Record-breaker Fionnuala leads Irish entries
27 athletes have been selected for the 2017 European Cross Country Championships to be held in Samorin, Slovakia on December 10th where Fionnuala McCormack (Kilcoole) will make a record-breaking 15th appearance.
McCormack is a two-time European Cross Country champion and was fifth last year in Chia, Italy. She will look to lead a strong team challenge for the senior women.
Paul Pollock (Annadale Striders) won the 10,000m Irish Life Health cross country title yesterday and will head the senior men’s team.
High Performance Director Paul McNamara said: “The European Cross Country championships are of critical importance to Irish endurance running. We have an outstanding tradition at ‘Euro Cross’ and we are certainly looking to build on that in the 2017 edition of the event. Athletes have been selected based on their preparedness to compete with the best in Europe and this team travels intent on adding to recent successes”.
Team Selections
| Age Category | Athlete | Club | Coach |
| U20 Women | Laura Nicholson | Bandon A.C | Steve Macklin |
| U20 Women | Stephanie Cotter | West Muskerry A.C. | |
| U20 Women | Jodie McCann | Dundrum South Dublin A.C. | Clark McCann |
| U20 Women | Fian Sweeney | Dublin City Harriers A.C. | |
| U20 Women | Sophie Murphy | Dundrum South Dublin A.C. | Ricardo Santos |
| U20 Women | Fiona Everard | Bandon A.C | Ronan Duggan |
| U20 Men | Craig McMeechan | North Down A.C. | Francis March |
| U20 Men | Brian Fay | Raheny Shamrock A.C. | Feidhlim Kelly |
| U20 Men | Charlie O'Donovan | Leevale A.C. | Ken Nason |
| U20 Men | Fearghal Curtin | Youghal A.C. | Jim Stintzi |
| U20 Men | James Edgar | City of Lisburn A.C. | Heather Ardis |
| U20 Men | Darragh McElhinney | Bantry A.C. | Steve Macklin |
| U23 Women | Bethanie Murray | Dundrum South Dublin A.C. | Kyle Bennett |
| U23 Men | Tom O’Keeffe | Kilkenny City Harriers | Emmet Dunleavy |
| U23 Men | Eoin Strutt | Raheny Shamrock A.C. | Feidhlim Kelly |
| Senior Women | Shona Heaslip | An Riocht A.C. | Niamh O'Sullivan |
| Senior Women | Kerry O'Flaherty | Newcastle & District A.C. | Richard Rodgers |
| Senior Women | Michelle Finn | Leevale A.C. | Donie Walsh |
| Senior Women | Lizzie Lee | Leevale A.C. | Donie Walsh |
| Senior Women | Fionnuala Ross | Armagh A.C | Dermot Kerr |
| Senior Women | Fionnuala McCormack | Kilcoole A.C. | Alan McCormack |
| Senior Men | Paul Pollock | Annadale Striders A.C. | Andy Hobdell |
| Senior Men | Kevin Dooney | Raheny Shamrock A.C | Jerry Kiernan |
| Senior Men | Hugh Armstrong | Ballina A.C. | Ray Treacy |
| Senior Men | John Travers | Donore Harriers A.C. | Jerry Kiernan |
| Senior Men | Sean Tobin | Clonmel A.C. | Ryan Vanhoy |
| Senior Men | Kevin Maunsell | Clonmel A.C. | James Sullivan |
