Some great performances at Tipperary Cross Country Championships in Fethard

The curtain came down on the County Cross Country season in Fethard last Sunday with the promotion of the County Under 23 and Masters Cross Country Championships.

The host club had everything bar the weather in order; Storm Isha had not quite landed but still the conditions were demanding over a scenic route on a sunny day.

The course had everything from woodlands, grass and the odd steep hill to negotiate on each lap. The woodlands were a welcome sight by the athletes, as they sheltered them from the very strong, stormy winds.

The action got underway with the 4k cross country race. This race had three categories; the under 23 women’s race, the masters women over 35 and the masters men over 65.

In the women’s under 23 race the host club had a clean sweep of the podium placings, with the gold medal going to Alison Connolly and her teammates Carrie Davie winning the silver medal and Isobel Maher the bronze medal. These three athletes won the team event, a first for Fethard AC in this category since 2000.

The masters women’s over 35 race saw the pre-race favourite Dymphna Ryan of Dundrum AC make every stride a winning one as she came home a very worthy and convincing over 40 champion. Then we had Linda Grogan, also of Dundrum AC running very well when taking the over 40 silver medal, with Eileen McCullough of Thurles Crokes winning bronze.

Then in fourth place we had Mary Louise Ryan of Mooreabbey Milers with Catherine Fogarty of Dundrum winning the over 45 gold medal in fifth place, just ahead of Suzanne Shine of Clonmel AC who won the over 45 silver medal, with Mairead Julian of Dundrum AC winning the over 45 bronze medal.

The other podium placings were as follows: Noelle O’Brien Mooreabbey 1st over 35, Mary Keane Dundrum AC 2nd over 35 and Marina Quinlan Clonmel AC 3rd over 35. Sareen Walsh Clonmel AC 1st over 50, Orla Fleming Clonmel AC 2nd over 50 and Regina Dorney Thurles Crokes 3rd over 50. Denise Compton Dundrum AC was 1st over 55 with Siobhan Maher Fethard AC 2nd over 55. Esme Alexander of Coolquill AC won the over 60 gold medal.

In the Inter Club Championships Dundrum won the over 35 gold medals on 14 points, with Mooreabbey winning the silver medals on 30 points and Thurles Crokes taking bronze on 34 points.

In the over 45 team event Clonmel retained their title on 10 points, with Dundrum winning the silver on 12 points and the host club winning bronze on 35 points.

Some of the men from Dundrum AC who took part in the Cross Country Championships at Fethard on Sunday last.

The Men’s over 65 race was also a competitive event. Making a welcome return to cross country was Jim St John of Clonmel AC and he made it a winning one as he came home a very worthy and convincing winner of the over 65 title. Then we had Matt Alexander of Coolquill AC running very well when winning the over 70 gold medal. John Corry of Clonmel AC made great progress through the field to win the over 65 silver medal, those training runs in the woods paying rich dividends. The over 65 bronze medal was won by Gerard Kervick of Mooreabbey.

In the team event Clonmel won the gold medals, with Dundrum capturing the silver medals.

The masters over 35 7k race was also very competitive over the four-lap course. Here Barry Hartnett of Dundrum AC ran a great race to win his first-ever championship title, the over 40, very impressively. Kevin Patrick Lenihan of Mooreabbey also ran very well when winning the over 40 silver medal, with his clubmate Tom Blackburn winning the over 55 title.

Then we had Joey Feery of Clonmel AC winning the over 35 County title in fourth place overall. Denis McCullough of Thurles Crokes ran very well when winning the over 45 title, just ahead of Eugene O’Keeffe of Carrick-on-Suir, who was second over 55 in 6th place.

Other podium placings were as follows: James Maher (Fethard AC) 3rd over 40, Shane Mullaney (Moycarkey Coolcroo) 2nd over 35, Fintan Rice (Fethard AC) 3rd over 55, Ger Hanley (Mooreabbey ) 1st over 50, Michael Fitzgerald (Mooreabbey ) 3rd over 35, Willie O’Donoghue (Mooreabbey ) 1st over 60, Peter Madden (Templemore AC) 2nd over 50, John Renehan (Moyne AC) 2nd over 45, Padraig Meehan (Templemore AC) 3rd over 45, Val Farrell (Dundrum AC) 3rd over 50, Sean O’Dea (Clonmel AC) 2nd over 60 and Bernard Feery (Clonmel AC) 3rd over 60.

In the team event the over 35 gold medals were won by Dundrum, with Mooreabbey capturing the silver and Fethard AC winning the bronze medals. In the over 50 team event Mooreabbey won the gold, with Clonmel the silver and the host club the bronze medals.