Three of Mayo AC's top masters women athletes competed on the Irish team in the 25th Annual British and Irish Masters International Cross Country at Queen's University Playing Fields, Belfast on Saturday last. Three club members in Irish vests is a great achievement.
Colette Tuohy was third finisher in Irish W40 team and seventh individual, while the team were joint first - but got silver on countback. Angela O'Connor was third Irish W45 finisher and her team which finished. Angela finished seventh individual W45. Pauline Moran was in the W55 team which also finished second. It was a great effort by Pauline less than two weeks after the Dublin marathon. Ballina native and former winner of both the Ballina 10K and River Moy Half marathon, Declan Fahey, pulled on an Irish singlet for the Irish M40, Declan finished 29th overall and was third member of the Irish team.
Ryan runs home in Hollymount
Gerry Ryan certainly knows his way around Hollymount. And he returned on Sunday to show a few more pretenders that he is still king of these roads. He won his fifth Hollymount 10k with ease as he cruised for three laps along the long acre from Kilrush to Robeen and back up through Gortnashammer. Matt Bidwell (GCH ) ran well finishing over a minute behind the Craughwell AC man in 33.23, and deservedly retained his Road League title. John Byrne eased home in third, and must be delighted to finish a race in just over half an hour, after his recent ultra zone events. Lizzie Lee (Leevale AC ) is a formidable winner on roads (2012 Women's Mini Marathon ) and on the track, National 5,000 metres. She took time off from a visit in the locality to win the Women's 3k easily in 10.11. Women's Road League champion, Mary Gleeson (Mayo AC ) was second in 10.35, and Jenny Pybis (Liverpool JMU ) third in 10:44.
Great success for Ballina athletes in Western Region Cross Country
Ballina AC hosted the Western Region even ages, senior and junior Cross Country championships last Sunday. All the qualifiers from this competition went forward to the All Ireland Cross Country championships in Rathoath, on November 25.
The Ballina u12 girls team won bronze medals in their 2,000m race with Bridget Mills finishing in ninth place overall and winning a gold medal with the Mayo Inter-counties team and earning a place on the Western Region team also. Caoimhe Loftus also won a medal on the Inter-counties team. Maria Reilly had a great run in the u14 girls 3,000m race. She earned her place on the Western Region team and was a member of the Mayo Inter-counties team that won silver medals. Emma Loftus and Clara Gardiner qualified as members of the Mayo Inter-counties team. Cormac MacDermott was in action in the u14 boys 3,000m and won a silver medal as a member of the Mayo Inter-counties team. Kayleigh Grace in her first Connacht championships in the u16 girls 4,000m won a gold medal with the Mayo Inter-counties team and qualified as a member of the Western Region team. In her first Connacht championship Shannon Grace put in a great run in the U16 girls 4,000m and qualified as a member of the Western Region team for the National championships. In the u16 boys 6,000m Cian Mulrooney was again on the podium taking individual silver and qualifying as a member of the Western Region team. Hugh Armstrong continues to impress when he won the men's Junior 6,000m. Castlebar AC was also celebrating with Thomas Devaney from Islandeady winning the gold medal in the boys 2k cross country event.
