Nationals in Dublin
Masters among medals in Swansea
A SMALL squad of Wexford athletes had a successful trip to Swansea for last weekend’s British and Irish Masters cross-country international, held in the city’s Singleton Park.
Running conditions were perfect although the well-designed course was described as energy-sapping.
The Kilmore duo of Fiona Kehoe and Jackie Carthy were members of the Irish teams which took silver medals in the W35 and W45 categories respectively. The Irish W35 team were just two points off the gold medal-winning English team.
John McGrath of United Striders, competing in his first international, scored on the silver medal-winning Over-45 team. Both Ann O’Sullivan (D.M.P.) and Ger Maloney won Over-55 bronze team medals.
Niall Sheil (St. Killian’s/Over40M) said: ‘Cross-country courses really don’t get much tougher than this, it pulled on all my physical and mental strength. Delighted with how it went and [I] finished second Irish person.’
The Irish Life Health National Senior, Junior and Juvenile (even age) cross-country championships take place at the National Sports Campus, Abbotstown next Sunday. This is the same course that will be used for the European cross-country championships in2020.
Wexford has a very strong squad travelling to the championships. Enniscorthy’s Sarah Phylan was a top ten finisher in the Leinster girls’ Under-12 race in Navan at the end of October. She will be hoping to repeat that performance in Abbotstown.
Kevin O’Mahony (D.M.P.) finished seventh in the boys’ Under-12 race the same day and, more recently, placed ninth in the Under-13 race.
The county has big strengthin-depth in boys’ Under-14 and Under-16, having won team gold in both at the Leinsters. This is primarily down to United Striders.
In the Under-14 race the club’s Myles Hewlett is one of the favourites to take the individual title, having won convincingly at Leinster level. His clubmates, Eoin Shannon and Cosmo Hewlett, were twelfth and 13th respectively in the Leinsters and both will be hoping to get inside the top ten on this occasion.
Striders also has Finbarr Kelly knocking on the door for a top 20 placing. The New Ross club, having won club team gold in Navan, will be the ones to beat in Abbotstown.
The boys’ Under-16 4,000m has two Wexford athletes chasing individual honours. Joe Byrne (S.B.R.) was fourth at the Leinsters, just a stride ahead of Ben Wall (U.S.) in fifth. The weekend before last, Ben ran a very good race to take silver in the Under-15 Leinsters.
Adam O’Connor of Striders was twelfth in Navan. The fast Abbotstown course should suit him and, all going well, will see him making the top twelve again.
As with the Under-14 boys, the form-book suggests that both club and county team gold is very much within reach.
Claragh Keane of D.M.P. improves with every race she runs. She narrowly missed out on a bronze medal in Navan in the Under-16 race and was narrowly beaten for the silver in the Under-15 race in Adamstown. All going well on Sunday, she will be somewhere on the podium.
Aedan Rogers (U.S.) competes in the Junior race. He ran with great purpose, intent and consistency when taking a silver at the Leinster Under-19 race in Adamstown. If he shows the same form he can expect to be in the mix.
The county’s best prospect in the Senior ladies’ race is Kilmore’s Fiona Kehoe. Fiona, who impressed at last weekend’s Masters international in Swansea, looks good for a top 20 finish. Wexford has no athletes competing in the Senior men’s race.
The first round of the Juvenile winter league took place at the Enniscorthy Sports Hub on Friday. Conditions were mild and somewhat humid but the rain held off.
Numbers were very good, especially in the younger age groups. And, as always, there were lots of close-fought contests. The league provides a great opportunity for developing athletes to test themselves in a competitive setting.
The next round takes place this Friday at the same venue, with registration from 6.15 p.m. The final round follows a week later. Results are at www.wexfordathletics.com
Fixtures: November 23 (7 p.m.), Wexford Juvenile winter league (Under-8 to Under-16 consecutively plus tiny tots race), Enniscorthy Sports Hub, registration from 6.15 p.m.; November 25, Irish Life Health Senior, Junior and Juvenile even age cross-country, National Sports Campus, Abbotstown; November 30 (7 p.m.), Wexford Juvenile winter league, Enniscorthy Sports Hub; December 2, Mr Oil Wexford Intermediate cross-country championships, Ferns, hosted by S.B.R. A.C.