The ageless Anne Keenan Buckley easily won her third individual crown in the last four years. The course was her only rival after dispensing of the field on the first lap.

"I'm delighted", she said, "It was a very tough course, very demanding - the fact that it was 8k, almost five miles. Parts of the course were very heavy underfoot making it an energy-sapping course. I'm delighted to win." If the race had been a day or two sooner, Keenan Buckley didn't think she would have been able to compete. The defending champion described her malady, "I have a problem with my diaphragm muscle. I knew I'd be under pressure and I did feel quite tired in the race but my strength, I have a lot behind me, carried me through the race today." When asked to put today's victory in perspective, the 41-year-old mother of two she replied, "Placing 10th in last year's World Cross Country was definitely my highlight, everything after that is a bonus." When asked if she will she back to defend her title she responded, "Very unlikely."

The team title went to Dundrum South Dublin with 46 points led by Maria McCambridge's second place finish. McCambridge already has a spot on Irish World Indoor team in the 3,000-metre event but volunteered to run to help the team and perhaps have the option to run World Cross as well. Second in for DSD was 800-metre specialist Aoife Byrne also suffering a bit of pain for the team. It was the third team title in three tries for DSD.

Senior Women ~ 8k: 1) Anne Keenan Buckley, North Laois 30.38; 2) Maria McCambridge, Dundrum South Dublin 31.22; 3) Valerie McGovern, Donore Harriers 31.50; 4) Claire Gibbons, Leevale 32.15; 5) Annette Kealy, Raheny Shamrock 32.28; 6) Orla O'Mahony, UCD 32.40; 7) Gladys Ganiel, DSD 32.47; 8) Valerie Vaughan, Blarney/Inniscara 33.06; 9) Colette O'Riordan, West Muskerry 33.21; 10) Aoife Byrne, DSD 33.45

Senior Women Club Result: 1) Dundrum South Dublin 46 points (2, 7, 10, 27); 2) Finn Valley 61 points (11, 13, 16, 21); 3) Raheny Shamrock 98 points (5, 26, 32, 35); 4) Mayo AC 116 points (19, 25, 29, 43); 5) Sportsworld AC 123 points (22, 30, 34, 37)