Alan O'Shea, winner of the Cork City Marathon on the June bank holiday weekend, claimed his first Cork senior cross country title today at Carraig na bhFear. O'Shea, second to Brian McMahon last year, was in no mood for hanging around when the gun went, and built up a commanding lead by the end of the first of five laps that stretched well over 100m. Behind him last season's AAI intermediate champion James McCarthy was leading the chase together with Leevale's Cathal Lombard. A lap later Lombard was on his own in second as he set about breaking down O'Shea's lead. 
Going out the last lap Lombard cut O'Shea's lead to four seconds and a thrilling finish looked in store. However, O'Shea got down to work again and stretched away to win by sixteen seconds to join an elite group of athletes to win Cork senior titles. This was Lombard's first Cork cross country outing in over three years that included a ban for a positive EPO test, and, it has to be said, he was warmly welcomed back by the Cork athletic community. Carmel Crowley from Bandon took off from the start of the women's race like a 'scalded cat' and never looked in danger of being caught, with Carmel Parnell from Leevale running on strongly for second ahead of clubmate Claire McCarthy. 
Numbers taking part in the junior races were most disappointing with Michelle Finn from Duhallow and Shane Coffey easily winning their respective titles. 
Details: Senior Men 10km: 1 A O’Shea (Bantry) 31:39; C Lombard (Leevale) 31:55; 3 J McCarthy (East Cork) 33:18; 4 K Ryan (Togher) 33:31; 5 E O’Sullivan (Togher) 33:43; 6 R Fahy (East Cork) 33:47; 7 D O’Mahony (East Cork) 34:08; 8 T Woods (St Finbarrs) 34:16; 9 J Shine (Leevale) 34:18; 10 C O’Connell (St Finbarr) 34:29; 11 S McGrath (East Cork) 34:37; 12 T Maunsell (Leevale) 34:51. Team: 1 East Cork 27; 2 Levale 45; 3 Togher 47; 4 St Finbarrs 59. ‘B’ team: 1 Grange-Fermoy 104. Senior Women 6km: 1 C Crowley (Bandon) 22:13; 2 C Parnell (Leevale) 22:57; 3 C McCarthy (Leevale) 23:13; 4 C O’Riordan (West Muskerry) 23:17; 5 A Donnelly (St Finbarrs) 23:46; 6 AM Healy (Eagle) 24:10; 7 M Sweeney (St Finbarrs) 24:39; 8 M Dinan (St Finbarrs) 24:48; 9 S McGarry (St Finbarrs) 25:42; 10 M Heffernan (Liscarrol) 25:56. Team: 1 St Finbarrs 29. Junior Men 6km: 1 S Coffey (Togher) 21:44; 2 R Quirke (Togher) 22:20; 3 C Harrington (Togher) 23:09; 4 J Fennell (Togher) 23:21; 5 D Metcalfe (Leevale) 23:34; 6 K Hassett (Togher) 23:51. Team: 1 Togher 10. Junior Women 4km: 1 M Finn (Duhallow) 15:35; 2 C Finn (Duhallow) 16:57; 3 M Twohig (Duhallow) 17:36; 4 G Finn (Duhallow) 18:04; 5 E O’Neill (Glenbower) 19:05; 6 U Twohig (Duhallow) 21:31. Team: 1 Duhallow 10.
Going out the last lap Lombard cut O'Shea's lead to four seconds and a thrilling finish looked in store. However, O'Shea got down to work again and stretched away to win by sixteen seconds to join an elite group of athletes to win Cork senior titles. This was Lombard's first Cork cross country outing in over three years that included a ban for a positive EPO test, and, it has to be said, he was warmly welcomed back by the Cork athletic community. Carmel Crowley from Bandon took off from the start of the women's race like a 'scalded cat' and never looked in danger of being caught, with Carmel Parnell from Leevale running on strongly for second ahead of clubmate Claire McCarthy. Numbers taking part in the junior races were most disappointing with Michelle Finn from Duhallow and Shane Coffey easily winning their respective titles. Details: Senior Men 10km: 1 A O’Shea (Bantry) 31:39; C Lombard (Leevale) 31:55; 3 J McCarthy (East Cork) 33:18; 4 K Ryan (Togher) 33:31; 5 E O’Sullivan (Togher) 33:43; 6 R Fahy (East Cork) 33:47; 7 D O’Mahony (East Cork) 34:08; 8 T Woods (St Finbarrs) 34:16; 9 J Shine (Leevale) 34:18; 10 C O’Connell (St Finbarr) 34:29; 11 S McGrath (East Cork) 34:37; 12 T Maunsell (Leevale) 34:51. Team: 1 East Cork 27; 2 Levale 45; 3 Togher 47; 4 St Finbarrs 59. ‘B’ team: 1 Grange-Fermoy 104. Senior Women 6km: 1 C Crowley (Bandon) 22:13; 2 C Parnell (Leevale) 22:57; 3 C McCarthy (Leevale) 23:13; 4 C O’Riordan (West Muskerry) 23:17; 5 A Donnelly (St Finbarrs) 23:46; 6 AM Healy (Eagle) 24:10; 7 M Sweeney (St Finbarrs) 24:39; 8 M Dinan (St Finbarrs) 24:48; 9 S McGarry (St Finbarrs) 25:42; 10 M Heffernan (Liscarrol) 25:56. Team: 1 St Finbarrs 29. Junior Men 6km: 1 S Coffey (Togher) 21:44; 2 R Quirke (Togher) 22:20; 3 C Harrington (Togher) 23:09; 4 J Fennell (Togher) 23:21; 5 D Metcalfe (Leevale) 23:34; 6 K Hassett (Togher) 23:51. Team: 1 Togher 10. Junior Women 4km: 1 M Finn (Duhallow) 15:35; 2 C Finn (Duhallow) 16:57; 3 M Twohig (Duhallow) 17:36; 4 G Finn (Duhallow) 18:04; 5 E O’Neill (Glenbower) 19:05; 6 U Twohig (Duhallow) 21:31. Team: 1 Duhallow 10. 
