The Juvenile Even age and Novice Cross Country County championships took place in Carraig-na-bhFear AC, at White’s Cross Carraig-na-bhFear on October 4th 2015. The championships which were hosted by St Carraig-na-bhFear AC on the excellent grounds of Rhona and Thomas Buckley . The course was split over two fields on what would be classed as a flat fast course. While the day was very overcast with rain threatening we managed to escape with a dry but windy day which it itself created an extra challenge for all running.

The day started with the novice womems race with Pauline Callan running a good race to finish in 33rd place. Emmett Callan and Brian Cotter were next up in the mens novice 6k race and both men ran a good race.

The juvenile races day started with the U10 competitors and they had a single 1000m loop to complete. The Girls U9 were the first off and the team of Amy McCarthy, Maia McCourt, Aoibhinn McKeogh, Niamh Cotter, Claire Riordan, Aoife Tuthill, Ailbhe Gibbons, Amy Kirky and Ciara McCarthy. The team had a very strong race and won a well earned 2nd team place. Amy McCarthy took 1st place honors winning the U10 county title. The boys U10 team of Daire Walsh, Adam Barry, Conor Creswell, Charlie Twomey, Jack Cullinane, Shane O’Callaghan, Ben Hathaway, Ronan Aherne and Kevin O Connell were next up and they also impressed by winning 1st team prize with 4 of the team finishing in the top 13. Charlie Twomey led he team home and also earned himself an individual medal by finishing in 5th place overall. Well done to both U10 teams an to their coaches for having 18 athletes competing in these U10 races.

The Girls U12 team were next to race and they had to contend with 2 laps of the 1000m course. The team of Lucy T McCarthy, Saoirse O Neill, Ellen Murphy, Maria Buttimer, Roisin De Burca and Brid Desmond. Hannah Buckley, Erica O Mahony all raced very well and were unlucky to finish outside the team medals in 4th place. The Boys U12 team of Callum McCourt, Jack Cullen, Adam Casey, Joseph Buttimer, Sean Deasy and Sean M Kiely were next to race and with two of the boys competing up an age they did extremely well to win 2nd team prize with Callum leading the team home by also winning an individual 4th place medal.

As we move up the ages the distances increase with the U14’s having to complete to of the outler loops taking in 3000m in total. The Girls U14 competing were Jane Buttimer, Jane Buckley, Olivia Tuthill, Caoimhe Deasy, Katie Murphy, Nicola Tuthill. They worked really well as a team and earned a well deserved 1st team place. Jane Buckley who was competing out of age finished in a very strong 3rd place. The Boys U14 team of Dylan Roberts, Fionn Harrington, Ruairi Harrington, Niall Desmond, and Peter Ronan ran very strong races today. It was Peter and Dylans first county cross country event and they both helped the team take 3rd county team place. Niall Desmond led the team home winning an individual medal in 4th place.

The U16’s had 4000m to run with Laura Nicholson, Julieanna Hill and Michele O’Donovan competing well. Laura was chasing the leading group from the start and ran a very good race to finish in 3rd place. We had a full compliment of boys in the U16 race and Michael Laffan, Jude Donegan, Naoise O’Fhaitheartaigh, Conor Calnan and Matt Devine competed well as a team and earned a well deserved 3rd county team place. Naoise led the team home finishing in 5th place.

Our last competitors of the day were in the girls U 18 race with Fiona Everard and Bethany Haigue competing. Both Fiona and Bethany were competing for the top places for the entire race and they should both be very happy with their 2nd and 4th place finishes respectively.

Well one to all competing athletes. The training continues as we gear up for the next round of competition. Thanks to all who helped and supported the athletes today.

Report by Tom Laffan