Weekend Round up: Irish Varsities XC, and more

The IUAA Cross Country Championships over 8,000m took place in Abbottstown on Saturday. After the week long rain it was muddy, and the course is tough, so not a day for the faint hearted! First Clonliffe athlete was Eoin Taggart (UCD) in 11th (23.14) with Adam O`Brien (DCU) on his heels, 12th (23.26). Not far of this pair in 26th was Eoin McCullough (TCD) 24.18 with Alex Gibbons (DCU) 46th in 25.11. DCU took the team title.

Also on the roads, National 50k Champion, Brian MacMahon won the Clane 10k in 33.24. In Carlinford the annual Half Marathon took place with Dave Brady finishing 8th in 78.17 and National Intermediate XC hero Karl Nolan 12th (80.02).

Across the water Liam Roarty ran for Cheltenham Harriers in the Gloucester Road Relays in Haresfield clocking a time of 16.28 for his 5k leg as Cheltenham finished in 3rd place.

On Sunday Sean Doran finished 2nd in the Harristown 10k in 34.40. Sean having been a full 60 seconds behind the leader at 5k closed the gap over the second half of the race, winning the “King of the Mountains” title in the process, and closed to within a single second on the line!