Great performances by Tipperary athletes at Munster Senior Cross Country

The Munster Senior Cross Country Championships took place last Sunday in summer-like conditions in Conna, County Cork. The hosting Club, St Catherine’s AC, had everything in place for a wonderful promotion of the sport. The underfoot conditions were firm and each lap consisted of inclines.

The women’s race over 7.5k consisted of five laps and Tipperary athletes were to the fore right from the start. Ciara O’Neill and Laura Cooney, both Clonmel AC ,were up with the leaders from the off.

Ciara moved into second place behind the eventual winner Naimh O’Mahoney, An Riocht AC, midway during the first lap. She maintained a strong pace all the way to win the silver medal convincingly in 28 mins 29 secs.

Then we had Laura Cooney also running a great race when finishing fourth overall in 29 mins 46 secs and first under 23 to win the Munster Under 23 title impressively. Then we had Mary Louise Ryan Mooreabbey Milers AC, also running very well when finishing 18th in 35 mins 14 secs.

There were also good performances from the Clonmel AC trio of Sarah Whelan 22nd in 36.27, Lisa Byrne 23rd in 27.04 and Sareen Walsh 24th in 27.07. This group of athletes combined very well to win the inter-county bronze medals. The Clonmel AC team of Ciara, Laura, Sarah and Lisa won the inter club silver medals.

The men’s race over the same distance was also very competitive. Here we had the Nenagh Olympic trio of Cian Hodgins, Luke Purcell and Moloney in the leading pack for the first lap. Then midway through the second lap the pace increased and soon athletes were running in Indian file. It was around here that Paul Hartnett of East Cork AC went to the front and soon established a commanding lead on the chasing pace. He maintained that pace to come home a very worthy winner.

Cian Hodgins was running well in fourth place and he held that position all the way to the line to win the Under 23 title impressively in 25 mins 9 secs. We then had Luke Purcell also running very well when winning the under 23 silver medal in 25 mins 40 secs.

Jamie Moloney rounded off a clean sweep of the under 23 medals for Nenagh Olympic when winning the bronze medal in 26 mins 14 secs.

There were also had good performances from Dermot Gorman, Carrick-on-Suir AC 9th (26.13), Kevin Moore Mullingar Harriers AC 17th (27.22), Stuart Moloney Mooreabbey Milers AC 22nd (28.58), Louis Rice Fethard AC 24th (28.08), Eugene O’ Keeffe Carrick-on-Suir AC 38th (30.50), Patrick Harris Carrick-on-Suir AC 39th (30.50), Kevin Tobin Fethard AC 43rd (33.04), Keith Fraher Carrick-on-Suir AC 45th (33.30), Willie O’Donoghue Mooreabbey Milers 46th (34.13) and Jim Hally Dundrum AC 48th (36.21).

To crown a memorable day, the Tipperary team of Cian Hodgins, Luke Purcell, Jamie Moloney, Dermot Gorman, Kevin Moore and Stuart Moloney won the inter-county gold medals with brilliant performances all round. In the inter club competition, Carrick-on-Suir AC finished fourth.

County Senior titles down for decision in Cashel

This Sunday, November 8, sees the County Senior women and Men's titles down for decision on Michael Ryan’s land near Cashel. The County Board are very grateful to Michael and his family for the use of his lands for this event, hosted by Dundrum AC. In the women’s race the defending champion is Dymphna Ryan, Dundrum AC, and she is going for her sixth title in a row and her ninth in total.

Dymphna is running well at the moment but she will face tough competition as athletes like Ciara O’Neill and Laura Cooney of Clonmel AC, Eileen McCullough and Orla Healy of Moyne AC, Mary Louise Ryan Mooreabbey Milers AC and the Fethard AC duo of Carol Molloy and Tanya O’Brien are all well capable of a podium placing. The defending club champions are Moyne AC and they can expect good competition from clubs like Dundrum AC, Fethard AC, Clonmel AC as they strive to defend their title won on home ground last year.

In the men’s race the defending champion is Emmet McNamara of Fethard AC who is currently injured. Last year Dermot Gorman, Carrick-on-Suir was second. He ran very well last Sunday in Cork and he will be prominent again this year.

He can expect good competition from athletes like Cian Hodgins, Luke Purcell, Jamie Moloney all Nenagh Olympic, Stuart Moloney Mooreabbey Milers AC and Louis Rice Fethard AC.

If the Clonmel AC trio of Sean Tobin, William Maunsell and David Mansfield compete, they will have a major say in the destination of the podium placings as well as the team awards.

Home Countries International Cross Country

The County Board wishes Noel Howley of Fethard AC the very best of luck in Dublin on Saturday November 15, as he represents his country at these championships, a very worthy achievement.

Top performances of county athletes at Dublin City Marathon

The Dublin City Marathon took place with a record number of finishers. This event also incorporates the National Marathon Championships and it was great to see athletes from nine clubs competing. William Maunsell of Clonmel AC was first over 40 in a very good time of 2 hrs 18 mins 15 secs and he won the National Over 40 marathon title.

The first three men for the county to finish were William Maunsell Clonmel AC, Sean Tobin Clonmel AC and William Hughes Thurles Crokes AC.

The first three women from the county were Nikki Kenneally Moycarkey Coolcroo, Linda Grogan Dundrum AC and Louise Fogarty Moyne AC. Congratulations to all the athletes on such great performances and many raised money for some very good causes.