Magnificent seventh for Karen in national cross country race

DUNLEER AC members represented their club and county with pride at the National Championships.

The leading light was without a doubt Karen Costello in the National Novice Ladies 4km Cross Country race, who finished in seventh place in 16.20. 108 ladies lined up for this event and Karen was very much to the fore as was her clubmate Nicola Welsh who finished in 19th place in 16.44.

The juvenile competition at the National Championships was as tough as ever, with up to 200 competitors in the races. All of these athletes have come through county and provincial competitions to represent their club and county on the day and have put in many hours of hard training under the guidance of their coaches, so very well done to all.

In the younger age groups under 11 and 13 it was Dáire Mathews, Danielle Brennan, Aibhe Reilly, Matthew Mc Entee and Ciarán Russell who gave their all and ran very well.

The under 15 boys were led home by Eseosa Victor in 42nd, with James Russell 44th, and along with teammates Patrick Farrell and Edward McEntee they finished a superb eighth in the team section.

The boys under 17 team were dogged by injury and illness with Danny, Kian and Conor unable to compete on the day, but Peter Meegan and the rest of the boys got the job done, with Peter finishing a brilliant 27th, leading his team of Cathal Butler, Neal Hodgins and Fran Whelan home to 11th place.

Elsewhere, Tomás Cotter, the club’s sub four-minute miler and former scholarship athlete has been returning from injury and was a respectable third in the Drogheda and District Christmas 5k in 15.45.