Cross-country is back, East Cork Division launch 2023 season!
The East Cork Cross Country Championships kicked off on Saturday, 16th September in Monagown, Conna. A welcome respite from incessant rain allowed for our traditional gentle introduction to the cross-country season, there were many young athletes dipping their toe in this event for the first time so we were thankful it was an enjoyable experience for all.
St. Catherines AC were excellent hosts as always on a new course, which was a superb venue. The course had everything to prepare for the season ahead, sharp turns on the flat, a long uphill followed by an equally long downhill to test skills on the descent and even some mud and water thrown in to the mix! It was also an excellent course for spectating, the ditch between fields providing a panoramic view of the whole course. Well done to St. Catherines!
The girls’ races were highly competitive affairs with great performances from our athletes but we had to wait until the Girls U13 race before getting points on the board with a 2nd place team finish.
An individual silver medal was to follow for Faye O’Riordan in the girls U17 race over 3k. This was a mixed U15 and U17 race over 3k and although we could not field a full team in each race, there was evidence of a strong squad emerging. Robyn Maher and Anna Mullins showing great versatility and endurance following their racewalking season, will team up with Faye and Caoimhe Gray-Walsh U16. Caoimhe joins us from St Nicholas AC, who have helped to develop her into a fine athlete and will be a welcome addition to our squad. Laura Moore ran well also in the U17 race, she will also be a key member of the U17 team.
Our boys’ teams fared slightly better on the day in fielding teams. Our U9 and U11 teams winning bronze were followed by team silver for our U15s and finally gold for our boys U19 team. Individual medals for Brian and Peter Hawkins (1st and 2nd U17) and Aidan Maher (1st), Timmy Hawkins (2nd) and Bobby O’Riordan (3rd) in the boys U19 race. Well done to all!
The Novice women’s race over 4k followed and again there were very encouraging signs for our women’s team. Sarah Morrison had an excellent 2nd place overall while running as an individual. Sarah is a welcome addition to our women’s squad, joining from St. Nicholas and will be able to wear the Carraig na bhFear singlet from 1st October. Siobhan Walsh finished in 8th place overall, with Nessa Wheeler never too far away from Siobhan in 9th place. Nessa returns to competitive action following completion of her college studies and is another welcome addition to the squad.
In the men’s Novice 6k race, Joseph Daly reaped the rewards of a good pre-season with a 5th place overall in 23:34 as he prepares for the county senior race in 2 weeks’ time. Sean O’Gorman made his cross-country debut with a good time of 26:28 and a top 10 finish, well done!
OTHER NEWS
Congratulations to Bobby O’Riordan who won the Junior prize for the IMRA ‘Whiskey in the Jar’ series completing 4 of the 5 races in the mountains of the Cork and Kerry border. Bobby followed up his podium placing in the East Cork's on Saturday by completing the 11.65km race to the ‘Top of Coom’. With Dad Dave also completing the quad-busting 422 metres of elevation through boggy ground, their prizes were well deserved!
LOOK AHEAD
Carraig na bhFear host day 2 of the East Cork Cross-Country Championships next Sunday, 24th September in Ballinahina. The destinies of the Jerry Russell Cup for best boys juvenile club and the Maureen O’Connell Trophy for best girls juvenile club for the 2023 season, still hangs in the balance, so we hope to see as many of our athletes as possible lining out on the day!