McCormack to lead Irish team at European Cross Country Championships - Athletics Ireland
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McCormack to lead Irish team at European Cross Country Championships

23 November 2015

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Fionnuala McCormack (Kilcoole) will lead the Irish women's team at the European Cross Country Championships in Hyeres, France on December 13th.

McCormack (neé Britton) impressed at the GloHealth Inter Clubs Championships in Santry Demesne yesterday and believes the women's team, announced today, can back up the bronze medals they won at the European Cross Country Championships in Samokov, Bulgaria last year.  

McCormack looks to team success

"We definitely have a good chance with the team," said McCormack who will be focusing more of her efforts around a team performance than her own individual expectations. 

"With a short build-up it definitely has to be about the team," said McCormack referring to the Chicago marathon on October 11th where she ran 2:33:15 to run an Olympic qualifying standard.  

"I haven't had the usual build-up," continued the two-time European Cross Country Champion. "We definitely have a good chance with the team. With a short build-up it definitely has to be about the team. 

"For the team I'm going to go out there and do my absolute best. We backed up our (team) gold in 2012 with our bronze (last year). This women's team is going to be strong for the next few years. The team is the most realistic (chance of a medal) but I'm going to go out there and do my absolute best as well. 

High performance view

High Performance Director Kevin Ankrom said: "We need her (Fionnuala) to be out there and put on a good performance. It leads to fewer points and a good team performance for us. 

"Athletes are planning more to make an effort to be on this team. We've got four medals in four years. Let's make it five medals in five years.

"Overall as a cross country programme we would have an expectation that our teams perform better and we are certainly working towards making our teams to prepare to do that. 

"Through Steven Macklin, Paul McNamara and Teresa McDaid we are looking to help people prepare for championships. We have to have expectations that our teams are going to perform better and be better prepared.

"I still think cross country and distance running is the cornerstone of the Irish culture. I look forward to the athletes performing at their best." 

Clohisey to  lead out senior men's team

The senior men's team will be led out by Mick Clohisey (Raheny Shamrock) who won the championships yesterday for the third time in succession. 

"We are going in with a squad of endurance specialists who are laying the foundation for the Olympic team," said Ankrom with regards to Clohisey along with Sergiu Ciobanu (Clonliffe Harriers) and Paul Pollock (Annadale Striders) who have all posted Olympic marathon qualifying times. "John Coghlan (MSB) posted a particularly impressive performance also and shows athletes are stepping up to the mark."   

Mulcaire and Saunders to lead Juniors

Hope Saunders (Clonliffe Harriers) and Kevin Mulcaire (Ennis Track Club) are returning with experience to this year's championships and Kevin Ankrom believes Mulcaire is a top 8 candidate. 

U23 selections confirmed

An U23 men's team has been selected with two women, Shona Heaslip and Emma Mitchell, selected. 

Selected team to date below for European Cross Country Championships in Hyeres, France on December 13th:

EventName Club  Coach  
Men's SeniorMick ClohiseyRaheny ShamrockDick Hooper
Men's SeniorJohn CoghlanMetro St Brigid'sEamonn Coghlan
Men's SeniorPaul PollockAnnadale StridersAndrew Hobdell
Men's SeniorRyan CreechLeevaleDonie Walsh
Men's SeniorJoe SweeneyDundrum South DublinJerry Kiernan
Men's SeniorSergiu CiobanuClonliffe HarriersJerry Kiernan
    
Women's Senior Fionnuala McCormackKilcoole ACJoe Doonan
Women's SeniorLizzie LeeLeevale ACDonie Walsh
Women's SeniorCaroline CrowleyCrusaders ACSusan & Michael McGovern
Women's SeniorKerry O'FlahertyNewcastle & District ACRichard Rodgers
Women's SeniorCiara DurkanSkerries ACJoe Warne
Women's SeniorMichelle FinnLeevale ACDonie Walsh
    
    
Men's U23Thomas MoranDunshaughlin ACJerry Kiernan
Men's U23Brandon HargreavesDundrum South DublinChris Jones
Men's U23Hugh ArmstrongBallina ACRay Treacy
Men's U23Keith FallonGalway City HarriersMatt Lockett
Men's U23Aaron HanlonClonliffe HarriersRay Treacy
Men's U23Sean TobinClonmel ACRyan Vanhoy/Anthony Moynihan
    
Women's U23Shona HeaslipAn RiochtNiamh O'Sullivan
Women's U23Emma MitchellBanbridgeEamon Christie
    
Men's JuniorKevin MulcaireEnnis Track ClubPat Hogan
Men's JuniorPeter LynchKilkenny City HarriersNoel Richardson
Men's JuniorJack O'LearyMullingar HarriersJoe Ryan
Men's JuniorCathal DoyleClonliffe HarriersJoe Cooper
Men's JuniorJames EdgarLisburn ACHeather Ardis
Men's JuniorPierre MurchanCeltic ACMary McKenna
    
Women's JuniorHope SaundersClonliffe HarriersJoe Cooper & Conor McGuinness
Women's JuniorAoibhe RichardsonKilkenny City HarriersNoel Richardson
Women's JuniorIsabel CarronSkerries ACKevin Thompson
Women's JuniorDeirdre HealyRatoath ACGerry Finnegan
Women's JuniorNadia PowerTempleogue ACStephen Holt
Women's JuniorSophie MurphyDundrum South DublinDonal Hennigan
    
    

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