Cross-country county senior titles for Doran and Heaslip
THE final day of the Kerry Cross-Country Championships took place last Sunday in Killorglin with the senior, junior and juvenile relays events taking place.
As expected Shona Heaslip (An Riocht) was the clear winner in the senior women’s race with Maria McCarthy (Farranfore Maine Valley) in second place and Niamh O’Sullivan (An Riocht) third. Farranfore picked up team gold and bronze medals with silver going to An Riocht.
Things were not so cut and dried in the men’s race with Cian Murphy, James Doran and Martin Dineen battling it out over the last 20 metres or so for county honours. Iveragh’s Cian Murphy, looking to win his eighth consecutive senior men’s title, was pipped in the final 20 metres by An Riocht’s James Doran, settling for silver just ahead of Martin Dineen, also from An Riocht. The Castleisland club took gold and bronze team medals with silver going to Farranfore Maine Valley.
It was gold and silver for Tralee Harriers in the junior men’s race with Oisin Spillane crossing the line just ahead of team mate Louis Byrne. Emily Pierse from Lios Tuathail was the winner of the junior women’s race.
The juvenile relays are always fiercely contested and there was a great turn out this year with as many as 10 teams in some of the age groups. First place results are as follows: U-10 girls Farranfore Maine Valley, U-10 boys Kenmare, U-12 girls and boys Killarney Valley, U-14 girls Iveragh, U-14 boys Killarney Valley, U-16 girls Gneeveguilla, U-16 boys Farranfore Maine Valley.
Kenmare AC won the shield for the best juvenile club for the eighth consecutive year. Full results will be available on the Kerry Athletics website.