High hopes for races in Navan
Fine displays from Masters
NEXT SATURDAY the Leinster Juvenile (even ages) and Novice cross-country championships take place at Navan Adventure Centre in Navan.
There is also a non-championship race Under-10. All of those who finished top ten in the county championships automatically make the county team.
In the Under-12 girls’ race the trio of Gráinne English (Adamstown), Layla Stafford (D.M.P.) and Katie Doyle (Bree) will be hoping to lead the county team into the medals. Likewise for the D.M.P. pairing of Conn Mernagh and Kevin O’Mahoney along with Rob Sterling (St. Paul’s) in the boys’ race.
D.M.P. will also be hoping for both individual and team glory in the Under-14 girls’ 3,000m race, with county champion Claragh Keane and team-mate Aoibhinn Mernagh both in fine early season form.
In the boys’ Under-14, expect to see United Striders packing well as the club’s A and B teams took gold and silver in the county event. If they get it together they will take home team medals at both club and county level. Leading the way will be Aidan Shannon, Myles Hewlett and Darragh Flannelly.
Moving up to Under-16, Róisín O’Reilly (Menapians) and Joe Byrne (S.B.R.) were very convincing victors in the county championships. The 4,000m distance, which both run, calls for buckets of stamina and speed endurance. And, it must be added, fresh legs.
Both appear to have what it takes so, all going well, they should get among the medals. Aoibhinn Crean (Adamstown) will be hoping for a strong run in the girls’ race while, if Joe Byrne is to bag a county medal, it will undoubtedly be as a result of the efforts of Cathal Dowd and Conor Keane (both D.M.P.).
Aedan Rogers of United Striders is a real prospect in the boys’ Under-18 6,000m. He is obviously putting in the work as he has shown impressive form in his races to date this season.
His team-mates - Kate Murphy, Rebecca Bawden and Alannah Byrne - placed 1, 2, 3 in the county championships. They will find the going at Leinster level significantly tougher.
The top twelve finishers in each race automatically make the Leinster team to compete at the All-Irelands.
In the Novice men’s 6,000m race, U.S.A.C. look to have strength in depth with Alan O’Connor, Brendan Lyng and Mark Poole leading the way.
In the Novice ladies’ 3,000m race, Kilmore’s Fidelma Rossiter looked impressive in the county championships. She followed this up with a solid run in the Senior race so she will be expecting a high placing.
It was great to see Wexford athletes represented in the autumn international in Abbotstown on Sunday. The Masters race was an Irish Masters team qualifier, and the results were outstanding.
Fiona Kehoe (Kilmore) was second in the Over-35 ladies in 22:30, Jackie Carthy (Kilmore) was second in the Over-45 ladies in 23:57, and Ann Sullivan (D.M.P.) was third in the Over-55 ladies in 26:50,.
On the men’s side, Niall Sheil (St. Killian’s) was second in the Over-40 race in 25:08, John McGrath (United Striders) was seventh in the Over-45 in 26:28, while Ger Maloney (St. Paul’s) and Jim Stafford (Slaney Olympic) finished fifth and sixth respectively in the Over-55 in 28:23 and 28:53.
Note: all athletes competing on the county Wexford teams must wear county singlets. Singlets are to be returned to the team manager following the race.
Looking further ahead, on November 12 Adamstown hosts the Leinster uneven ages and Senior cross-country championships.
Clarification re-the previous week’s county Senior championships: in the the ladies’ race Kilmore won the team event with D.M.P. second and S.B.R. third.