u/18 boys take All Ireland gold

Nov 26, 2007 [Noel Guiden] Congratulations to our U/18 boys who took gold at yesterday`s National Juvenile even ages Cross Country held at the Army Camp, The Curragh along side the National Inter County Cross Country Championships. The guys were led home by David Fitzmaurice (left) in 7th place and with excellent performances by the whole squad, the scoring four of Dave Fitz., Eoin McDonnell (15th), Tony Kavanagh (19th) and Mark McDonald (22nd) took a comfortable win on a total of 63 points. These four were backed up by very strong runs from Colm Murray (27th), Larry Brady (30th), Micky McAnnallan (34th) and young Jordan Logue (45th).

The first race of a long day with Clonliffe interest was the girls U/14 where Laura Preston was our sole runner taking 68th place. We had two in the U/14 boys race both running and scoring on the 7th place Dublin team : Stephen Boyle 28th and Ian Guiden 52nd.

In the U/16s Denise Callaghan was 50th in the girls race while in the boys Graham Mahon after a very good run was 55th chased home closely by Mark McKenzie 58th and Ciaran Lowney 89th. A brave Jack Fay suffering with a chest infection had to pull out on the first lap.

We had two girls in the U/18 race led home by Sarah Finnegan a superb 23rd, with Kate Purcell 41st.

On then to the National Inter County Championships where Becky Woods after a strong run in the Dublin colours in the junior race placed 9th, one place out of the scorring 4 on the gold winning county team. Dave Flynn looked very strong on the final lap in the men`s junior race taking 6th place and along with it county gold with the Dublin team. Eoin Pearce running as an individual placed 26th.

In the women`s senior race Francis Nic Reamoinn continues to improve running a brillant race to finish 5th overall, and also being second in the U/23 trial for the upcoming Europeans. In addition Francis left The Curragh with a county gold medal in her pocket, a pretty good day I suppose !First was, of course, Fionnula Britton.

Finally the men`s National Inter County had a number of the Clonliffe team in action.In an excellent race Gary Murray continues to take all on the country adding the inter county national to his inter club senior national won in Sligo last March. First of the Clonliffe lads was Colm Rooney 8th, who along with Sergiu Turea 12th took county gold with Dublin. Brian McMahon running in the Cork colours was 24th, Robert Malseed, running as an individual was 32nd and Gary O`Hanlon for Dublin was 37th.