Sligo Racecourse is the venue for next Sunday’s National Inter Counties Cross Country Championships sponsored by McMahon & Galvin Insurance Brokers. A wide ranging programme of events will see the country’s leading athletes in action together with some of the most talented young runners who will be in search of juvenile titles. For senior and junior athletes these events will be a trial for selection for the forthcoming European Cross Country Championships in Tilburg in Holland on December 12th. The first three in each race being automatic selections. The womens event will bring together athletes like Olympic 5000 runner Maria McCambridge, World Student Games bronze medallist Jolene Byrne and the much improved Clare athlete Orla O’Mahoney . This should be quite an absorbing race over the undulating lap. Donegal man Gary Murray won his first National title last year and only last week finished a close up third in a top class race in Holland. His aggressive front running style may pay dividends but former Junior Champion Mark Christie’s transition to senior status will be watched with interest. Robert Connolly won the Dublin title with a very fluent performance and he leads a strong Dublin team who defend their team title. The host county Sligo will present a strong challenge with a team lead by Emmet Dunleavy, David Kelly and Martin Conroy all of whom have been running well in recent races. Carlow’s Danny Darcy the silver medallist at The European Juniors during the summer will transfer his talent to cross country and look to finish his Junior career with a win. Ciaran O’Lionard from Cork is another talented young athlete and together with Waterford’s David McCarthy will ensure a very competitive race over 7000 metres. Sligo’s Emer O’Brien travels back from the USA to compete in the Junior Womens race. The Providence Tech based runner will have to be running well to withstand the challenge of the likes of Roseanne Galligan, Meaths’s Sarah Treacy, Donegal’s Joanne English and Linda Byrne who leads a strong Dublin team. Timetable 12 noon Juvenile Races 1.15 p.m. Senior Women 1.45 p.m. Junior Women 2.10 p.m. Junior Men 2.40 p.m. Senior Men
