Fionnuala Britton took silver today for Ireland in the Under 23 event at the Spar European Cross Country Championships in Legnano, Italy. The 22 year old DCU athlete ran a superb race and finished second in a time of 18:56. This was just nine seconds behind the highly fancied Turkish runner Binnaz Uslu who took gold. Ireland’s other great medal hope was Mullingar Harrier’s Mark Christie in the men’s Under 23 event. However he never really got going in the race and ended up finishing 19th in a time of 23:47. Dundrum’s Joseph Sweeney ended up finishing 13th in that race recording a 23:33 and along with the performances of Andrew Ledwith (24th), Mick Clohisey (46th), Mark Hanrahan (62nd) and Mark Kirwan (75th), this ensure the Irish team a 4th place finish overall in the Men’s Under 23 race. The best performer in the senior races for the Irish was Mary Cullen in the women’s event. Cullen finished 14th in a time of 23:54, while the team finished 8th overall. One of the Irish team’s brightest prospects in the Men’s senior event was Martin Fagan but unfortunately he had to withdraw prior to the race due to a stomach bug, something which also caused Rosemary Ryan to pull out the Senior Women’s race. The best performer for the Men’s Senior team was Clonliffe Harriers runner Mark Kenneally who finished 31st in a time of 29:01. He was closely followed in by Vinny Mulvey in 29:15 and Gary Murray in 29:23. Other highlights for the Irish in Italy was the performance of Rose-Anne Galligan in the Junior Women’s event as she finished 12th in a time of 13:22, while in the Junior Men’s, Brendan O’Neill was the best of the Irish as he came 19th recording a time of 17:34. Results: Senior Men – 8th 31st - Mark Kenneally (Clonliffe Harriers) – 29:01 35th - Vinny Mulvey (Rahney Shamrocks) – 29:15 39th - Gary Murray (Kilcoole A/C) – 29:23 52nd - Joe McAllister (St. Malachys) – 30:11 59th - David Kelly (Sligo A/C) – 30:57 DNS - Martin Fagan (Mullingar Harriers) Senior Women – 8th 14th - Mary Cullen (North Sligo) – 23:54 42nd - Aoife Byrne (Dundrum, South Dublin) – 27:06 46th - Orla O’Mahony (Raheny Shamrocks) – 27:17 51st - Pauline Curley (Tullamore A/C) – 27:42 56th - Niamh O’Sullivan (An Riocht) – 28:16 DNS - Rosemary Ryan (Bilboa A/C) U-23 Men – 4th 13th - Joseph Sweeney (Dundrum, South Dublin) – 23:33 19th - Mark Christie (Mullingar Harriers) – 23:47 24th - Andrew Ledwith (Fr Murphys) – 23:52 46th - Michael Clohisey (Raheny Shamrocks) – 24:15 62nd - Mark Hanrahan (Leevale A/C) – 24:38 75th - Mark Kirwan (Raheny Shamrocks) – 25:31 U-23 Women – 8th 2nd - Fionnuala Britton (Sli Chualann) – 18:56 20th - Orla Drumm (UCC) – 19:51 35th - Linda Byrne (Dundrum South Dublin) – 20:16 52nd - Niamh Devlin (Dundrum South Dublin) – 20:56 54th - Ciara Durkan (Skerries) – 21:08 62nd - Siobhan O’Doherty (Borrisokane) – 21:42 Junior Men – 16th 19th - Brendan O’Neill (Dundrum, South Dublin) – 17:34 66th - David Rooney (Raheny Shamrocks) – 18:08 85th - Cathal Dennehy (Emerald A/C) – 18:30 86th - Kevin Lawler (St. L O’Toole) – 18:31 90th - Mark Hoey (Dunleer A/C) – 18:49 DNF - Ciaran O’Lionaird (Leevale A/C) Junior Women – 9th 12th – Rose-Anne Galligan (Newbridge A/C) – 13:22 38th - Breifni Twohig (Dundrum, South Dublin) - 13:53 47th - Sara Louise Treacy (Moynalvey A/C) - 14:00 60th - Ellen Diskin (Dublin City Harriers) – 14:08 76th - Laura Huet (Dundrum, South Dublin) – 14:30 84th - Treston Bryony (Dundrum, South Dublin) – 14:51