Novice men claim bronze

The first of the championship cross country events of the season took place in the Phoenix Park, the Dublin novice cross country championships. Everyone enjoyed a good soaking earlier in the day however by the time the women and novice men toed the line the rain was kind enough to move on. Underfoot conditions, as always in the Phoenix Park, were excellent.

The novice women ran over a distance of 4000m and pleasingly there was a healthy turnout of athletes with some 10 full teams in the championship. Jools Hughes had a fine run leading the Clonliffe team home in an excellent 12th position. The ever improving Alanna Burke once again ran another fine race to finish 20th, having held back over the early laps and come through the field nicely. Next in was Katie Halpin in 25th with the scoring 4 completed by Chloe Heaslip who had her best race to date for the club in 29th position. Unfortunately however the combined score meant that the girls finished just out of the medals in 4th position. Fine runs from the entire squad: Aisling Killelea 48, Corinne Kenny 54th, Aoife Kinahan 58th, Paula Horgan 61st, Pamela Kavanagh 62nd, Michelle Waters 67th and Yvonne McDonagh 68th. The 2024 women’s Dublin novice champions were Crusaders AC, Sportsworld AC were 2nd with Liffey Valley 3rd.

There was a fine entry in the men’s novice championship, with some 125 finishers and 11 teams. There was a bumper Clonliffe Harriers entry of 22 athletes with some really outstanding runs by many of these up-and-coming athletes. Daragh Carter had an excellent return to racing, a long period of injury has meant that Daragh had not raced in a number of years, he led the Clonliffe pack home with a 15th place finish. Next in was Cian Murray 17th with Ronan Donohoe undoubtedly having as best race ever in the Clonliffe vest inches behind in 18th and after an outstanding final lap Lee Duddy made up many places to finish in 25th. This quartet delivered a somewhat unexpected bronze medal.

The rest of the team also put in excellent shifts, a special word in particular for Cillian Keegan, having his 1st race in a long period of time again as a result of injury and Ian McAweeney, now firmly back in the fold. Also it is noteworthy that many of this team were really only having their first cross country race and others were on the comeback trail.

Cillian Keegan 31st, Ian McAweeney 40th, Niall Sherlock 43rd, Ronan Fitzpatrick 47th, Eamon Harkin 53rd, Gareth Loy 55th, Niall McCaffrey 62nd, Peter Bissett 66, Evan Lynch 73rd, Ryan Sheridan 74th, Cillian Sherrin 95th, Greg Hossenny 107th, Fergal O’Shea hundred and 8, Richie Barr 113th, Ben Power 117th, Declan Grant 122nd, Dave Hanley 123rd, Andrew D’Arcy 124th.

Raheny Shamrocks took the team title, Donore Harriers 2nd, Clonliffe 3rd.

The national novice takes place on December 1.