A gutsy performance by David Bohan in the men’s race over 7km ensured Galway secured a senior gold at the Connacht Cross Country Championships on a testing Roscommon Racecourse on Sunday.
Notable performances at juvenile level came via the girls of Tuam AC, who won gold at U11 level with Eimear Fallon leading them home in third place overall, while GCH won team bronze. In the U13 event Alan Hallinan of Craughwell AC reigned supreme winning gold, and also led his club to victory.
Tuam AC girls swept the boards in the U15 team competition with gold, with GCH a fine second, while individually Aisling Geaney was second for South Galway, with Keilah Murray of GCH third
Declan O'Connell ran strongly for gold also at U15 level, while Oisin Maher of GCH was second home, and Luke Walsh third. Craughwell AC won the team event, while Sean Fitzpatrick won bronze for South Galway in the U17s.v
National Cross Country
Galway athletes head to Donegal this weekend to compete in the hugely anticipated National Cross Country Championships at Rosapena Golf Course.
The senior, U23 and junior races take centre stage and act as selection trials for the upcoming European Cross-Country championships in Turin, Italy in December
Galway hopes will rest on Thomas McStay at U23 level, and the talented Sean Cotter at junior level, while GCH and Craughwell will field strong men’s teams. Jamie Fallon, Paddy Noonan and William Fitzgerald lead the Craughwell men, while McStay will be joined for GCH John Moroney, Andrew O Donnghaile, Aaron Brennan, David Carter, Conor Byrne and David Bohan.
GCH women will go into the event with a strong squad, chasing a top five or better position.
Led by the experienced Laura Byrne, who has shown great early season form, along with the flying Ellen Moran, Siobhan Egan, Jane Ann Meehan, Aine O Farrell, Niamh Hennelly and Eimear O Leary, the squad has proven cross country ability and travels with strong hopes.
At juvenile level, the programme will feature the U12 to U18 All Ireland championships, and again Galway will be well represented through GCH, Craughwell, South Galway, Clare River Harriers, and Tuam.
IUAA Road Relays
NUI Galway men’s team secured national bronze medals at the IUAA Road Relays on Friday with a superb third-place finish.
The quintet of Kyle Moorhead, Sean Cotter, Tom McStay, Luke Johnston and Paddy Noonan combined superbly to take bronze behind two elite UCD and DCU squads. NUIG men’s second squad was sixth.
NUIG women's team finished a solid ninth, with strong runs from Fiona Everard, Anna McGinley, Noiase O'Donnell and Fiona Molloy.
Irish Schools Combined Events
Galway athletes Evan Hallinan and Jade Moorhead were the stars of the show on Saturday at the finals of the Irish Schools Multi-Events which were held in Athlone Indoor Arena. Both athletes were representing their school Presentation Athenry, and both had a superb series of performances to take the national titles in the senior boys' and senior girls' events.
Irish Masters Cross Country International
Craughwell's Mark Davis continued his excellent cross-country season, winning team ilver with the Irish M50 squad at the British and Irish Masters' International in Santry, Dublin on Saturday.
