Big Irish team selected for European Cross

A big Irish team of 39 athletes have been selected for the 25th edition of the SPAR European Cross Country Championships taking place in the Dutch city of Tilburg on December 9th.

Tilburg has already played host to the European Cross Country Championships back in 2005 but the venue will be different this time around. This year’s event will take place on a challenging course at the Beekse Bergen Safari Park, situated just to the south-east of Tilburg.

Ciara Mageean (UCD) and Kevin Dooney (Raheny Shamrock) will lead the senior teams having won respective titles at the Irish Life Health National Cross Country Championships at the Sport Ireland National Sports Campus. It will be the same venue for the European Cross Country Championships in 2020.

National U23 champion Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrock) and American-based Ryan Forsyth (Newcastle) will lead a strong U23 men’s team having finished 11th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships last week.

The U20 women’s team will also be in a strong position to challenge for medals led by Sarah Healy (Blackrock) who won double gold over 1500m and 3,000m at the European U18 Athletics Championships last summer. Also in the ranks in Sophie O’Sullivan (Ballymore Cobh) who won silver over 800m at that same event.

It is an exciting proposition to have such a large team announced with a view to Dublin 2020 and that this will provide the perfect platform for them to perform.

High Performance Director Paul McNamara said:

“We’re excited about this team’s prospects for Tilburg, both in terms of making an impact here and now, but also as it’s an important stepping stone on the road to Abbottstown 2020. 

“This season has demonstrated improved depth and quality in the under age categories, and as a result we’ve selected both U23 teams for the first time since 2014. Both U20 teams look strong and can certainly build on their solid showing in Slovakia last year. Some of our leading senior women are unavailable but the selected team has a lot of experience and ability and will look to make an impact, while the senior men will look to build on a very positive result last year. The mixed relay is an exciting addition to the squad and should be capable of adding some value to Team Ireland’s prospects” 

Team selection

                        Event             Name                    Club                      Coach

1              Men's Senior     Kevin Dooney    Raheny Shamrock AC     Jerry Kiernan

2              Men's Senior     Sean Tobin          Clonmel AC         Feidhlim Kelly

3              Men's Senior     Kevin Maunsell Clonmel AC        

4              Men's Senior     Mick Clohisey    Raheny Shamrock AC     Dick Hooper

5              Men's Senior     Stephen Scullion              Clonliffe Harriers AC       Stephen Haas

6              Men's Senior     Kevin Batt           DSD AC Nic Bideau

7              Women's Senior               Ciara Mageean  UCD AC                Steve Vernon

8              Women's Senior               Ann Marie McGlynn       Letterkenny AC                Colin Roberts

9              Women's Senior               Fionnuala Ross  Armagh AC         Dermot Kerr

10           Women's Senior               Michelle Finn     Leevale AC          Donie Walsh

11           Women's Senior               Sara Treacy         Dundboyne AC Bud Baldaro

12           Women's Senior               Kerry O'Flaherty               Newcastle & District AC Richard Rodgers

13           Men's U23          Brian Fay              Raheny Shamrock AC     Feidhlim Kelly

14           Men's U23          Ryan Forsyth      Newcastle and District AC            Mark Wetmore

15           Men's U23          Paul O'Donnell  DSD AC Donal Hennigan

16           Men's U23          Cathal Doyle       Clonliffe Harriers AC       Peter McDermott

17           Men's U23          Garry Campbell Dunleer AC         Feidhlim Kelly

18           Men's U23          Jack O'Leary       Mullingar Harriers AC     Joe Pienta

19           Women's U23    Fian Sweeney    Dublin City Harriers AC  

20           Women's U23    Eilish Flanagan   Carmen runners               Damon Martin

21           Women's U23    Aoibhe Richardson          Kilkenny City Harriers AC              Noel and Niamh Richardson

22           Women's U23    Roisin Flanagan Carmen runners               Damon Martin

23           Women's U23    Sorcha McAlister              Westport AC      Iain Morrison

24           Men's U20          Daragh McElhinney         Bantry AC            Steve Macklin

25           Men's U20          Sean O'Leary      Clonliffe Harriers AC      Joe Cooper/Peter McDermott

26           Men's U20          Jamie Battle       Mullingar Harriers AC     Joe Ryan

27           Men's U20          Fintan Stewart  City of Derry AC Spartans             Andrew Henderson

28           Men's U20          Daire Finn            Dublin City Harriers AC   Feidhlim Kelly

29           Men's U20          Micheál Power  West Waterford AC        David McCarthy

30           Women's U20    Sarah Healy        Blackrock AC      Eoghan Marnell

31           Women's U20    Emma O'Brien   Inbhear Dee AC                Noreen O'Reilly

32           Women's U20    Jodie McCann    Dublin City Harriers AC   Clark McCann

33           Women's U20    Laura Nicholson                Bandon AC          Steven Macklin

34           Women's U20    Stephanie Cotter             West Muskerry AC          Damon Martin

35           Women's U20    Sophie O'Sullivan             Ballymore Cobh AC         Tim O'Shaughnessy

36           Mixed Relay       John Travers      Donore Harriers AC         Jerry Kiernan

37           Mixed Relay       Paul Robinson   St Coca's AC        Nic Bideau

38           Mixed Relay       Claire Tarplee    St Coca's AC       

39           Mixed Relay       Siofra Cleirigh Buttner    DSD AC Fionn Cléirigh Büttner