The Battle of Santry at GloHealth Inter Clubs

Mud, medals, selection and pure competition

Mud, medals, selection and pure competition. The GloHealth Inter Clubs and Even Ages Cross Country Championships promise to be one to remember in Santry Demesne on Sunday November 22nd with some star names on show.

Two-time European Cross Country Champion Fionnuala McCormack (Kilcoole) is the headline act in a women’s field that has striking depth.     

Names that roll off the tongue include: Ciara Mageean (UCD), Michelle Finn, Lizzie Lee (both Leevale), Sara Treacy (Dunboyne), Kerry O’Flaherty (Newcastle) Rose-Anne Galligan (Newbridge), Siobhan O’Doherty (Borrisokane), Ann-Marie McGlynn (Letterkenny), Maria McCambridge (DSD), Caroline Crowley (Crusaders), Ciara Durkan (Skerries), Claire Tarplee (St Coca’s) Laura Crowe and Shona Heaslip (both An Riocht). Competition will be fierce as they bid for national medals and make the European team.

Dublin marathon winner Pauline Curley (Tullamore Harriers) is also in the field and shows no sign of slowing down just yet.  

McCormack will be looking to add another title to her collection and Kilcoole could feature prominently in the team standings with her sister Una Britton in the team. They have combined before to win the National Road Relays. DSD and Letterkenny will both fancy their chances of team glory.

The U23 race coincides with the senior race with Shona Heaslip, Emma Mitchell (Banbridge) and Rachael Smyth (St Coca’s) some of the leading lights.

Clonliffe look to win on home soil

The men’s club race in recent years has generally been a straight shootout between Clonliffe Harriers and Raheny Shamrock with Dundrum South Dublin getting in the mix when at full strength.

Leevale may provide a surprise package with Ciarán Ó Lionáird and Bryan Keane in the Leesiders ranks. Donore Harriers, who were just pipped by Raheny Shamrock at the Dublin Championships, led by John Travers should also be in the mix for team medals.  

Paul Pollock (Annadale Striders) has confirmed he will be running and is one of three men in the field who ran the Olympic qualifying standard at the Berlin Marathon. He will be taking on Mick Clohisey (Raheny Shamrock) who pipped him in Berlin while Sergiu Ciobanu (Clonliffe Harriers) who usurped both men in Germany will be looking to feature.

John Travers will be eyeing the top spot on the podium in another race that has big depth including Freddie Kerron Sittuk (Raheny Shamrock), Joe Sweeney (DSD), Kevin Maunsell (Clonmel) and John Coghlan (MSB).

Super vets Mick Traynor (Raheny Shamrock) and Pauric McKinney (Inishowen) are also in the field.

Some of the U23 men looking to be in the mix will be Brandon Hargreaves (DSD) who won the Autumn Open, Keith Fallon (GCH), Mark O’Sullivan (Bandon), Thomas Moran (Dunshaughlin) and Kevin Chesser (Ennis Track).  

Saunders looks to remain unbeaten

The battle up front in the junior women’ s 4000m race will feature Hope Saunders (Clonliffe Harriers), Isabel Carron (Skerries), Emma O’ Brien (Sli Cualann) and Aoibhe Richardson (KCH). Hope Saunders remains undefeated so far this season with wins at the Autumn Open and the Lotto Cross Cup International in Belgium. Rhona Pierce (Leevale) will be looking to help the Leevale team to medals in a team event that DSD has dominated. Nadia Power (Templeogue) and Sarah Fitzpatrick (DSD) will look to make their mark while U18s (the race also is part of the juniors) Aisling Kelly (St John’s AC), Carla Sweeney (WSAF), Eimear Fitzpatrick (DSD) and Amy Hamill (Glaslough Harriers) will be looking to feature.

Mulcaire leads the junior men entries

The junior men’s race will have a lot of depth with the National Junior 5,000m record holder Kevin Mulcaire (Ennis Track) the firm favourite. Unfortunately Patrick MacGabhann (DSD) the winner of the junior race at the Autumn Open XC event has been carrying an injury the past few weeks and is very doubtful to start the race. Consistent performers Jack O’Leary (Mullingar), Peter Lynch (KCH) and Pierre Murchan (Celtic DCH) are fancied to fill the next spots with a whole host of athletes battling for the remaining places on the European Cross Country team. An interesting addition will be Sam Knee Robinson (DSD) – a UK based athlete who has ran 14:46 for 5000m in the summer.

Kevin McGrath (Bohermeen), Fearghal Curtin (Youghal AC), James Edgar (Lisburn), Eoin Berry (Dooneen), Shane Hughes (Mullingar Harriers) are among the U18s on the start-list. St Malachy’s AC and Ennis Track will be among those duking it out for the team title.          

The next generation

The next generation take to the Santry Demesne course first with huge fields in the U12 boys and girls. To pick winners and challengers in the youngest age groups would take bona fide aficionados – and even they won’t know all the raw talent in the country.

Big fields abound in the U14 age groups with teamwork and team titles the cornerstone for this age group as they ingratiate themselves with national competition. 

The U16 boys has a number of leading names with Tullamore Harriers’ Mark Milner in good form taking up from where he left off after a stunning track season. Donore Harriers’ Fathi Aden and Louis O’Loughlin will be leading the charge for the Chapelizod club, with Jack Moran (Mullingar Harriers), Darragh McElhinney (Bantry), Adam Fitzpatrick (KCH) and Ruarcan O’Gibne (Boyne AC) among those looking to be at the heel of the hunt. McElhinney should feature prominently with his front-running style.

Amy Rose Farrell (Blackrock) has been impressing this season with some classy performances and has had some good battles with Abigail Taylor (DSD). They should be to the fore once more for U16 gold while DSD will be looking to challenge in the team stakes with Claire Rafter leading Tullamore Harriers. Others to look out for include Niamh Heaney and Enya Haigney ( both Omagh).

For a full list of provisional entries click HERE 

To view the course map click HERE

For more event information including timetable and parking click HERE