North Sligo on form

NORTH Sligo AC had 12 athletes taking part in the national masters crosscountry championships recently. Two teams from the club made the crosscountry journey to the grounds of the Dundalk Institute of Technology to run on a very dry flat course.

Craig Brennan was among the 240 plus athletes taking part in the 7k men’s race and he led the masters team home in 30th position.

This was a quality performance from Brennan in only his 2nd race in six months because of injuries.

Eamon McAndrew was up in the top ten in the first half of the race but the dodgy chest which he had earlier in the week took its toll in the latter part of the race,he still finished 33rd to be the club’s 2nd finisher.

Aidan McMoreland put in a very good quality performance and his fine effort saw him finish 38th. Tommy Kelly ran another sterling race and his great effort after many injury setbacks saw him finish 44th. This completed the North Sligo scoring with 145points for 5th team position just 5 points away from 3rd placed Thurles Crokes

The above 4 runners combined with Sligo AC runners Seamus Somers and Shane Hayes to win county team bronze medals

The 5th club finisher was Eamon Murphy in 89th place, Ray Gillen finished 114th, Alan Wallace came 152nd and Leo Donlon running in his first crosscountry race at this level finished 182nd.

In the women’s masters race Aisling Van Rensburg put a fine effort and was rewarded with 38th position.

Fiona Hennigan in her first crosscountry race ran very well to finish 59th.

Marita McMorrow finished like an express train over the final 200m to record 81st position and Mary Gilmartin was the 4th scorer for the team and finished 114th to put the team in 11th place with 292 points.