A great day’s racing down in Avondale
IAN MCGRATH and Catherine O’Connor were the big winners at the Wicklow Intermediate Cross Country Championships in the grounds of Avondale House last Sunday morning.
A wet morning gave way to a sunny start to the racing that saw runners from under 7s to under 19s and the Intermediate adults turn up in big numbers for what was a perfect day for running.
In the women’s Intermediate it was Parnell AC’s Catherine O’Connor who finished ahead of Bray Runners’ Suzanne Foot with Emily Flynn coming home in third. Parnell AV secured the team gold.
Ian McGrath of Bray Runners came home to claim gold in a tight men’s Intermediate with Robin Mooney of Inbhear Dee and Parnell AC’s Alan Dalton in very close proximity in second and third spots.
‘It was a great day,’ said Bill Porter, Chairman of Wicklow Athletics. ‘There was a great crowd there for a perfect day for racing. I’d like to say well done to everybody who took part and who helped out in any way. Thanks also to Coillte for letting us use Avondale House, it’s an ideal venue,’ he added.
Some of the runners who took part in the competition on Sunday will be looking to secure a spot on the Ireland team for the upcoming Five Nations Cross Country Championships in Southport, England on Saturday, November 16 when they take part in the Open Autumn League trials in Abbotstown this weekend.
Catherine O’Connor will compete in the O40s category, AnnMarie Kenny in the O45s, along with Aisling Smith and Suzanne Foot while Debbie Griffin will run in the O50s.
Mick Byrne, providing he is injury free, will look to cut a swathe through the O55 class in the men’s with Dessie Shorten going for gold in the )60s and Brian Geraghty seeking a strong finish in the O45s.
The first four across the line in each race will compete for Ireland at the Five Nations in November.
Girls U7 - 1st: Clodagh Phelan (Parnell); 2nd: Jessica Kelleher (Kilcoole); 3rd: Rose Lowe (Roundwood & District).
U9 - 1st: Jessica O’Connor (Roundwood & District); 2nd: Neasa Kenny (Kilcoole); 3rd: Amy Luisa O’Brien (Kilcoole)
Teams - 1st: Kilcoole (12); 2nd: Inbhear Dee (35); 3rd: Ashford (45). U11 - 1st: Helen Winterbotham (Parnell); 2nd: Emma Byrne (Parnell); 3rd: Laila Marshall Baugh (Kilcoole)
Teams - 1st: Parnell (23); 2nd: Kilcoole (31); 3rd: Roundwood & District (47).
U13 - 1st: Leila Fitzpatrick (Ashford); 2nd: Sarah Doyle (Aughrim); 3rd: Róisín Murray (Bray Runners). Teams - 1st: Bray Runners (17); 2nd: Greystones & District (31); 3rd: Ashford (40). U15 - 1st: Hannah Kelly (Bray Runners); 2nd: Alex Carey (Inbhear Dee); 3rd: Aoibhinn Keating (Kilcoole). U17 - 1st: Anju Onodera (Inbhear Dee). Boys U7 - 1st: Henry Doyle (Aughrim); 2nd: Jamie Winterbotham (Parnell); 3rd: Rohan Whyte (Kilcoole). U9 - 1st: Arthur Brunton (Kilcoole); 2nd: Will Phelan (Parnell); 3rd: Feidhlim Harvey (Bray Runners). Teams - 1st: Roundwood & District (11); 2nd: Inbhear Dee (26). U11 - 1st: JP Lynch (Kilcoole); 2nd: Evan Kenny (Kilcoole); 3rd: Aaron Egan (Bray Runners). Teams - 1st: Kilcoole (16); 2nd: Roundwood & District (30); 3rd: Greystones & District (36). U13 - 1st: James Foot (Bray Runners); 2nd: Noah Harris (Ashford); 3rd: Malachy Kenny (Kilcoole).
Teams - 1st: Ashford AC (10). U15 - 1st: Archie Bremner (Inbhear Dee); 2nd: Oscar Durston (Ashford); 3rd: Finn Harris (Ashford).
Teams - 1st: Ashford (10). U17 - 1st: Andrew Brennan (Greystones & District); 2nd: Hugh Kelly (Inbhear Dee); 3rd: Michael O’Shea (Greystones & District). U19 - 1st: Páiric Doyle (Aughrim). Intermediate Women - 1st:
Catherine O’Connor (Parnell); 2nd: Suzanne Foot (Bray Runners); 3rd: Emily Flynn (Parnell). Teams - 1st: Parnell (6). Intermediate Men - 1st: Ian
McGrath (Bray Runners); 2nd: Robin Mooney (Inbhear Dee); 3rd: Alan Dalton (Parnell).
Teams - 1st: Parnell (14); 2nd: Inbhear Dee (28).