Club athletes were in action in various road races on St. Stephen's Day, 26th December. A good Mullingar contingent took part in the Navan 10k, where Patrick Muldoon had a very good run finishing third (32.17). John Bannon finished second in his category, Vera McCool also finished second in her category, Louise Moore won the Junior Women's category, while Geraldine Walsh also won her category. Also running were Ciaran Nolan, Pat Muldoon, Sean McMullin, Des Walsh, Paul McCool, Jimmy Nolan and Brendan Flynn. Meanwhile Martin Fagan had an excellent victory in the Tony O'Connell Memorial 4 Mile in Clonmel in an impressive time of 19.09; while in the Fields of Athenry 10k Noel Kelly also had a very good run, being the clear winner in a time of 32.46.

Westmeath Star Award Winners

Congratulations to Amy Drew and Alan Stenson (Juvenile) and Pat Ryan (Senior) who are the Westmeath recipients of Leinster Star Awards for 2003. Well done to all three, who are most deserving of their awards, based on their excellent performaces throughout the year. The awards will be presented at a function in Carlow on 17th January.

Mark Christie 6^th in European Junior Cross-Country

Congratulations must go to Mark Christie who finished an outstanding sixth in the Junior Men’s race at the European Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh on Sunday 14th December. This was an exceptional performance from Mark who was taking on, and beating the best Junior athletes in Europe. Mark has been in brilliant form all year, recently having excellent victories in the Leinster U19 CC, the Margate International CC and in the Junior Intercounties CC. He is a very dedicated athlete who thoroughly deserves this success. He led the Irish team to seventh place in the team competition, and is also underage for these championships next year. Again congratulations Mark, super running.

Juvenile Cross Country Championships of Ireland

Last weekend we made the long journey to Killybegs, Co. Donegal for the Juvenile Cross Country Championships of Ireland for Boys and Girls Under 12, 14, 16 and 18 years, which took place on Sunday, 14th December. In blustery conditions, and on a challenging course which started on the beach and which included some testing hills, the athletes of Mullingar Harriers excelled themselves in all events. Each and every athlete gave of their all and we had some excellent team results, with many Mullingar Harriers athletes also getting individual medals and medals with the Leinster team.

The Girls Under 12 team were the first team into action and they all ran very well. First Mullingar athlete home was Arlene Coughlan, followed by Faye Kearney and Joy Kearney. Next came Lisa Darby, Cliona Daly and Emer Flynn. This team will benefit greatly from the experience.

In the Girls Under 14 race Maria McGivney had an excellent run, finishing in a super tenth place, and also winning a silver medal with Leinster, a great result. Maria was followed by Louise Darby, Deirdre O’Donovan and Sinead Duffy, next came Grace Kearney and Anna Broderick, all running really well and again they will benefit from competing in these very competitive championships.

The Girls Under 16 team put in a excellent performance finishing in third place and winning the bronze medals. Ruth Kearney and Sarah Drew led the way having great runs, finishing in 17^th and 20^th places respectively and also winning gold medals with Leinster, closely followed by Rachel Moorehead and Amy Drew both running strongly. This was a great team performance from all the girls.

In the Girls Under 18 race we had a brilliant result with Mullingar winning silver medals in the interclub competition and Westmeath finishing second county. Sarah Mescall led the team home, just a few places ahead of Ellen Colton, both running very strongly and laying the foundations for the team sucess. Next came Aine Devaney and Melanie Lynch close together, ensuring the club silver.. Joanne Harney and Jenny Boggs battled all the way to secure county bronze for Westmeath.

None of our Boys teams got into the medals; in what were very competitive interclub competitions. However they all ran very well and can feel very satisfied their performances.

Jake Byrne had a super run in the Boys Under 12 race, finishing 9^th. Jake was also second scorer on the Leinster team which won the silver medals.

In the Boys Under 14 race Joey Cleary ran really well; followed by Shane Boggs, Ben Hogan and Niall Darby.

Alan Stenson had an outstanding run, finishing sixth, in the Boys Under 16 race. This was a great performance by a very committed athlete. Alan was also first Leinster athlete home. Stephen Moran, Paul Flynn can all feel very happy with their performances.

The Boys Under 18 team put in a spirited team performance. Shane Fitzpatrick, Brian Melody, Ciaran O’Meara, Tomas Devaney, Brian O’Donovan and Ciaran Newman all gave it their all.

Many thanks to the parents and club officials who travelled to Donegal with athletes. Everyone seemed to enjoy the weekend and the overnight stay in Bundoran.

Open 10k Walk

Well done to Pat Ryan who won the open 10k walk, in a time of 46.03, run in conjunction with the National 35k Walking Championships, in the Phoenix Park, Dublin on 6th December.

Intercounty Senior, Junior and Juvenile Cross-Country Championships of Ireland

On Sunday last, 30th November, the Juvenile Unevenage U11-U19 Cross Country Championships, plus the Senior and Junior Intercounty Championships took place in the grounds of Belvedere House, Gardens and Park in Mullingar.

A special word of thanks must go to: -

The Management and Staff of Belvedere House, Gardens & Park;

Westmeath County Council for providing the course and facilities;

Bloomfield House Hotel and Leisure Club

The Civil Defence

The Defence Forces

An Garda Siochana

Bloomfield House Hotel

Officials of Mullingar Harriers A.C. who helped in the preparation of the course

Members of Mullingar Harriers A.C. who acted as stewards on the day.

The venue and the course itself came in for great praise from competitors, officials and spectators alike

On a terrific day for cross-country running, we witnessed some very exciting races across all the age groups and in the Senior events.

The Senior Men’s race saw Seamus Power of Clare win an unprecedented ninth title in a row; while in the Senior Women’s race, Rosemary Ryan of Limerick was an impressive winner of the Senior Women's race; while Dublin's Azmera Gebregzi won the Junior Women's title.

The highlight of the day from a Mullingar and Westmeath perspective was undoubtedly Mark Christie's superb victory in the Junior Men’s and U19 titles. He gave an excellent display of front running, winning by a convincing margin; and will now lead the Irish Junior Men’s team at the forthcoming European Championships in Edinburgh on December 14^th.

In the Boys Under 19 race, Ciaran O’Meara and Brian O’Donovan both ran well.

Three Mullingar Harriers teams got into the medals in the Juvenile events, the Girls Under 11, 15 and 19 teams, which was an excellent result for the club.

In the Girls Under 11 race, Mullingar finished second club, which was a great result.

The team was led home by Arlene Coughlan, who had a super run, finishing 6^th. This was a great run from Arlene who was also third scorer on the winning Leinster team. Next came Cliona Daly, Faye Kearney and Joy Kearney, the vital fourth scorer, followed by Lisa Darby and Emer Flynn, all running very well, and really deserving their silver medals.

In the Girls Under 13 race, we did not have a team, but Aoife Hogan had a very good run, winning a silver medal with the Leinster team, while Anna Broderick and Niamh Spellmen also ran well.

Our Girls Under 15 team produced an excellent display of team running to win take the gold medals. This was super running from this very committed group; having 4 athletes in the top twenty was particularly impressive.

Maria McGivney and Rachel Moorehead finished in 11^th and 12^th places respectively, quickly followed by Sarah Drew (15th) and Ruth Kearney (20th); all running superbly to ensure team victory.

Louise Darby and Deirdre O’Donovan also ran well and deserved their All-Ireland medals.

Rachel and Sarah were also part of the winning Leinster team.

In the Girls Under 17 race, the Mullingar team were unlucky to finish fourth club, and just out of the medals. Sarah Mescall had a very good run, followed by Ellen Colton, Joanne Harney, Amy Drew and Jenny Boggs, who all ran well.

Mullingar won the bronze medals in the Girls Under 19 race. Louise Moore who had an excellent run finishing 8th Junior and 4^th U19; and was ably supported by Aine Devaney, Joanne Harney and Jenny Boggs.

The Westmeath Senior Women’s team finished 3rd in Grade B. Caroline Harney led the team home, with a very good run, she was also 4^th in the Under 23 championships. She was followed in quick succession by Grainne Butler, Vera Flynn, Eva Ross and Maura Dervin.

Unfortunately none of our Juveile Boys teams were in the medals but nonetheless they all ran well and can be proud of their performances.

In the Boys Under 13 race, Jake Byrne was our top finisher, with a very good run, followed by Shane Boggs, Ben Hogan and David Moran who all ran well and the experience will stand to them.

Joey Cleary was the first athlete to finish for our Boys Under 15 team, he was followed by Andrew Boyhan, Niall Darby and Paul Flynn. Again they all ran well and will benefit from the experience.

In the Boys Under 17 race, Alan Stenson was our first finisher, with a good run, he was followed by Tomas Devaney, David Hynes and Brian Melody, Kevin Duggan and Ciaran Newman, all having good runs.

The Senior Men’s race saw Noel Kelly have an excellent run, finishing 22nd. Likewise Pat Muldoon had an excellent run, finishing 28th and 4th in the Under 23 Championship.

All in all a great day for the athletes of Mullingar Harriers and Westmeath, and we can now look forward to the the Juvenile Evenage Championships and Novice Men and women in Killybegs on December 14th, where hopefully more success can be achieved. Full Results

Masters International

At the Masters International Cross-Country in Wales on 22nd November, two of our athletes did themselves proud with some outstanding performances. Christy Creagh was second scorer for Ireland in his category, Geraldine Walsh was also second scorer in her race and helped Ireland into the medals. Also, former club athlete Grainne Butler was on the team that won gold, the team being led home by Anne Keenan-Buckley in first place.

Bank of Ireland CC

Well done to David Burke who finished 4th in the Bank of Ireland CC in Belfield on 22nd November. Pat Muldoon also ran well.

Margate International

Well done to Mark Christie who had an excellent run, in winning the Junior race at the Margate International Cross Country in England on Sunday last, 16th November. This was an excellent performance from Mark who is in flying form at the moment.

Citywest 5k

Well done to Noel Kelly who was 2nd (15.07) in the Citywest 5k on Sunday 16th November. Patrick Muldoon (Jnr) was 11th (15.54) while Pat Muldoon and Caroline Harney also ran well.

Leinster Cross Country Championships

The second round of the Leinster Cross-Country Championships took place in Ardee, Co. Louth on Sunday last, 16th November in ideal weather conditions at in front of another large crowd of specators. Mullingar Harriers were once again the top club, with seven teams qualifying for the Juvenile Championships of Ireland in Killybegs on December 14th. The fitness and determination shown by all the athletes was the major factor in the team's success. First into action were our Girls Under 12 team who ran really well, finishing 3rd club. The team was led by Arlene Coughlan, with a fine run, followed by Cliona Daly, Lisa Darby, Faye Kearney, Joy Kearney and Aideen Daly, all running well. In the Boys Under 12, Jake Byrne ran a super race finishing in third place and getting the bronze medal. Also David Moran and Odhran Daly ran well. The Girls Under 14 team won gold medals with a tremendous display of team running. Maria McGivney had an excellent run finishing in 7th place, she was followed in quick succession by Sinead Duffy (17th), Louise Darby (21st) and Deirdre O'Donovan (25th), also running well were Grace Kearney, Niamh Spellman, Clare Flynn and Sharon Dale. This was an excellent team effort. The Boys Under 14 team finished an excellent 3rd team. They were led by Joey Cleary in 11th place, followed by Andrew Boyhan (20th), Shane Boggs, Niall Darby and Ben Hogan who all had good runs. The Girls Under 16 team ran exceptionally well, winning gold medals. Rachel Moorehead ran an excellent race, finishing 3rd, followed quickly by Sarah Drew (6th), Ruth Kearney (8th) and Amy Drew, all having exellent runs. The Boys Under 16 team finished third team. Alan Stenson had an excellent race in 4th place, followed by Stephen Moran, Paul Flynn and Kevin Duggan, who ran well. The Girls Under 18 team won gold medals in the both the Interclub and Intercounty competitions, with four athletes in the top eleven places. Ellen Colton was 6th, followed by Sarah Mescall (7th), Aine Devaney (9th), Melanie Lynch (11th), Joanne Harney (15th) and Jenny Boggs. These were excellent performances. In the Boys Under 18 race, our team finished 2nd club and 3rd county. Tomas Devaney (18th), Shane Fitzpatrick (19th), Ciaran O'Meara, Brian Melody, Brian O'Donovan and Ciaran Newman all ran well. In the Men's Intermediate 10k race, Michael Gibson-Brabazon had a very good run. Full results

Leinster Cross Country Championships

The first round of the Leinster Cross-Country Championships took place in the beautiful grounds of Belvedere House, Park and Gardens in Mullingar on Sunday last, 2nd November.
On a day that brought a mixture of sunshine and showers, all the athletes were tested on a challenging course. The events catered for on the day were the Girls and Boys Under 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19, as well as the Novice and Masters Championships for Men and Women.
The course and Belvedere came in for great praise from the athletes and all the preparation work certainly paid off.
We would like to thank sincerely Westmeath County Council and the management and staff of Belvedere for their assistance and support; the Civil Defence for their trojan work throughout the day; the Gardai; Leinster officials and all our own club officials and members who turned out in huge numbers and ensured that everything ran smoothly. Also thanks to the Army for the use of their tents.
All Mullingar Harriers athletes ran really well on home ground and it was an excellent all round performance.
The first race of the day was the Girls Under 11 800 metres. Mullingar athletes dominated winning first club and third country. Arlene Coughlan led the team home in an excellent fifth place. She was followed in quick succession by Joy Kearney (15th), Faye Kearney (16th) and Cliona Daly (20th), running really well, ensuring victory for the club. Next came Lisa Darby and Emer Flynn running strongly. This a strong team and they should do well in the All-Ireland at the end of the month.
In the Boys Under 11 800 metres the Mullingar team ran well but finished out of the medals. Nonetheless there were good performances from Brian Murphy, Conor Seery, Odhran Daly, Kevin Cooper, Brian Cooper, Mark Dinegan and Aaron Glynn.
The Girls Under 13 1000 metres race saw Mullingar finish third club. Aoife Hogan had an excellent run finishing second individual, she was followed quickly by Maud-Anne Foley in sixth place, Anna Broderick and Claire Flynn.
In the Boys Under 13 1200 metres, Mullingar again finished in third place in the club competition. Shane Boggs had an excellent run, finishing in fifth place. He was followed by Jake Byrne in twelfth place, both earning their place on the Leinster team. Next came Ben Hogan (19th) and David Moran, both earning their bronze medals.
The Girls Under 15 1500 metres race saw an excellent victory for Mullingar in the club competition. Rachel Moorehead had a great run finishing fourth. Next came Ruth Kearney (8th) and Sarah Drew (10th) in quick succession, both making the Leinster team, followed by Maria McGivney (15th), Deirdre O’Donovan, Louise Darby, Grace Kearney and Tracy Coughlan, all having good runs.
In the Boys Under 15 2000 metres race, a very young Mullingar team finished a very good third club. First home was Joey Cleary in 18th place, followed by Paul Flynn, Niall Darby, and Andrew Boyhan, all running very well.
The Girls Under 17 2000 metres race saw Mullingar record a fine victory in the club competition. Ellen Colton had a fine run finishing ninth, next came Sarah Mescall (14th), Amy Drew and Jenny Boggs, running very well and ensuring team victory.
The Boys Under 17 4000 metres race saw an excellent individual victory by Alan Stenson, who is running really well; next came Shane Fitzpatrick (18th), with a fine run, the team was completed with good runs by Tomas Devaney, David Hynes and Kevin Duggan. Also in action was Ciaran Newman. All deserved their gold medals for first club.
In the Girls Under 19 3500 metres race, Louise Moore finished an excellent third individual, running very well. Next came Melanie Lynch in eighth place also getting on the Leinster team, followed by Aine Devaney (10th) and Aoife Bateman, both running well ensuring victory for Mullingar in the club competition and also Westmeath in the county competition.
The Boys Under 19 race over 6000 metres, saw Mark Christie record a very convincing victory, looking in top form. Ciaran O’Meara, Brian O’Donovan and Ger Feerick also ran well.
The Novice Men’s 6000 metres race was very competitive. Michael Gibson-Brabazon had a very good run in his first championship race, he was followed by Matt Glennon and Ciaran Nolan, both having good runs. Also in action were Ken Whitelaw and Fr. Mark English.
The Masters Women 3000 metres race saw Mullingar win the club competition and Westmeath finish third county. Vera Flynn had an excellent run, finishing fourth overall and second in her category. Next came Maura Dervan, Brigid McCabe and Paula Gowran all running well, followed by Geraldine Walsh with a very good run finishing third in her category.
The Masters Men 6000 metres race was again very competitive. The Mullingar team of John Bannon, Nicky McCabe, Christy Creagh, Joe O’Brien, Sean McMullin and Greg Duggan all ran very well and can be pleased with their performances.
Overall it was an excellent performance by all the Mullingar athletes on home ground, and it puts us in a very good position to retain the Jimmy Morrissey Memorial trophy for best juvenile cross- country club in Leinster. Hopefully there will be more good performances at the second round of the championships. These take place in Ardee, Co. Louth on Sunday 16th November, with races for Boys and Girls Under 12, 14, 16 and 18, plus Intermediate Men and Women. Full results

Loughrea 5 Mile

Well done to Noel Kelly who finished 4th in the Loughrea 5 Mile Road Race on October 12th.

Westmeath Cross Country Championships

The second round of the Westmeath Cross-Country Championships took place on Sunday 12th October at the grounds of Belvedere House. Conditions were ideal and once again the course came in for praise from both athletes and spectators. results...

Westmeath Cross-Country Championships

The first round of the Westmeath Cross-Country Championships were held on Sunday 5th October in the grounds of Belvedere House, where the new course was used for the first time ever for competition. Unfortunately the weather was miserable, but nonetheless competition was good, with a number of tightly contested races. Mark Christie won the Senior race from Damien Shaw and Pat Muldoon. results...

Star of the Sea Cross Country

On Sunday 28th September, the club had its first cross country outing of the season at the sunny Star of the Sea fixture in Meath. It was an ideal day for running and the course was tough and chalenging. At the end of the day we emerged as the best all round club, winning the Perpetual Trophy, based on individual and team results. We had some wonderful results and it looks good for the rest of the year.

In the first race of the day we had Lisa Byrne and Stacey Darby in action and both ran well. In the Girls Under 11 race Arlene Coughlan ran a super race to win comfortably with Lisa Darby, a fine third and Emer Flynn completing the team to take the team prize. In the Boys under 12 Jake Byrne ran very well to finish third and Mark Dinnegan also finished in tenth spot. The Girls under 13 squad showed great ability, with Anna Broderick first home ahead of Sharon Dale, Claire Flynn, Niamh Spellman and Anna McGivney. In the Boys Under 14 Joey Cleary ran a great race to finish third. The Girls Under 14 also got into the medals lead home by Maria McGivney, Louise Darby, and Deirdre O'Donovan. In the Girls Under 15 event it was one, two for Mullingar with Rachel Moorehead running a brilliant race leading from start to finish and, with Sarah Drew, also in top form in second spot. Paul Flynn finished fifth in a very competitive Boys Under 15 race. The Girls Under 17 event saw another team victory with Sarah Mescall in third spot, Ellen Colton a fine fifth, and Amy Drew close behind. An understrength Boys Under 17 team saw them finish second, Alan Stenson a very good third, followed by Stephen Moran and Kevin Duggan, a very good result. The Junior Ladies team also struck gold with Louise Moore back to her best form in second place, followed bt Sarah Mescall and Aine Devaney. We have the makings of a very good team here. In the Senior Men's race Patrick Muldoon was more than satisfied with his fourth place finish. All in all a very good day's results.

Recently at the Open Track Meeting in Navan, Justin Collins was a clear winner of the Junior Shot Putt. Also at the Patrick Bell 4 Mile Road race in Bohermeen on 21st September, we had some very good results. Mullingar finished third team in the Men's race. Patrick Muldoon (Jnr) was our top finisher (22.23) in 8th place, followed by Pat Muldoon, John Bannon, Nicky McCabe, Paul McCool and Brendan Flynn. In the Senior Ladies race Vera Flynn had an excellent run to finish second and Brigid McCabe finished second in her category.

Cityswift 10 Mile

Well done to Tom McGrath on his fine win in the Cityswift 10 Mile on 6th Septenber in a time of 52.41. Patrick Muldoon (Jnr) and Pat Muldoon both ran well.

Longford Marathon

Well done to Noel Kelly on his fine win in the Longford Marathon on 24th August in a time of 2:33.58.

Castlepollard Road Races

The annual Castlepollard festival of road races (13th August) saw a wonderful turn-out, especially for the Senior 5k event. The race attracted athletes from all over the Country and a great air of excitement was generated by the large crowd of athletes and spectators. The Juvenile events saw some very exciting finishes, with several Mullingar athletes getting into the medals. The local North Westmeath Athletic Club can feel well satisfied on the superb job they did in organising the events. It is certainly a fixture that is fast becoming one of the most popular in the Midlands.

The Senior 5K saw a new course record by Gary Hynes of Civil Service AC (Dublin) closely followed by John Burke (Mullingar) having his first race since last December. Right behind John came a bang-in-form Noel Kelly with Damien Bateman finishing very fast in fourth spot, followed by Tom McGrath in fifth. Next clubmen to finish were Patrick Muldoon and Steven McKeague, with John Bannon leading our Masters group home ahead of Pat Muldoon (Snr), Sean McMullin, Christy Creagh, Paul McCool, Des Walsh and Jimmy Nolan. Alan Stenson was second in the Junior Men category.

Louise Moore had a super run and seems to be running better than ever, being first Junior Lady. Also in the Junior Ladies race were Elizabeth Brady and Amy Drew. Vera Flynn was also in the prizes, and it was great to see Sandra Brehony back after a few years break. Also running were Geraldine Walsh, Breda McDonnell and new member Karen Malherbe from the Republic of South Africa giving an International flavour to proceedings and having her first race in Ireland.

In the Juvenile races, Mairead Sayeh was a clear winner of the girls under 9, and Stacey Darby was also in the medals. Hugh Broderick was our only runner in the boys under 9. Lisa Darby won the girls under 11 with Emer Flynn fifth, and Mark Dinnigan ran very well in the boys under 11 event. Jake Byrne was an easy winner of the boys under 13, with Andrew Boyhan in third. Louise Darby finished second in the girls under 13 race, while Paul Flynn looked very fit and strong when winning the boys under 15, as indeed was Sarah Drew who won the girls under 15 race. Well done to all our Juveniles who competed and supported our nearest neighbouring Club.

Civil Service 10 Mile

Congratulations to Noel Kelly and John Burke who took 3rd and 4th places respectively in the Frank Duffy (Civil Service AC) 10 Mile road race on 16th August. It's great to see the both of them running so well.

Impressive win for Mark Christie

The National Senior Track and Field Championships held in Santry at the week-end (9th & 10th August) were probably the best we have had in years, with some superb contests. Conditions were ideal and a large crowd added to the occasion. In conjunction with the Senior events was the National Junior 3,000m Championship in which Mark Christie produced a brilliant run to outclass his opponents with his front running. He finished well ahead in 8.50.75. Also, Damien Shaw finished very strongly after a slow start to finish ninth.

National Masters Track and Field Championships

The National Track and Field Championships for Masters were held in Tullamore last Saturday (2nd August), and as usual a hugh turn out saw some excellent competition. Each and every event saw former International athletes taking part and still showing that they retain their old competitiveness.

In the 100m, Greg Duggan ran a fine race but was just pipped for the gold medal. Greg, who has been hampered recently by a leg injury, deserved his silver medal but had to withdraw from the 200m. Christy Creagh took gold in his age category of the 5,000m and Sean McMullin took home two bronze medals, for the 800m and the 5,000m in his category. Very well done to Christy and Sean.

At the moment, the Masters competitions are very competitive for both men and women, especially now that more and more are staying on in athletics and competing in their own age groups.

Daingean Road Race

The annual Daingean Festival Road race over 5km on Friday evening last (1st August), attracted quite a good sized field, with the runners completing four laps of the town. Mullingar Harriers was well represented in all categories and figured in the prizes. It was good to see David Burke back in action again after a long absence, finishing fifth in a quality field of athletes. David was followed by Matt Glennon, who had an excellent run, and Patrick Muldoon who was also making a return after a few months out. Next came Ciaran Nolan, John Bannon, Pat Muldoon, Christy Creagh, Paul McCool, Jimmy Nolan and Des Walsh.

In the Ladies race, Caroline Harney ran a fine race to finish third, followed by Louise Moore who was first Junior. Following was Vera Flynn, Geraldine Walsh, newcomer Susan Lynham, Brigid McCabe and Breda McDonnell.

Also, it was great to see the newly formed North Westmeath Athletic Club taking part and well done to Peter Collins, Paddy Tierney, Martin Bergin, Marese Collins and Ann Lynch. They are certainly laying the foundations for what we hope will be a most successful Club.

All-Ireland Juvenile T&F Championships

The All-Ireland Juvenile Track and Field Championships on Saturday and Sunday last (19th & 20th July) provided some wonderful competition and entertainment. Medals were very hard won, as athletes from all over the country gave of their best in pursuit of victory. Once again the young athletes of Mullingar proved themselves to be equal to the best with some excellent results. For David Hynes it was a weekend to savour, winning gold and silver medals. He struck gold in the 800 metres, with a brilliant piece of running, having the confidence and strength to hold off the opposition. Also in the 1500 metres, he just failed to win gold. He certainly has made great progress in the the last year. Justin Collins is another athlete who has had a great year, he was second in the Under 18 shot putt with a fines series of putts and 4th in the discus. Our third medal winner was Alan Stenson in the 3000 metres, running the race of his life, he showed great sprinting ability to win the bronze medal in a most exciting finish. Louise Moore was very unlucky when finishing 4th in Girls 3000 metres, Also Ruth Kearney, Amy Drew and Carol Keenan. All can feel satisfied with their performances.

Leinster Juvenile U14-U19 T&F Championships

The Leinster track & field championships for boys and girls u14-u19 took place in Tullamore on Saturday and Sunday, (28th & 29th June), and once again we had some excellent results. Justin Collins once again underlined his undoubted talent as a shot putter with a fine series of putts to win comfortably and then finish 2nd in the discus. David Hynes was another to shine on the track, when running a personal best in the 800 metres and finishing 2nd in the 800 metres. Alan Stenson scored a great win in the 3000 metres having led most the way. Louise Moore was another gold medalist winning the 3000 metres in style. Amy Drew won silver in the walk and Carol Keenan silver in the hurdles. Several athletes finished just out of the medals and being most unlucky. We had Ruth Kearney, Maria McGivney, Rachel Moorehead, Louise Darby, Sarah Drew, Ellen Colton in the girls, Paul Flynn and Joey Cleary did themselves proud with some fine running.

Leinster Juvenile U9-U12 T&F Championships

Last Sunday (15th June) the Leinster Championships for under 9 to 13 took place in Navan, in brilliant sunshine, which is great for spectators but not always great for the athletes. Very well done to two of our youngest athletes, Maireid Sayah and Stacey Darby, who won bronze awards in the under 9 Leinster Award Scheme. This is a great all-round competition where athletes compete in 4 events - long jump, ball throw, sprint and middle distance run. No doubt the girls benefitted from taking part in our recent Inter-Club league. However, the highlight of the day had to be Aoife Hogan's superb performance in the u/13 girls 600m, where she cruised through the heat in first place and dominated the final to win in great style. Aoife had a plaster cast removed only last week, after a bone fracture in her hand. Clearly, Aoife is not a girl easily put off her running and she will certainly feature very strongly in the National Finals. Well done too to Claire Flynn in the u/13 girls 80m where she came through tough heats and semi-finals to make the final only to be beaten out of the medals. Three sprint races in one afternoon is no little undertaking and Claire deserves great credit for her efforts. In the u/11 girls 600m final we saw Arlene Coughlan finish just out of the medals in 5th place with Lisa Darby was not too far behind her. Finally, our sole male athlete on the day, Jake Byrne, made the final in the u/12 boys 600m final where he ran very well but finished out of the medals. Our young athletes performed very well on a hot and sunny afternoon with all of them running heats and finals. Medals are not easy to win at Leinster level where hundreds of athletes from all of Leinster take part, but I'm sure our athletes all enjoyed and learned from the experience.

Harp 4 Mile

Patrick Muldoon (Jnr) was 9th in the Harp 4 Mile in Dundalk on 7th June in a time of 20:40. Pat Muldoon also had a good run.

Leinster Senior and Masters T&F Championships

Last Sunday (1st June) in warm and often sunny conditions, Mullingar athletes were in action in the Leinster Senior and Masters track and field Championships in Tullamore. Greg Duggan was first in action for Mullingar and won the Masters 100m in great style. Greg went on to win the 200m title in a very close and exciting race and record a fine sprint double. Pat Muldoon (Snr) had a great run in the Masters 1500m and finished 2nd in his category. Sean McMullin also took 2nd in his category in a very competetive Masters 800m. In the Senior programme, Caroline Harney had a good run in the Senior Women's 1500m and finished just outside the medals in 5th place in what was a close finish for the bronze medal place. David Hynes took to the Senior ranks in the 1500m and recorded a fine 3rd place with a personal best time, followed home by Patrick Muldoon (Jnr) who was still feeling the exertion of his fine run over 5km on the road in Kilcormac on the previous Friday night. Finally, in the field events, well done to Noeleen Burke competing in the Mullingar colours for the first time as she finished a very respectable 5th in the Senior Women's shot putt.

All-Ireland Schools

The premier Schools competition was held in ideal conditions in Tullamore on Saturday (31st May) and Mullingar was represented by Stephen Moran competing for St. Mary's CBS in the long jump and by Justin Collins competing for St. Finian's College in the discus and shot putt. Stephen finished 5th and must be pleased with his achievement on the National stage, while Justin took 2nd in the discus and 5th in the shot putt. Very well done to both - it's often said and it's very true that All-Ireland School's medals are very hard won.

Jack Cox 5k

The Jack Cox 5k Road Race took place in Kilcormac, Co. Offaly on Friday evening last (30th May). A small Mullingar contingent travelled on what was a very warm evening for running. Patrick Muldoon (Jnr) had a very good run finishing 2nd in the Senior Men's race in 16.14. Pat Muldoon (Snr) was a good 3rd in the Masters Men while Nicky McCabe also had a good run, as did Paul McCool. Vera Flynn and Brigid McCabe both ran very well to finish 3rd and 4th respectively in the Masters Women race.

Inter-Club competition

The Inter-club match between Mullingar Harriers, St. Clairs AC and North Westmeath AC on Tuesday evening last (27th May) in Tubberclaire was a most enjoyable event. North Westmeath AC were having their first ever outing at Juvenile level and they certainly showed that they have some very talented athletes in their ranks who, with a few more weeks training and competition will be a match for the best. They are indeed extremely lucky to have people like Peter and Marese Collins and Andy McEoin to coach them. St. Clairs in the south of the County are making great strides to improve athletics. There has always been a great tradition of athletics in the Athlone area and both Joe O'Brien and Jim Roche are to be complimented on their great work for the Club.

Leinster Relay, Junior & under 23 Championships

On Sunday 25th May we made the trip to Kilkenny for the Leinster Inter-Club Relays and Junior and under 23 Championships. The girls 4x50m under 11 quartet of Arlene Coughlan, Joye Kearney, Faye Kearney and Lisa Darby were pipped on the line in one of the closest finishes of the day and took the silver medals. We had teams in the girls 4x100m u/13 and u/14 drawn from Tracey Coughlan, Aoife Hogan, Maud-Anne Foley, Louise Darby, Emily McCormack and Grace Kearney but both teams were unlucky to draw very fast heats and did not progress to the finals. The boys 4x100m u/13 team of Ben Hogan, Jamie Conroy, Jake Byrne and David Smith were also unlucky not to progress to their final. Not so the boys 4x100m u/17 team of Stephen Moran, Kevin Duggan, David Hynes and Conor Hughes who battled well to take third place and secure the bronze medals, and to cap it off, Stephen, Kevin and Conor teamed up with Alan Stenson in the boys 4x100m u/16 to secure an emphatic win with a large winning margin and book their places in the National Finals. Mullingar will have 3 teams in the Finals - girls u/11, boys u/16 and u/17.

With the last of the relays over, attention turned to the Junior and under 23 programme. Justin Collins continues to stamp his mark as one of the best young athletes in Ireland in the field events and took a double gold in the Junior discus and shot putt events. In the Junior 1500m, Damien Shaw was third and also competing were Ronan Doolin and Conor Twomey but they finished out of the medals. Caroline Harney ran a solid race and was 3rd in the u/23 womens 3000m. Stephen Moran stepped up to the Junior ranks and took 4th place in the long jump, missing out on the bronze medal by a mere 2cm, but still jumping a personal best. Carol Keenan was in fine hurdling form and took 2nd place in the Junior womens 100m hurdles. David Hynes found the early pace in the Junior mens 800m a little too hot but still ran a solid race. Finally, Stephen Russell continued his preparations for the Special Olympics in June by coming 4th in the Junior mens 200m in a personal best time. Our thanks to those parents who travelled to Kilkenny to support our athletes.

Rathowen Road Race

The Annual Rathowen 5k Road Race (AAI Permit) on Sunday last (18th May) saw Noel Kelly produce a brilliant piece of running in windy conditions to win comfortably from Eddie McGrath of Liffey Valley and John Donegan of Tullamore Harriers. Ronan Doolin had very good race as indeed did Ciaran Nolan. Alan Stenson won the Junior Mens race with Joey Cleary third. In the Junior Ladies race, Maria McGivney just got the better of Rachel Moorehead with Grace Kearney third and Melanie Lynch fourth. Pat Muldoon was second in his category in the Masters and Nicky McCabe third in his category. Christy Creagh was first and Sean McMullin second in their category. It was great to see Vera Flynn back in action again and winning her category with an excellent run. The race was very well organized and supported by other clubs, but quite a number of our own club members did not support the event. It would have been an ideal training run. Rathowen 5k 2003 Results

Track & Field League

The first night of the underage track and field league between St. Brigids AC, St. Claires AC and ourselves was held on Tuesday evening last at Mullingar Harriers (13th May) with an excellent turn out, although conditions were quite bitter, weather-wise. There were many good performances from athletes of all clubs.

Midland Inter-County Track and Field

On Friday evening last (9th May) we took part in an Inter-County Track and Field competition between Offaly, Laois and Westmeath at Tullamore Harriers superb athletic stadium. With events for boys and girls under 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 years, this was probably the best competition our young athletes have taken part in as each and every one of them could take part in any event they wished.

Almost all those who took part came home with a medal and several won more than one medal. A special word of thanks to the many parents who provided transport and also gave a helping hand with the running of the meeting. It was very pleasing to see so many talented newcomers in action, hopefully they will continue to take part in athletics. Hopefully this will be the first of many such competitions.

RTÉ 5 Mile Road Race

Well done to Noel Kelly on his fine win in this Business Houses race on Saturday 3rd May. He recorded a very good time of 24.49. Pat Muldoon (Snr) also had a good run.

Recent open sports results

Well done to Kevin Duggan in winning the 100m boys under 16 at the Crookstown-Millview AC open sports on Easter Monday last (21st April). Last Sunday (27th April) Mullingar had a small but enthusiastic and successful contingent compete in the Dublin County Board AAI Juvenile Open Sports at Santry. Joey Cleary took 3rd place in the 800m boys under 13 and Shannon Hayes took a well deserved 3rd place in the 100m girls u/16. In the 100m boys u/16, Stephen Moran took 2nd place, just ahead of Kevin Duggan who finished a very close 4th but just out of the medals. Stephen had a very busy afternoon and went on to win the boys u/16 long jump and took 3rd place in the 800m. Stephen rounded off the afternoon by combining with Kevin Duggan, Carol Keenan and Shannon Hayes in the mixed u/17 relay. In a thrilling finish, Shannon Hayes led the team home for the silver medals. Well done to all who made the trip to Santry.

Bohermeen AC Rennicks Cup 5km Road Race

Last Sunday (6th April) we made the short trip to Bohermeen AC, near Navan, Co. Meath for the annual Rennicks Cup 5km road race. This is a race with a lot of history and as expected there was a large entry on the day. However, before the road race there were a number of juvenile races on the track and Mullingar was well represented with many of our younger athletes having their first taste of outdoor track running for 2003. Well done to all our Juveniles who took part.

After the juvenile events were completed, attention turned to the 5km road race. As mentioned earlier, there was a very large field but Mullingar was well represented. Weather conditions were perfect for the runners, being overcast and cool. Our first finisher was Patrick Muldoon with a very fine run, finishing 11th in 15.47, followed by Damien Shaw, 14th in 15.57, Michael Gibson-Brabezon, 19th in 16.47, Matt Glennon, 20th in 16.48, Ciaran O'Meara, 35th in 17.31 (7th Junior), Pat Muldoon (Snr), 46th in 18.03 (5th O/45) and Sean McMullin, 72nd in 19.19 (2nd O/55) who all ran very well. Louise Moore was our first lady finisher (76th in 19.50, 3rd Junior) and led the Junior Ladies to victory in the team event, followed by Rachel Moorhead (89th in 20.49, 4th Junior), Ruth Kearney fresh from earlier exploits on the track, (90th in 21.02, 5th Junior) Ellen Colton (91st in 21.07, 6th Junior) and Melanie Lynch.

National Juvenile Indoor Championships

Last Saturday (5th April) a number of our Club members were in action at the final week-end of the National Juvenile Indoor Track and Field Championships in Nenagh. David Hynes took third place in a keenly contested under 17 boys 800m and should be satisfied to have finished off his indoor season with a medal. Jason O'Brien in the u/19 boys 800m was unlucky to finish out of the medals in 4th place but must be satisfied with his continuing improvement back to full competitive fitness after a long lay off. In the u/14 girls 800m, Maria McGivney had one of those days she would like to forget. Having won her heat very easily it all went wrong in the final and she finished out of the medals. However, Maria is a great competitor and has talent in abundance so she will learn from the experience and come back from this set-back with renewed determination. Amy Drew is one of the top young race walkers in the country and after finishing 2nd in the Leinster Championships finished 4th on Saturday. The indoor season for 2003 is now complete and attention turns to the outdoor track season - both school and Club. On the basis of performances in the cross-country and indoors, many of our Club members should perform very well this Summer on the track.

AAI Juvenile Indoors

Last Saturday and Sunday (22nd & 23rd March) the National Juvenile Indoor Championships took place in Nenagh. Justin Collins has made amazing progress over the past 12 months, the result of hard work during the winter; his dedication to training in the shot putt was rewarded when winning the silver medal in the Boys U18 C'ship with an excellent series of putts, and he can now look forward to the outdoor season with extra confidence. Our second silver medalist was the very talented Aoife Hogan, who having won her heat most impressively, was just pipped at the post in the final of the Girls U13 600 metres, after a superb effort. She rarely runs a bad race and is most competitive. In the Boys U16 Long Jump Stephen Moran showed why he one of the best long jumpers in the country when finishing 3rd. This was an excellent performance from Stephen, and we can look forward to some more good results in the summer. Alan Stenson, Maud-Anne Foley and Jake Byrne all ran very well in their events but failed to get into the medals. All can feel more than satisfied with their performances.

Ras na hEireann

On Sunday last (16th March) quite a large contingent traveled to Dunleer Co. Louth for the Ras na hEireann Festival of Cross-Country Races, which included the National 4k Irish Championships for Senior Men and Women. Weather conditions were perfect for the very large crowd who witnessed some terrific running. The Senior Mens race saw Mark Christie take on the best of the Country's top Seniors in his first ever Senior Race and again he showed why he is regarded so highly as the top Junior when finishing an excellent fifteenth overall, and the ninth Irishman home in what was top quality International field. Next we had Patrick Muldoon, followed by Damien Shaw and Conor Twomey, the youngest ever team to represent the club at Senior level.

The Senior Ladies race saw Caroline Harney and Eva Ross produce quite good runs in what was a strong International field with athletes from several countries taking part.

The juvenile races were very rewarding for the Club with several athletes getting into the medals and winning two first team prizes. In the girls under 9 we had Adrienne Smyth run a fine race, followed by Emer Flynn and Stacey Darby. In the girls u/11 event, a great team performance saw them win the team gold, with Arlene Coughlan first home in sixth place with Lisa Darby, Joy and Faye Kearney all finishing together. In the boys u/11 Jake Byrne once again showed why he is a future star when finishing a brilliant third, followed by newcomer Mark Dennigan and Niall Doherty. In the girls u/13 race Maud-Anne Foley was with the leaders all the way and finished up in second place after a terrific battle, with Louise Darby finishing in seventh spot. In the boys u/13 Ben Hogan was most unlucky not to get into the medals missing out on the run in, with David Smyth and also finishing well up. But it was in the girls u/15 race that the large crowd witnessed a thrilling finish to a superb race. At the end, after running the best race of her life Maria McGivney was the winner, over the All-Ireland Champion, and with an American girl in third place. Here surely is our next star athlete. Close behind her in seventh place came Ruth Kearney, Rachel Moorehead in 9th spot and Sarah Drew 12th, followed by Grace Kearney and Jessica Lynch. A truly great team result. We had just two runners in the boys u/15 with Joey Cleary and Paul Flynn running way above themselves in a large field of runners. In the Junior Ladies race it was good to see Louise Moore back to something like her old self again, after a few indifferent runs recently. Behind her came Sarah Mescall, Melanie Lynch and Amy Drew, all enjoying the fast flat course. In the Junior Mens race, Jason O'Brien showed that he is almost back to full fitness again with a very good run. Also, Alan Stepson continues to improve with every outing and Ciaran O'Meara looks as if he is fully recovered from his long term injury. All three should have a good track season. So that ends the Cross-County Season until next October.

National Senior & Junior Interclubs CC

Last Sunday (2nd March) we made the journey to Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow for the National Junior & Senior Interclubs CC. From a Mullingar point of view, the oustanding performance of Mark Christie when winning the Junior Men's title for the second year in a row, with a runaway victory was the highlight. Here surely is the best young talent the country has produced for many years. His win ensures that he goes to the World Cross Country Championships in Switzerland at the end of the month, where he will line up against the best Juniors in the world. We also had some excellent performances from or other Juniors, namely Jason O'Brien, Damian Shaw, Conor Twomey, David Hynes, Ciaran O'Meara and Alan Stenson. In the Junior Ladies race, Sarah Mescall had an outstanding run, finishing 10th in a very competitive race. This is a huge breakthrough for Sarah, considering she is underage for the next 2 years. For Louise Moore it was one of those days when nothing went right, but she has the talent to bounce back. Ruth Kearney, Aine Devaney, Ellen Colton and Joanne Harney also had good runs. In the Senior Ladies race, Caroline Harney had a very good run, finishing 18th. Eva Ross, just back from injury also ran well. In the Senior Men's race, an injury to David Burke on the second lap put paid to any hopes we had of getting into the medals. It was great to see the fighting spirit of the remainder of the team, with Tom McGrath having his best run in the Nationals in recent years finishing a very good 13th, also Noel Kelly finished a very good 20th, Cormac Finnerty finished a good 28th and Patrick Muldoon was 53rd.

Leinster Indoor Track & Field Championships

Last weekend (8th and 9th February) was a very busy weekend for our Juvenile Club members in the Leinster Indoor Track and Field Championships in Nenagh. Our Club athletes gave some excellent performances and a total of 17 medals were won over the 2 days, 7 gold 6 silver and 4 bronze. 12 individuals and 2 relay teams will now advance to the National Indoor Finals on 22/23 March and 5/6 April. For three athletes, they will be competing in 2 events each, and 2 of the 3 athletes even have a relay to run as well. Pride of place must go to David Hynes who won 2 Leinster gold medals, in the under 17 boys 800m and 1500m, both of which he won in great style - even having time to wave to his fans as he neared the finish line in the 800m. David was joined by Brian Melody, Shane Fitzpatrick and Ciaran Newman in the heats of the 800m but they did not advance to the final with David. He was joined in the final of the 1500m by Shane Fitzpatrick and Ciaran Newman but they finished out of the medal places. Aine Devanney was another individual multi-medallist, winning 2 silvers in the u/18 girls 800m and 1500m and adding a gold with the u/19 girls 4x200m relay when she teamed up with Ellen Colton, Sarah Mescall and Melanie Lynch. Sarah Mescall showed awesome pace on the last lap to win the u/17 girls 1500m but Ellen Colton was unlucky to finish just out the medals in 4th place in the same race. Our final individual multi-medallist was Stephen Moran who won a bronze medal in the u/16 boys long jump, just 1centimetre behind second place, added another bronze in a very close 60m sprint and won a gold medal in the u/16 boys 4/200m relay with Alan Stenson, Paul Flynn and Kevin Duggan who all played their part in recording an absolutely dominant victory in this relay. Stephen and Kevin have been on the relay team that has won the Leinster gold medal for 4 years in a row now, a great record. Alan Stenson had individual success in winning a silver medal in the u/16 boys 1500m, Paul Flynn had a very good run in the heats of the u/15 boys 800m but did not advance to the final, while Kevin Duggan was unlucky to finish just out of the medals in a very tight u/16 boys 60m sprint. Justin Collins won a very well deserved silver in the u/18 boys shot putt, Jason O'Brien continues to make terrific progress on his way back to full competitive fitness and took silver in the u/19 boys 800m, while newcomer Jake Byrne ran a brilliant last lap in the u/12 boys 600m to finish third, just missing out on silver in the last few metres. Jake is very new to the sport and is a young lad to watch for the future. No stranger to success, Aoife Hogan was dominant in the u/13 girls 600m and took the gold medal in convincing style. In the same race, newcomer Maud-Annie Foley made us sit up and notice as she fought tooth and nail to win a bronze medal, being only just pipped at the line for the silver. Another girl with a very bright future. Maria McGivney had to fight hard to win gold in the u/14 girls 800m but she drew on great reserves of strength and experience to hold off the opposition in the final straight to win well. Our sole race walker of the week-end, Amy Drew, kept up a good tradition of walkers in the Club by winning the silver medal in the u/16 girls 1500m walk.Others that competed at the week-end but did not win medals, though were very vociferous in support of their Club mates, were Ruth Kearney and Sarah Drew (u/15 girls 800m final), Carol Keenan (u/17 girls 60m), Ciaran O'Meara (u/18 boys 1500m), Ronan Tyrrell (u/14 boys 60m, 60m hurdles and 5th in the long jump), Ben Hogan (u/13 boys 60m sprint final), Deirdre O'Donovan (u/14 girls 800m, 60m, and 60m hurdles final), Grace Kearney (u/14 girls 800m final), Arlene Coughlan and Lisa Darby (u/12 girls 600m and 60m), Emily McCormack (u/14 girls 60m and 60m hurdles final), Louise Darby who fell heavily in the u/14 girls 60m hurdles but showed great courage in competing later in the 60m sprint though obviously still hurt from the earlier fall, Tracey Coughlan (u14 girls 60m and 60m hurdles), Jessica Lynch (u/14 girls long jump, 60m and 60m hurdles), Joey Cleary (u/14 boys 800m final), Christopher Timmins (u/12 boys 60m) and David Holmes (u/16 boys 800m final).We were particularly pleased to have fielded so many relay teams and won the girls u/19 and boys u/16 as detailed earlier, but the following also ran though did not win medals - girls u/12 (Joy Kearney, Faye Kearney, Arlene Coughlan and Lisa Darby), 2 teams in the girls u/14 (Grace Kearney, Maria McGivney, Tracey Coughlan, Louise Darby and Jessica Lynch, Deirdre O'Donovan, Emily McCormack, Maud-Annie Foley), girls u/15 (Sarah Drew, Rachel Moorehead, Ruth Kearney and Grace Kearney) and boys u/17 (David Holmes, Shane Fitzpatrick, Ciaran Newman and Stephen Moran). Relays are a great indicator of a Club's strength and the team spirit displayed by those who took part in relays despite busy commitments to their individual events is to be applauded. Finally, many thanks to those who travelled to Nenagh to lend support and encouragement. The athletes do appreciate it. Given the terrific success the Club had in winning so many medals with those who competed, there is little doubt but Mullingar would have won the trophy for best overall Club if more of our older Juveniles had competed.

National Intermediate and Masters CC

At the National Intermediate and Masters Cross Country Championships in the Phoenix Park last Sunday (9th February), Noel Kelly finished an excellent 6th in the Intermediate race and Sean McMullin finished well up in his category in the Masters race, in which there was a very large entry of 182 runners. Very well done to both.

National Masters Indoors

Congratulations to Club members Greg Duggan and Sean McMullin who competed with distinction in the Masters Indoor Track and Field Championships in Nenagh last Saturday (1st Feb). Greg took the 60m sprint title in great style but just missed out on a medal in the 200m by coming 4th, only six hundredths of a second off the bronze medal position. Sean McMullin was in excellent form and took an early lead but just missed out on a medal and finished 4th in a keenly contested 3000m. Well done to both.

Leinster Indoor Track & Field Championships

Last Sunday (26th January) was the first day of the Leinster Indoor Championships, held at Nenagh Indoor Arena. This was the first of 3 days, with the next two on 8th and 9th February. The programme for the first day was some competition for older Juvenile and the Junior, Senior and Masters Programme. Mullingar had a small contingent but all ran well. Melanie Lynch drew a very fast heat in the girls u/18 300m and did not progress to the final. Carol Keenan in the girls u/17 200m was unlucky too and did not progress. These 2 girls will be competing in 2 weeks time again over more familiar distances. We had three boys in the u/16 200m heats, but with four to quality for the final from the 3 heats, it was always going to be tough. Stephan Moran and Kevin Duggan were very unlucky to finish 5th and 6th fastest respectively and were bitterly disappointed not to reach the final. Jack Hogan made a brave effort in his heat but is new to the event and found the bends difficult.

There was an equally small but dedicated contingent from Mullingar in the Senior and Masters races. A pity that we had no Junior athletes at these Championships. Ciara Dillon ran a very solid Ladies Senior 1500m to take a much earned bronze medal for 3rd place. Sean McMullin was in excellent form and took 2nd place in the Masters 3000m. Greg Duggan was disappointed with his 3rd place in the Masters 200m but made amends in the last race of the day with a Mullingar interest by taking gold in an emphatic manner in the Masters 60m, leading from gun to tape and powering over the line 3m clear. Many thanks to those who provided transport and to the small band of very welcome supporters who made the long trip to Nenagh.

Well done to David Burke who finished 6th in the Raheny 5 Mile Road Race in a time of 25.20, also on Sunday.

Also well done to Caroline Harney who finished an excellent 9th in the U23 race at the Celtic International CC, which took place in Belfast on Saturday 25th January. Also, Louise Moore finished a very good 8th in the Ladies U20 race.

Leinster Cross-Country Championships

Last Sunday (19th January) was the final cross-country meeting of the season when the Leinster Junior and Senior cross-country Championships, and the Leinster Juvenile cross-country relays, were held in Tinryland, Co. Carlow. In cold but dry and perfect running conditions, Mullingar was well represented in these Championships. The girls under 12 team of Aoife Hogan, Arlene Coughlan, Anna Broderick, Lisa Darby, Joy Kearney and Fay Kearney took third position in a well contested race. The boys u/12 team of Ben Hogan, Jake Byrne, Joe Cleary and Niall Doherty ran very well but were unlucky to finish out of the medals. The boys u/14 team of Paul Flynn, Andrew Boyhan, Ronan Tyrrell and Joey Cleary fared better and took 4th place in a closely fought race. Mullingar had two teams in the girls u/14 (Rachel Moorehead, Maria McGivney, Ruth Kearney, Sarah Drew and Grace Kearney, Tracey Coughlan, Deirdre O'Donovan, Jessica Lynch) but were unlucky to miss the start of the race. However, the two teams took part in the u/16 race as guests and ran extremely well against the older stronger opposition. Our proper u/16 team of Joanne Harney, Ellen Colton, Sarah Mescall and Amy Drew were just pipped in the closing stages of a great race and took second place. In the boys u/16 race Stephen Moran, David Hynes, Alan Stenson and Shane Fitzpatrick were dominant and won easily. The second team of Kevin Duggan, David Holmes, Paul Flynn and Ronan Tyrrell competed well but finished out of the medals.

With the relays over, attention turned to the Junior and Senior cross-country races. Louise Moore ran a very good race in the Junior Ladies and finished 4th place, followed by Sarah Mescall, Ellen Colton, Aine Devanney, Joanne Harney and Melanie Lynch who packed well to take the bronze medals for 3rd Club and 3rd County. The Junior Mens race was dominated by Mark Christie who gave a truly spectacular exhibition of cross-country running at its finest and won very comfortably. Mark was supported by Jason O'Brien, Ger Feerick, David Hynes, Ciaran O'Meara, Shane Fitzpatrick and Alan Stenson but the team finished outside the medal positions. In the Senior Ladies race, Caroline Harney had a very good run and was very well supported by Ciara Dillon, Eva Ross and Niamh Dillon to take the bronze medals for 3rd Club and 3rd County. Unfortunately, due to a number of athletes failing to turn up, we had no team in the Senior Mens race. However, David Burke had an excellent run and was with the leading group up to a few hundred metres from the finish but was beaten into 7th place in the sprint to the finish. Tom McGrath finished a very fine 9th having run most of the race just off the pace of the leading group, but made up a lot of ground on the last lap. Our final runner was Pat Muldoon who also had a very good race and must be pleased with his performance. A team prize would surely have been a certainty if we could have fielded a full team.

More International Honour for Caroline Harney

Congratulations to Caroline Harney on being selected on the Irish team to compete in the Celtic International Cross-Country in Belfast this week. Caroline was selected on the basis of her results and performances during the season.

At the recent "Leinster Star Awards" function in Carlow, Mullingar Harriers were once again the winners of the "Jimmy Morrissey Memorial Trophy" as the best cross-country Club in Leinster. This is yet another great honour for the Club, so a special word of thanks to all concerned especially the athletes for their wonderful performances throughout the season, to our supporters for their great support and encouragement, and to the people who prepared and coached the athletes. Well done to Louise Moore and David Hynes who were presented with Juvenile Star Awards for Westmeath, and to Caroline Harney who was presented with a Senior award.

Well done to Martin Fagan who finished 3rd in the Oman Cup 5k Road Race in the Phoenix Park on January 1st. Martin also won the Navan 10k Road Race on 26th December in 32.20. Tom McGrath was 2nd in 32.30 and with Patrick Muldoon (Jnr) as the third scorer Mullingar won the team prize. Well done also to all the other Mullingar competitors who competed in Navan.