile (even ages) and National Senior & Junior Cross Country championships yesterday.
After the incessant rain of recent weeks the Gowran course had turned into a mud run after the juvenile races had completed during the morning. The conditions were very challenging for the Senior and Junior athletes with many drop outs witnessed. Inspite of the conditions Grace Lynch and Eimear Maher put in exceptional performances, Grace finishing 7th In the Senior race and Eimear finishing 3rd in the U23 race – thus ensuring her selection on the Irish team for the upcoming European XC championships in Brussels.
Being led by Grace in 7th position and the ever dependable Meghan Ryan in 12th, the senior women’s team claimed a well deserved second place in the team standings. Completing the team scoring was Eimear Maher 17th (senior) Serena Tuffy 26th, Maria McCambridge 30th.
With a relatively novice team the Senior men struggled to make an impact on the day finishing 8th overall. Emmet Jennings couldn’t overcome the savage conditions finishing 26th, He was followed home by Edddie Zuercher 50th, Eann O’Bradaigh 68th, Morgan Clarkson 88th, David Gormley 109th, Michael McCarthy 110th, Adriele Primo-Mello 190th.
Preceding the seniors was the Junior(U20) championships. Our Junior Women’s team was just outside the medals in 4th led home by Emma McEvoy in 13th. Saoirse O’Brien, having one of her best runs in recent times finished 18th, Isabella Tomkin Beddy 76th , Isabella Chambers 98th, Olivia Tobin 135th finished the team scoring.
Sean McMahon (37th) was the standout performer in the Junior boys race leading the team to a 5th place finish, Sean was followed home by Jamie Byrne 42nd, Declan O’Meara 44th, Andrew McGilton 56th, Jake Mathews 133,
While we didn’t bring home as many medals as hoped, it proved to be a victory for the athletes just to finish the races and all should be congratulated for showing the mental fortitude to keep moving forward when the mud was continuously sucking them back into the ground.
