Three Galway Athletes have been selected for the Home Countries International Cross Country which takes place in Glasgow on November 27.
Martin McCevilly of GCH and Craughwell AC athletes Martin Corcoran and Peter O’Sullivan all achieved selection at the M60, M45 and M35 categories respectively which earns them the precious Irish singlet.
Bouyed up by their selection, O’Sullivan and Corcoran spearheaded the Craughwell AC Senior team to a narrow victory on the first weekend of the Connacht Cross Country in Sligo. Mark Davis and Paul Keane completed the team, despite Keane having run a marathon five days previously. A strong Galway City Harriers team of Alan Kelly, Fearghal Geraghty, Chris McGrath and Derek Conerney took silver ahead of North Sligo AC, and only two points behind their local rivals. Peter O’Sullivan was third senior on the day.
Laura Shaughnessy of Loughrea AC won the women’s title in a race that saw her battle hard all the way with guest athlete Una Britton - sister of Irish Olympian Fionnuala.
There were some fantastic results for Galway juveniles also. Aoife Sheehy of GCH took silver in the girls’ u-12s, while in the u-14 race, Dearbhaile Walshe of Craughwell took gold ahead of Shannon Lee of Athenry AC. Running above his age category, Matthew Barrett of Craughwell was third in the u-14 boys’ race. Maeve Brannigan of GCH was third in the u-16 race with Jamie Spellman of Craughwell third in the boys’ equivalent. Michelle Maher of GCH finished second in the u-18s and John Mulrooney of GCH finished third in the boys’ event. Keith Fallon of GCH was second in a hotly contested junior boys race.
The u-11 girls’ 1,500m race was won in splendid form by Athenry AC’s Finola Kelly, while Craughwell took the team award, with Sarah McCartin leading the team home in sixth place.
Galway City Harriers won the u-11 race, while Brandon Lee of Athenry AC, the top Galway finisher in second place, helped his team secure the bronze.
Craughwell’s Dearbhaile Walshe took the Connacht u-13 2,500m individual title and in the process led her team to victory, and not to be outdone by their female peers, the Craughwell AC u-13 boys won their event with Matthew Barrett leading the field. The club also secured the u-15 girls’ title, led home by Ciara Greene in third place, while the boys’ u-17 team claimed the 5,000m.
•Matt Bidwell of Galway City Harriers has won the Hollymount International 10k road race - one of the longest running road races in Ireland. Bidwell finished in 32:47, just four seconds ahead of Ballina’s Roger Barrett.
