Another Memorable Day of Cross Country Running for Mullingar

Click PHOTOS on the toolbar to see pictures from Dungarvan

AAI National Cross Country (uneven ages), Dungarvan

Mullingar Harriers had the distinction of being the only Club in Ireland to win three team titles at the AAI National Cross Country Championships in Dungarvan on Sunday 16th December. Taking the three Club titles together with two Club 4th places, a County team bronze and a County team 4th place, one individual title, and six other top-twelve finish places, this was surely one of the best results for the Club in many years and easily eclipses the results from the Curragh three weeks previously.

Perhaps it was the three week gap between the Curragh and Dungarvan, or the extra Saturday morning training sessions in Belvedere, or a combination of both, but whatever it was, our juvenile athletes were firing on all cylinders in Dungarvan. After the long journey on Saturday afternoon down to the hotel in Waterford, where most of the team stayed overnight, they rested well overnight and were fresh and ready for competition on Sunday morning.

The girls under 11 team were unfortunate to lose Aisling Bracken to illness only hours before the race but a late substitute was nominated and a full Club and County team took to the line. Faye Walsh had the distinction of leading the team home, and was closely followed by a tightly packed group of Claire Fagan, Emma Glynn, Laura Whitelaw, Niamh Quinn and Jennifer Coughlan who all ran extremely well and competed bravely but despite great team work, the girls finished 4th Club and just out of the medals. All but Faye will be underage again next year, so these girls will have gained valuable experience of competing on the National stage that will stand to them next year.

Kevin Giles ran an inspired race in the boys under 11 and finished a marvellous 15th place to lead the team of Glen Gaffney, Oisin Quinn, Cormac Dalton, Jack Stuart, Patrick Shaw, Michael Moran and Iarlaith Daly to first Club and third County team and ensured that the entire team went home with a medal. Kevin and Glen also had the added honour of representing Leinster and won silver medals with the Leinster team. Particularly impressive was the way newcomers Cormac Dalton, Jack Stuart and Patrick Shaw seemed to take competing at a National final in their stride. This team will achieve much more in the coming years.

Elizabeth Carr has dominated cross country running in her age group in the past few years and was the pre-race favourite, but as often happens in sport, there can never really be any certainties. After a thrilling race that came down to a three way battle right to the finish line, Elizabeth was beaten by the narrowest of margin in the under 13 girls but was gracious in defeat and will know that everyone has to lose sometime, if only to test their mettle to bounce back, which she undoubtedly will. Beth McGuire picked the right day to come right back into form and ran an excellent race and had a very strong finish to place well up the field where she belongs. Following in behind in close support were Lorraine Daly, Linda Conroy, Lauren Casey and Ann Marie Kennedy to finish first Club and the girls richly deserved their gold medals for running so well as a team. Elizabeth was also representing Leinster and led that team to silver medals.

Perhaps it was seeing Elizabeth Carr’s unexpected defeat that drove him, but Shane Fitzsimons ran a very aggressive race in the boys under 13 where he never put a foot wrong and made no mistake with his break for home 500m from the finish that took him to a well deserved victory with a large winning margin. Thomas Lynn ran a blinder as always and finished 4th, followed by Padraig Moran in 11th to win individual medals. Newcomer Patrick Fagan ran an amazing race and surprised everyone with his pace and strength to finish next, followed by Philip Giles, Liam O’Reilly, Odhran Daly and Alan Cox who all packed well to finish first Club and fourth County. Shane, Thomas and Padraig were also representing Leinster and won silver medals with that team.

We had no team in the girls under 15, but Amie Giles and Arlene Coughlan had the honour of representing Leinster. This was a great race and both girls competed well throughout but Amie had the edge on Arlene and finished 7th to earn an individual medal and to win a silver medal with the Leinster team. Arlene ran very well and was unlucky to finish out of the medals.

The boys under 17 team were hopeful of medal success as they lined up for the start and as the race unfolded over the first of the two laps, it looked like their hopes were well placed as they were all running well and packing tightly on the team score front. However, on the second lap, as Shane Boggs was leading the Mullingar team followed closely by Jake Byrne, Shane seemed to hit a problem and was forced to drop out, leaving Jake Byrne to lead the team. Jake went on to finish an excellent 6th place and richly deserved his individual medal but such is the standard at this level, despite the good support of Shane Fagan, Warren Walsh and David Moran, without what should have been a very valuable contribution from Shane Boggs, the team finished out of the medals.

Lee Stenson ran a very sensible race in the boys under 19 and stayed out of trouble but always in contention throughout the three laps. The field broke up quickly on the second lap and Lee remained with the leading group. Slowly the gaps began to open but Lee stuck to the task and finished an excellent 9th place to the delight of the Mullingar supporters. Running well in support were Raymond Brennan, Johannes Von Canal and Sheng Lin Ding but the team finished 4th Club, just out of the medals, though they thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Overall, it was an excellent Championship for Mullingar, and one that reinforces the Club’s formidable reputation in cross country. A word of thanks is due to the very many parents and others that made the long journey to Dungarvan and braved the biting east wind to provide support. A special word of thanks also to those parents that stayed in the hotel in Waterford and looked after the younger juveniles, helping to make the experience of travel and staying overnight in unfamiliar surroundings before a National final a memorable one for the youngsters. The Club is very fortunate to be able to draw on such great support when required.

Mixed fortunes for Mullingar athletes at European XC

Our two athletes at the European Cross Country Championships in Toro, Spain had contrasting results. For Martin Fagan it was a really great performance. In fact it was the highest Irish finish for the past 10 years in the senior men’s race. Martin led the race for the first 8km with Europe’s best strung out behind him. His seventh place finish was top class and it is only a matter of time before he makes a really big breakthrough on the International stage. His priority now is to get the qualifying time in the marathon for the Beijing Olympics next summer.

Mark Christie had a real “off day” in the under 23 race where before the race he was being tipped as a potential medallist but as we all know in sport, nothing is certain. No doubt he will be back to top form again and put this run down to experience.

Irish Universities Indoor Championships

AAI National Cross Country (even ages), The Curragh

Illness and injury robbed some of our teams of medal prospects at the AAI National Cross Country Championships on Sunday 25th November at the Curragh Camp, Co. Kildare. The course too mightn’t have suited some of our athletes, as it was very flat and lacked the challenge of a few hills. Despite that, there were still some great performances from the Mullingar Harriers athletes and a Championship that gave the Club 3 individual medals and 2 top-twelve places cannot be considered anything other than very good.

The first real victims of illness were the under 12 girls where from an entry of a full Club team of 6 athletes, we were reduced to just 3 runners. Linda Conroy was surely the surprise of the day as she finished an amazing 14th place in a National final in her first year running, a serious improvement on her 21st place finish in the Leinsters a month ago. Linda was followed in by Ann Marie Kennedy and Aisling Bracken, who is barely over a recent bout of illness. The boys under 12 had a full team and were led in by Padraig Moran in 4th place who had a great race and was right with the leading group all the way but was just out-sprinted in a close finish. Following behind in support were Glen Gaffney, Jack Stuart, Oisin Quinn, Thomas Fitzgerald, Conor Duncan, Brendan Keaveney and Iarlaith Daly. Full credit to this young team who were unlucky to finish out of the medals, but such is the standard of competition at this level.

Elizabeth Carr really had to dig deep in the girls under 14 race and draw on her considerable experience to win out a great battle to the finish by a very narrow margin. She stayed with the leading group for most of the race and made her break with about 300m to go but she wasn’t going to have it all her own way as several other girls gave close chase. It looked touch and go with 100m to go but Elizabeth had one last kick and opened up enough of a gap to win out. This is a great victory for her, especially as she is actually only under 13 and marks her out as a class athlete, as if anyone needed reminding. Shane Fitzsimons was also giving away a year in the boys under 14 and despite running extremely well had to settle for 3rd place, which is not a position that he is accustomed to, but no doubt will increase his resolve to win in Dungarvan in 3 weeks time. Thomas Lynn was next in, followed by Philip Giles, Odhran Daly and Stephen Lea who grouped well but due to a computer problem, at the time of going to press we don’t know if the team finished in the medals or not.

Amie Giles and Arlene Coughlan took to the line with the Leinster team in the girls under 16, but even though they ran good races and finished well up the field, they finished out of the medal places on the Leinster team. The unluckiest man in the Curragh had to be Jake Byrne who had to contend with a recent injury that put paid to his medal chances in the boys under 16. Clearly hampered, Jake contested bravely but when the race began to hot up, he had to drop back but still managed to finish a respectable 12th place in the end. Jake was well supported by Shane Fagan, Warren Walsh and David Moran but the team finished out of the medals.

Shane Boggs and James Eagles ran well in the boys under 18 but the age difference took its toll and both finished out of the medals, but Dungarvan will be different. Likewise for Lee Stenson and Paul Flynn who are under 19 but competed at junior (under 20). They also ran well but finished out of the medals.

Pre-race press commentary had Mark Christie favourite to retain the Senior Inter-County title he won last year and before the race, Mark himself expressed quiet confidence. However, athletics is an intriguing sport and there can be few certainties. For the first four laps of the five lap race, everything was going to plan for Mark as he looked very comfortable and in complete control in the leading group. As the leader changed from time to time, Mark always remained just on the leader’s shoulder. With about one kilometre remaining, the race began to heat up as Sligo’s Gary Murray broke away, with Mark in pursuit. The lead slowly increased with little realistic prospect of Mark closing it, but cruelly, with barely 500m remaining, Gareth Turnbull overtook Mark and despite a rallying effort, Mark had to concede and finished in 3rd place. It was a good run by Mark – enough to win the under 23 title – but he had set his sights higher, on retaining the senior title, and was obviously disappointed such is the highest standard he sets himself. Also competing were Noel Kelly who had a great race, followed by Tomas Navickas and the fast-finishing Ben Vaitkavichius, and by Justin Murtagh who was running his first race in about 10 years, having only recently taken up running again.

Overall, it was a good Championship for the Club, but how much better it would have been if all teams were at full strength. As always, thanks to the many parents and others that gave great vocal support and encouragement to the athletes. We now look forward to the uneven age Championships in Dungarvan on 16th December.

Martin Fagan in the USA

Martin Fagan had a magnificent race in the USA in a top-class Thanksgiving Day 4 mile road race (Thursday 22nd Nov) where he finished a close second to a very well regarded winner, proving that Martin is certainly enjoying his time State-side.

Leinster Cross Country 2007, day 2 - 11th November

Clean Sweep of Individual Titles for Mullingar Boys