Cian Spillane wins U-13 bronze at national crosscounty championships

THE Irish Life Health National Novice and Uneven Age Cross-Country Championships took place in Dundalk IT last Sunday. There were only a handful of Kerry athletes competing but all put in excellent performances.

Top medal winner was Cian Spillane ( pictured) from Farranfore Maine Valley who was the first Munster runner to finish in the U-13 boys race, crossing the line in third place and leading the Munster team to provincial gold.

Shona O’Brien (Gneeveguilla) finished 12th in the U-17 girls race and was part of the Munster gold medal winning team. Following on from her excellent run in the U-18 event a couple of weeks ago Kenmare’s Shauna Doellken O’Shea finished an excellent 8th place overall in the U-19 girls, adding Munster silver to her medal haul of late.

Also taking part was Shauna McCarthy from Farranfore Maine Valley who was a very creditable 23rd in U-13 girls. Elsewhere, Kerry had two runners competing at the European Cross-country Championships in Chia, Italy last Sunday, with Shona Heaslip and Laura Crowe helping Ireland’s senior women’s team to sixth place, having been fighting for bronze for much of the race with Romania. Leading the team home in fifth place was Fionnuala McCormack (Kilcoole). (Ciara Mageean (UCD) was next home in 31st, followed by Michelle Finn (Leevale) in 33rd, Kerry O’Flaherty (Newcastle) 54th, Heaslip (An Riocht) in 59th, who unfortunately took a heavy fall on the last hill having been placed well, and Crowe (An Riocht) in 60th. A great showing on the European stage for the An Riocht ladies. The county development squads have finished now until after Christmas. Hopefully there will be sessions late December and athletes will be notified of the dates well in advance.