McCambridge and Clohisey Win Senior Titles

Maria McCambridge (Dundrum South Dublin AC) and Mick Clohisey (Raheny Shamrock AC) came out on top in their respective races at the GloHealth Inter Club and Juvenile Inter County Relay Cross Country Championships. The event took place on Sunday, 1st of March in the scenic Kilbroney Park in Co. Down. Pre-race favourites Kevin Mulcaire (Ennis Track AC) and Hope Saunders (Clonliffe Harriers AC) lived up to their pre event billings as they won the junior titles.

Senior Races

McCambridge went straight into the lead from the gun and quickly opened a gap on the rest of the field. The Dublin native got stronger and stronger as the race went on as she lengthened the gap from all of her pursuers. The chasing pack included team mates Sarah Mulligan and Michelle McGee along with Maria O’Sullivan (Raheny Shamrock AC) and Shona Heaslip (An Riocht AC).

McCambridge was a class apart as she cruised to victory in a time of 27:26 leading a DSD white wash with Mulligan second in a time of 28:54 and McGee third in a time of 29.04. DSD easily won the team title with a score of 13 points with Raheny Shamrock AC placing second on 50 points, one point clear of Crusaders in third on 51 points.

Clohisey Defends Title

Clohisey was back to defend his senior title with challenges expected to come from Sergiu Ciobanu (Clonliffe Harriers AC) and Brendan O’Neill (Dundrum South Dublin AC). The leading three along with Kevin Maunsell (Clonmel AC) and John Eves (Dundrum South Dublin AC) forged ahead over the opening three kilometres.  

Clohisey continued to apply the pressure with only Ciobanu able to keep pace over the demanding course, Maunsell was establishing himself in third position with the DSD pairing battling it out in fourth and fifth respectively. Clohisey’s strength paid dividends as he pulled clear to win the national title in a time of 36:53. Ciobanu stayed strong for second place (37:26) with O’Neill storming through over the final lap to finish third in a time of 37:35.

Clonliffe Harriers packed well to come out on top in the team competition with a score of 27 points with rivals Raheny Shamrock in second on 46 points and Donore Harriers in third on 54 points.

Junior Races

Mulcaire was content to sit with the leading group in the junior race for much of the 6,000m contest. As the athletes passed the four kilometre mark it was down to Mulcaire, Patrick MacGabhann (Dundrum South Dublin AC) and Sean Collins (Ennis Track AC) with Clonliffe Harrier Cathal Doyle in fourth place.

Mulcaire surged clear over the final kilometre to break the field and win the title in a time of 19:49 with MacGabhann second and Collins in third. Mulcaire had the added bonus of leading Ennis Track to their first ever victory in the junior men’s team category with a score of 23 points. DSD finished second on 27 points with Clonliffe Harriers third on 36 points.

Saunders Reigns Supreme

There was good battle in the junior women’s race between Hope Saunders (Clonliffe Harriers AC) and Clodagh O’Reilly (Annalee AC). Saunders made the decisive break on the second lap of the race to create a 10m gap over O’Reilly. She kept the gap to that distance as she crossed the line in a time of 14:46 with O’Reilly battling all the way to the line to finish second in a time of 14:51.

Another of those having a good race was Sarah Fitzpatrick (Dundrum South Dublin AC) as she finished in third place in a time of 15:00 and also led her club to team victory with a score of 20 points. Clonliffe Harriers finished second with a score of 32 points with Skerries placing third on 55 points. 

The juvenile inter county relay races got the day off to an exciting start, read the full report here: Juvenile Inter County Relay Championships