by Ricky Simms
Special to irishrunner.com
Seamus Power
Photo by T.Patrick O'Dowd
Seamus Power and Rosemary Ryan were convincing winners of the Athletics Association of Ireland Inter-Counties Cross Country Championships held on a firm but hilly course in Carraignabhear, Co. Cork. The event was significant in that it was the first Championship organised by the newly formed Athletics Association of Ireland.
With selection for the European CC Championships at stake, most of the main players toed the line in the Senior Men's 10k race. A leading group containing Power, Peter Matthews, Dermot Donnelly, Martin McCarthy, Gareth Turnbull, John Ferrin and David Burke pushed the pace from the gun. By halfway Power, track specialist Turnbull and Peter Matthews had opened a 10-metre gap on Donnelly and McCarthy who were a further 15 m ahead of Ferrin and Burke. On the fourth of five laps Power accelerated to open up a lead which was never challenged, eventually coming home to win his fifth consecutive title 18 seconds clear of last years European 15th placer McCarthy. Matthews held on for third ahead of Loughborough-based Turnbull, with a fast finishing Donnelly in fifth. With six places at stake for the European Team, John Ferrin rallied to outsprint David Burke for the coveted sixth position. Antrim took the team title ending Dublin's 15-year reign at the top.
Rosemary Ryan
Photo Courtesy of Boston University
Rosemary Ryan dominated the women's 5K race taking the lead early on the second lap and opening up a lead that stretched to 28 seconds at the finish. The Limerick girl, recent winner in the Reebok Challenge race in Birmingham, was too strong for Home-Counties Veterans International Champion Anne Keenan-Buckley who finished runner-up. Niamh Beirne, Maureen Harrington, and Geraldine Hendricken filled the next three positions and, in the absence of Sonia O'Sullivan and Catriona McKiernan, should be confident of European CC selection. Dublin retained the team title ahead of Donegal and Cork.
Loughborough student Joe McAllister proved too strong for defending Champion Gary Murray in the junior men's 6K race, while Brian Keane led Cork to the team title. In the junior women's 4K event Aoife Byrne's victory led her Dublin team to the team title.
* = U.23 # = Individual Senior Men 10 kilometres 1 Power, Seamus Clare 31:17 2 McCarthy, Martin Cork 31:35 3 Matthews, Peter Dublin 31:41 4 Turnbull, Gareth* Antrim 31:43 5 Donnelly, Dermot Antrim 31:53 6 Ferrin, John Antrim 31:58 7 Burke, David Westmeath 31:59 8 McLoughlin, Cian Dublin 32:07 9 Smith, Cormac Dublin 32:46 10 McGrath, Tom Westmeath 32:55 11 Doglio, Paolo# Clonliffe 32:57 12 McKinney, Pauric Donegal 33:24 13 Merriman, Alan Dublin 33:00 14 Burke, John Westmeath 33:12 15 O'Connor, Gearoid* Dublin 33:24 16 Lombard, Cathal Cork 33:31 17 Byrne, Patrick Carlow 33:33 18 Thornton, Gary Galway 33:34 19 Heffernan, Robert* Cork 33:46 20 Weir, John Antrim 33:48 21 Kearns, Martin Cork 33:49 22 Smyth, Peter Antrim 33:51 23 Casey, David Westmeath 33:59 24 Grandfield, Enda*# Riocht A.C. 34:05 25 McNamara, Paul Galway 34:11 26 McCullough, Alan Antrim 34:14 27 Kelly, Noel Westmeath 34:22 28 Daly, John Tipperary 34:28 29 Reilly, Tony Laois 34:30 30 O'Cualan, Stiofana Galway 34:33 31 Kearney, John Cork 34:41 32 O'Neill, Eugene*# Crusaders A.C. 34:42 33 Duggan, Peter Kilkenny 34:44 34 O'Tuama, Cillian* Cork 34:45 35 McElwaine, Tommy Wexford 34:46 36 Treanor, Mick Dublin 34:47 37 Fahy, Roy Cork 34:50 38 Payne, Thomas Carlow 35:00 39 Nugent, Pat Clare 35:02 40 Kelly, Michael Carlow 35:94 41 Morris, Liam Galway 35:08 42 McGee, James Cork 35:09 43 Stafford, Larry Wexford 35:12 44 Jordan, Tommy Wexford 35:17 45 Burke, Colm Laois 35:25 46 Meade, Eric Cork 35:30 47 McIntyre, James Clare 35:34 48 Hingston, Barry Dublin 35:39 49 Collins, Damian Cork 35:41 50 Marum, Noel Laois 35:42 51 Stafford, Jim Wexford 35:48 52 Wilson, Gavin Antrim 35:52 53 McDonald, Martin Laois 35:54 54 McGrath, Edward Dublin 35:55 55 Molony, Tommy Tipperary 35:58 56 Barron, David Wexford 36:02 57 Mc Hugh, Jimmy Tipperary 36:04 58 Egan, Ian Galway 36:07 59 Reilly, Sean Laois 36:11 60 Brady, David Antrim 36:12 61 Caulfield, Sean Kilkenny 36:18 62 Ryan, Terence Laois 36:21 63 Breslin, Seamus Westmeath 36:25 64 Clancy, Mark* Wexford 36:36 65 Byrne, Michael# Parnell A.C. 36:37 66 Reidy, Willie Kerry 36:38 67 Lacey, Bill Kilkenny 36:39 68 Marshall, Cornelius Laois 36:46 69 Behan, Gareth Laois 36:50 70 Carr, Danny Galway 36:52 71 Madden, Gerry Kilkenny 37:01 72 Fitzgerald, Tom Limerick 37:13 73 Porter, William# Parnell A.C. 37:18 74 Moynihan, Eugene Clare 37:22 75 Meehan, Thomas Sligo 37:25 76 MacDomnhaill,Miceal Limerick 37:29 77 McNally, Owen Monaghan 37:32 78 Jordan, David Wexford 37:35 79 Ryan, James Tipperary 37:37 81 Cunningham, Johyn Antrim 37:42 81 Doyle, Aidan Wexford 37:40 82 Byrne, P.J. Carlow 37:43 83 Harvey, Michael Clare 37:47 84 Sexton, James Clare 38:16 85 Kilgannon, Brian Sligo 38:36 86 Duggan, Jack Kilkenny 38:52 87 Curran, Kenny Tipperary 38:56 88 Sherry, Pat Galway 38:58 89 Doyle, Sean Carlow 39:02 90 O'Sullivan, Ian# U.C.C. A.C. 39:06 91 Mackey, Tom Clare 39:09 92 Farrell, Dwyane* Carlow 39:24 93 Walsh, Thomas Tipperary 39:58 94 Bolton, Michael J# Parnell A.C. 41:42 95 Cormack, Denis Kilkenny 43:38 96 Davern, J Kerry 44:39 SENIOR MEN TEAMS 1 Antrim (A) 83 4 5 6 20 22 26 2 Dublin (A) 84 3 8 9 13 15 36 3 Cork (A) 123 2 16 19 21 31 34 4 Westmeath (A) 144 7 10 14 23 27 63 5 Galway (B) 242 18 25 30 41 58 70 6 Wexford (B) 293 35 43 44 51 56 64 7 Laois (B) 298 29 45 50 53 59 62 8 Clare (B) 328 1 39 47 74 83 84 9 Carlow © 358 17 38 40 82 89 92 10 Tipperary (A) 399 28 55 57 79 87 93 11 Kilkenny (A) 413 33 61 67 71 86 95 SENIOR WOMEN 5 kilometres 1 Ryan, Rosemary# Bilboa A.C. 17:17 2 Keenan-Buckley, Anne Laois 17:45 3 Beirne, Niamh Dublin 18:10 4 Harrington, Maureen Donegal 18:13 5 Hendricken, Geraldine# St. L. O'Toole AC 18:20 6 Meade, Mary Margaret Cork 18:29 7 Cavanagh, Louise Cork 18:33 8 McCambridge, Maria Dublin 18:48 9 Donohoe, Mary Dublin 18:51 10 Lennon, Anne Mayo 18:53 11 McCarthy, Ciara Dublin 19:06 12 Mc Granaghan, Catriona Donegal 19:09 13 Foley, Geraldine Dublin 19:13 14 Campbell, Rosaleen Donegal 19:20 15 Ganiel, Glades Dublin 19:22 16 Hargan, Ann Donegal 19:24 17 Parnell, Carmel Cork 19:26 18 Byrne, Kay Donegal 19:37 19 Macken, Josephine Mayo 19:39 20 O'Mahoney, Orla* Clare 19:41 21 Ni Chonaill, Brid Cork 19:45 22 Porter, Noleen Donegal 19:50 23 Cummins, Sinead Kilkenny 19:54 24 Trearty, Bridie Donegal 19:58 25 Bogle, Rosemary Donegal 20:01 26 Mc Nanamon, Noreen Mayo 20:02 27 Hough, Joan Cork 20:05 28 Murphy, Brenda Mayo 20:16 29 Egan, Elizabeth* Wexford 20:27 30 Healy, Anne Marie Cork 20:34 31 Culleton, Gail Dublin 20:37 32 Shine, Angela# U.C.C. A.C. 20:44 33 Hannon, Blaithin Cork 21:10 34 Murphy, Rhona# U.C.C. A.C. 21:16 35 Garrihy, Sue Clare 21:19 36 O'Connor, Catherine Wexford 21:25 37 Kavanagh, Pauline* Wexford 21:35 38 Murphy, Mary Cork 22:00 39 Stamp, Jackie Wexford 22:03 40 Martin, Ciara* Kilkenny 22:50 41 Kearney, Kathryn Clare 23:53 42 Furlong, Marie Wexford 24:15 43 Healy, Ann Clare 25:06 SENIOR WOMEN TEAMS 1 Dublin (A) 31 3 8 9 11 2 Donegal (A) 46 4 12 14 16 3 Cork (A) 51 6 7 17 21 4 Mayo (A) 83 10 19 26 28 5 Clare (B) 139 20 35 41 43 6 Wexford (B) 141 29 36 37 39 Junior Men 6 kilometres 1 Mc Allister, Joseph Antrim 19:30 2 Murray, Gary Donegal 19:42 3 Keane, Brian Cork 19:49 4 Smith, Mark Sligo 20:02 5 Connolly, Robert Dublin 20:08 6 Guidera, Patrick# Clonmel A.C. 20:11 7 Feeney, Fergal Sligo 20:16 8 Frazer, John Antrim 20:21 9 Duggan, Karol Donegal 20:23 10 Graham, Ricky# Willowfield Harriers 20:28 11 O'Shaughnessy, Shane Cork 20:28 12 Sweeney, Conor Antrim 20:29 13 Coughlan, Garreth# Fr. Murphy A.C. 20:29 14 O'Flaherty, Gerry Clare 20:33 15 Kelly, David Dublin 20:38 16 Magee, Fintan Dublin 20:40 17 Gahan, Owen Kilkenny 20:41 18 Ward, Simon Donegal 20:44 19 Frazer, Thomas Antrim 20:46 20 Kavanagh, Noel Wicklow 20:50 21 Mc Keown, Thomas Wicklow 20:52 22 Reilly, David Galway 20:55 23 Duncan, Niall Cork 20:57 24 Coote, Colm Clare 21:00 25 Lillee, Tony Cork 21:04 26 Donovan, Ian Cork 21:06 27 Byrne, Martin Cork 21:07 28 Chaney, Ian Dublin 21:10 29 Crawford, Brendan Cork 21:11 30 Murphy, Patrick Cork 21:14 31 Muldoon, Pat Westmeath 21:16 32 Mc Daid, Darragh Donegal 21:23 33 McMahon, Brian# Carrig-Na-Bhfear AC 21:24 34 Doyle, Killian Wicklow 21:25 35 McGuinness, Vincent Galway 21:27 36 Murphy, Timothy Cork 21:32 37 Logue, Christopher Donegal 21:34 38 Byrne, Joe Donegal 21:37 39 Kennefick, Thomas Cork 21:38 40 Mc Dermott, Shane Dublin 21:44 41 Reilly, Shane West Dublin A.C. 21:46 42 Neylon, Dermot Clare 21:51 43 McAllister, Peter Antrim 21:51 44 Dunleavy, Emmet Sligo 21:52 45 Grufferty, James Cork 21:54 46 Barry, Kevin Cork 22:01 47 Bateman, Damien Westmeath 22:05 48 Cullen, Martin Wicklow 22:06 49 McDonnell, Sean Dublin 22:07 50 Cahalan, Tony# St. Abbans A.C. 22:15 51 Kavanagh, Edward Wicklow 22:16 52 Mc Glinchey, Michael Donegal 22:18 53 Black, Michael Donegal 22:20 54 Nicholl, Jason Leevale A.C. 22:23 55 Hayes, Sean Clare 22:26 56 McDonald, John St. L. O'Toole A.C. 22:29 57 MacDomnhaill, Tomas Limerick 22:32 58 Bradshaw, Martin Limerick 22:50 59 Boyce, Joseph Donegal 22:51 60 Mc Dermott, Dermot Sligo 23:13 61 D'Arcy, Craig Wicklow 23:15 62 Lillis, John Clare 23:27 63 Harte, Stephen Westmeath 23:29 64 O'Donnell, Tony Donegal 23:41 65 Brennan, Philip Kilkenny 23:51 66 Dunne, Peter Westmeath 24:02 67 Guinea, Gerard Limerick 24:08 68 Halligan, William Wicklow 24:11 69 MacDomnhaill, Aogan Limerick 24:13 70 McDermott, Bobby Westmeath 24:27 71 Harte, Anthony Sligo 24:54 72 Molloy, Shane Westmeath 25:03 73 McHale, Adrian Sligo 25:52 Teams 1 Cork (A) 115 3 11 23 25 26 27 2 Donegal (A) 136 2 9 18 32 37 38 3 Dublin (A) 153 5 15 16 28 40 49 4 Wicklow (B) 235 20 21 34 48 51 61 5 Sligo (A) 259 4 7 44 60 71 73 6 Westmeath (B) 349 31 47 63 66 70 72 Junior Women 4 kilometres 1 Byrne, Aoife Hazel Dublin 11:05 2 Hassen, Lorraine# Ballymena & Antrim 11:07 3 Byrne, Deirdre Wicklow 11:10 4 O'Callaghan, Marie Cork 11:12 5 Cullen, Mary Teresa Sligo 11:16 6 Larkin, Ann Marie# U.C.D. A.C. 11:25 7 Hickey, Martina Cork 11:25 8 Sheridan, Emma Dublin 11:28 9 Skelton, Maria Dublin 11:38 10 Broe, Ciara Wicklow 11:49 11 Kehoe, Fiona Wexford 11:54 12 Foley, Sinead Kilkenny 11:57 13 Linehan, Sinead Cork 11:59 14 O'Leary, Ann Wexford 12:05 15 Cahill, Jane Dublin 12:09 16 Unknown, Runner 12:20 17 Rafferty, Sandra Westmeath 12:22 18 Dorney, Madeline Tipperary 12:31 19 Ewing, Sarah Dublin 12:35 20 Gannon, Kate Kilkenny 12:38 21 Verschoyle, Niamh Dublin 12:42 22 O'Shea, Ciara Cork 12:45 23 Daly, Jenny Westmeath 12:48 24 Harney, Caroline Westmeath 12:49 25 Foley, Elaine Kilkenny 12:50 26 Crowley, Margaret Mary Cork 12:51 27 Goggin, Jennifer Cork 12:57 28 O'Hanlon, Teresa Wexford 13:02 29 Currid, Caroline Sligo 13:04 30 Dillon, Ciara Westmeath 13:07 31 O'Connor, Jean Galway 13:09 32 Nagle, Donna Tipperary 13:10 33 Austin, Aisling Cork 13:12 34 Maher, Emer Kilkenny 13:15 35 O'Sullivan, Joanne Westmeath 13:17 36 Geary, Eimer# Leevale A.C. 13:31 37 Fortune, Carol Wexford 13:34 38 Ryan, Ann Marie# Glenbower A.C. 13:35 39 Maher, Niamh Kilkenny 13:49 40 Nícholson, Lorraine Sligo 13:53 41 Egan, Bridget Tipperary 13:53 42 Danagher, Marie Tipperary 13:57 43 Dillon, Joan Westmeath 14:02 44 Foskin, Pam Kilkenny 14:03 45 Flanagan, Elaine Westmeath 14:14 46 Connolly, Una Westmeath 14:15 47 Stafford, Elaine Wexford 14:18 48 O'Keeffe, Serena Kilkenny 14:35 49 Kennedy, Kelley Sligo 14:38 50 Kinane, Lesley Wicklow 15:10 51 Nolan, Angelina Wicklow 15:35 52 Purcell, Fiona Tipperary 15:50 53 Ingram, Geraldine Tipperary 16:32 Teams 1 Dublin 33 1 8 9 15 2 Cork 46 4 7 13 22 3 Wexford 90 11 14 28 37 4 Kilkenny 91 12 20 25 34 5 Westmeath 94 17 23 24 30 6 Wicklow 114 3 10 50 51 7 Sligo 123 5 29 40 49 8 Tipperary 133 18 32 41 42