Kilrehill earns Irish call and Tuohy takes gold at Donegal gig

CROSS COUNTRY:

123.ie National Cross Country Championships

KEELAN Kilrehill, the outstanding athlete from Dromore West, has again earned international selection.

The west Sligo runner will be part of the Athletics Ireland selection for next month’s European Athletics SPAR Cross Country Championships which take place in Turin, Italy, on Sunday, December 11.

Kilrehill secured his international singlet by being the third U-23 men’s finisher in the 123.ie National Cross Country Championships held at Rosapenna Hotel and Golf Resort in Downings, Co. Donegal, last Sunday. The Moy Valley AC member ran in the senior men’s 10,000 metres race (which incorporated the U-23 event) and was fifth on a time of 30:14. He bettered his performance at last year’s event, which took place in Santry, Dublin, where he was sixth after clocking 30:59. That display in 2021 also put him on the Irish team. Also in the senior men’s race there was a top 20 finish for Finley Daly, Sligo AC, was was 20th on 31:19. The best of the Sligo entry in the senior women’s race was Isobel Oakes, Sligo AC, who finished in 37th place.

While Kilrehill was impressing at senior level, two Sligo athletes were winning medals in the juvenile ranks. Sligo AC’s Gearoid Tuohy was Sligo’s only medal winner at the Co. Donegal venue – he won the Boys U-14 race, a distance of 3,000 metres. Francis Donoghue, South Sligo AC, was runner-up in the Boys U-16 race (4,000 metres).

Enniscrone’s Darragh Mulrooney, who competes for Moy Valley AC (Ballina), was just outside the top five

GOOD RUNNING: Keelan Kilrehill on his way to finishing fifth overall in the senior men’s race and third in the U-23 standings.

in the Boys U-18 race – he was sixth overall and the best of the Connacht competitors.

Sligo AC runner Laura Hunter ran well in the Girls U-12 race. She was placed 18th after getting through the 2,000 metres test.

There was also members from North Sligo AC and Corran AC running last Sunday – the best of the North Sligo AC crew was Feidhlim McGowan, who was 61st in the senior men’s race.

Last Sunday’s cross-country meet,

Held at Rosapenna Hotel and Golf Resort, Co. Donegal, on Sunday, November 20.

8,000 metres

INDIVIDUALS: 37, Isobel Oakes (Sligo AC) 30:18; 49, Eimear O’Brien (Sligo AC); 73, Mari Johnston (Sligo AC) 32:59.

10,000 metres

INDIVIDUALS: 5, Keelan Kilrehill* (Moy Valley

AC) 30:14; 20, Finley Daly (Sligo AC) 31:19; 61, Feidhlim McGowan (North Sligo AC) 33:03; 138, Eamon Murphy (North Sligo AC) 37:04; 142, Craig Brennan (North Sligo

AC) 37:37; 145, Alan Wallace (North Sligo AC) 38:22; 153, Conal Sexton (Sligo AC) 39:48; 162, Domhnall Melly (Sligo AC) 41:26; 167, Leo Donlon (North Sligo AC) 43:39; 169, Rory Connor (Sligo AC) 44:26; 170, Bill Carty (Sligo AC) 44:47. CLUBS: 17, North Sligo AC 486 points (61, 138, 142, 145); 18, Sligo AC 504 points (20, 153, 162, 169).

COUNTY: 10, Sligo 659 points (20, 61, 138, 142, 145, 153). *Kilrehill was the third U-23 men’s finisher.

2,000 metres

INDIVIDUALS: 18, Laura Hunter (Sligo AC); 87, Tara Carroll

which was for senior, junior and juvenile even age groups (U-12, U-14, U-16 and U-18), was the first time since 1999 that Donegal hosted a senior cross-country championships. The host club were Cranford AC.

The senior men’s title was won by Darragh McElhinney (UCD AC) and the leading runner in the senior women’s race was Sarah Healy, also of UCD AC. McElhinney was also the first U-23 finisher.

The first three finishers, male and

RUNNING LADS: Sligo AC members Fionn McNasser, Ronan Byrne, Adam Ballantine and Fionn Prunty get ready for the start of the Boys U-11 race at the recent Connacht Cross Country Uneven Ages Championships that took place at Roscommon racecourse.

RUNNING TALENT: The Sligo AC Boys U-11 team that came second in the team category of their age group at the Connacht Cross Country Uneven Ages Championships at Roscommon racecourse on the Sunday before last. Three members of the team, Darragh Steels (second), Moss Deasy (fourth) and Lucas Ballantine (sixth) are on the provincial team for the 123.ie National Cross Country Championships (Novice and Uneven Ages) in Cork on Sunday week, December 4. Pictured are Sligo AC Boys U-11 team members Darragh Steels, Lucas Ballantine, Moss Deasy, Eamon Healy, Oisin McNasser, Conor Keeley and Donnacha Cullinan.