Nov 14, 2010 [Noel Guiden] Clonliffe`s U/17 boys took top honours at today`s Dublin Juvenile Cross Country (uneven ages) championships in Marley Park today. Medals were in fact won by all black and amber clad teams in action today.
The championships were hosted by DSD over a testing course which held up rather well underfoot considering the rain of the past week. The course featured the usual long hills two to be enjoyed on each lap. As the race distances, in accordance with Athletics Ireland new championship distances, had increased to pretty long distances, a decision was made not to run the club`s younger athletes meaning that we only had teams competiting in the 17s and 19s. We did however, have two individuals in the U/15 races both over 3,000m. In the girls race Rachel Murray ran very very well over the first half before hitting troubled waters over the latter stages and finished up a tired looking athlete in 9th place. In the boys race Craig McCourt made his club debute and ran like a seasoned pro looking composed and strong finishing well up in a very credable 7th place.
The U/17 girls ran very well as a team, again the girls faced a long hard race over some 4,500m, three full laps of the course. It was very pleasing indeed to see all 5 girls battle on to finish. Very good runs today by Elaine Begley (12th), Roisin Leahy, Laura Brennan, Laurna McDonnell and Laura Preston to secure team silver.
Good things were expected of the U/17 boys in their 5,000m race and they did not disappoint. Up front Ian Guiden had a race long battle with DSD`s Killian Mooney from the first bend to the last with the DSD athlete managing to get the jump on Ian over the last 250m. With Ian 2nd, and very well backed up by Eoin McCullough running by far his best race to date in the Clonliffe colours (7th), and another strong performance by Liam Ashton (9th) and John Buckley the 4th man home in around 15th, the team scored an excellent 1st place to take the Dublin title.
Once again we had full teams in both U/19 races. The girls team were lead home by Ashling Aherne, running a well judged race and , in yet another excellent performace, Laurna Begley, both girls placing in the top 12. With great back up from Denise Callaghan and Niamh Hussey the girls place 3rd overall taking another set of medals. The boys faced a gruelling 7,000m of Marley. Fintan Doherty ran a good race in this one, being always well up the field, in truth , however, no one could live with the pace today of Raheny`s Kevin Dooney, an awesome performance. Fintan placed 7th. The ever improving Johnny Bradley Ward had another good one in 12th, Ronan Doyle was next in (13th) with the fast finishing Graham Mahon just behind him in 14th and Andrew Jenkinson, just loving the country, next in 15th. Again the team took medals home to Santry, another set on bronzes.
So another good day for these young athletes who can now look forward to the Nationals in Derry in two weeks time.