Special to irishrunner.com by Garrett Coughlan. Following an exciting series of races at the Inter Counties in Dungarvan on Sunday, 26th November, Athletics Ireland have announced the Irish team to compete at the Spar European Cross Country Championships slated for 10th December in San Giorgio su Legnano, Italy.

Inter Counties Senior men's winner Mark Christie has opted to compete in the inaugural U-23 event and with Alistair Cragg, Mark Carroll and Gareth Turnbull not competing, last year's champion and European 12th placer Gary Murray (St Malachy's) will lead the men's team. He will be joined by David Kelly, Mark Kenneally, Joe McAlister and Séamus Power. An in-form Martin Fagan, who placed fifth at the recent NCAA Cross Country Championships was correctly pre-selected and will be looking for an improvement on his 16th place from last year's race in the Netherlands.

Christie is one of the youngest Inter Counties winners ever and will be focusing on a medal position in Legnano. He will be supported by three of his teammates who won Junior bronze in Helsingsdorf two years ago in Joe Sweeney, Mark Hanrahan and pre-selected Andrew Ledwith. Vast improving Raheny athletes Mick Clohissey and Mark Kirwan make up the remainder of the team and if all of these athletes run to their potential on the day, the team could repeat the team performance of two years ago.

The Junior Men will be led by Cathal Dennehy who was a surprise winner in the Junior Men's event in Dungarvan ahead of favourite Brendan O'Neill. Kevin Lawler, David Rooney and Mark Hoey were also selected on the basis of their performances in the trial in Dungarvan with Ciarán O'Lionáird pre-selected ahead of DSD's Eoin Mc Cormack who was an excellent 6th in the trial.

Fionnuala Britton dominated the field in Dungarvan, winning by over 40-seconds from Rosie Ryan and Aoife Byrne. Following her victories in the Gerry Farnan and in Ghent, the Sli Chulainn athlete is brimming with confidence and will be in search of a medal in the U-23 event.

This leaves American-based Mary Cullen to lead the Women's Senior team. Cullen produced a top class performance (24.32 - 4.748 miles) last week at the Manchester Road Race in Connecticuit, beating training partner Amy Rudolph when finishing second to American Olympian Shalane Flanagan. Cullen won the NCAA Championships at 10,000m on the track last June. Her track prowess along with her 11th place finish in Tilburg last year after a fall puts her in a position to make some noise in Italy.

The remainder of the team is made up of Orla O'Mahoney and veteran stalwarts Niamh O'Sullivan and Pauline Curley who are both in good form.

Britton will lead the U-23 team and is backed up by European junior 4th placer in 2005, Linda Byrne, World Student Games 15th placer Orla Drumm and improving athletes Niamh Devlin, Ciara Durkan and Siobhan O'Doherty. The Junior women's race in Dungarvan had one of the smallest fields in recent years in what will be a worrying trend for the AAI. Despite having a less than impressive cross country season for the University of Tennessee, Rose-Anne Galligan was a strong winner ahead of Sara Louise Treacy and Ellen Diskin in Dungarvan. Breffni Twohig has been pre-selected on the basis of her excellent form for Providence College. She will be joined by her DSD teammates Bryony Treston and Laura Huet to make up the team. Twohig along with Galligan could lead the team to a good finish.

Irish Team for the 2006 European Cross Country Championships

Senior Men
Gary Murray (Kilcoole AC)
David Kelly (Sligo AC)
Martin Fagan (Mullingar Harriers)
Mark Kenneally (Clonliffe Harriers)
Joe McAllister (St. Malachys)
Seamus Power (Kilmurray AC)

Senior Women
Mary Cullen (North Sligo)
Rosemary Ryan (Bilboa AC)
Aoife Byrne (Dublin South Dublin)
Orla O'Mahony (Raheny Shamrocks)
Niamh O'Sullivan (An Riocht)
Pauline Curley (Tullamore AC)

U-23 Men
Mark Christie (Mullingar Harriers)
Michael Clonhisey (Raheny Shamrocks)
Joseph Sweeney (Dublin South Dublin)
Mark Kirwan (Raheny Shamrocks)
Mark Hanrahan (Leevale AC)
Andrew Ledwith (Fr Murphys)

U-23 Women
Fionnaula Britton (Sli Chualann)
Linda Byrne (Dublin South Dublin)
Niamh Devlin (Dublin South Dublin)
Orla Drumm (UCC)
Ciara Durkan (Skerries)
Siobhan O'Doherty (Borrisokane)

Junior Men
Cathal Dennehy (Emerald AC)
Brendan O'Neill (Dublin South Dublin)
Kevin Lawler (St. L O'Toole)
Ciarán O'Lionáird (Leevale AC)
David Rooney (TBC)
Mark Hoey (Dunleer AC)

Junior Women
Rose-Anne Galligan (Newbridge AC)
Sara Louise Treacy (Moynalvey AC)
Ellen Diskin (Dublin City Harriers)
Breifni Twohig (Dublin South Dublin)
Treston Bryony (Dublin South Dublin)
Laura Huet (Dublin South Dublin)