Mayo AC had six masters competing last Sunday in the Open Autumn Masters Cross Country trial for the forthcoming British & Irish International. Teams of four have now been selected in the appropriate age categories in which runners competed. Selections are based on a combination of finishing places in age categories and wild card entries. Congratulations to Angela O'Connor, Pauline Moran, and Mags Glavey who have all been selected on the Irish team to compete at Santry Demesne on November 14.
O'Connor was third W50 and is in that team led by Niamh O'Sullivan (An Riocht AC ). Moran will lead the W55 team after her brilliant run where she outclassed all the younger runners in her category. Likewise Glavey who led the W65s home and will also lead her team. Their selection continues a strong Mayo AC record in recent years representing Ireland in the International Masters Cross Country championship.
There was disappointment for Norah Newcombe who finished fourth W35 in the trial but was edged out by 'wild card' Ann Marie McGlynn (Letterkenny AC ), who finished first woman overall in the 8k open race. Colette Tuohy was unlucky to miss out too for W45 selection, despite finishing third. One of the W40 finishers who came home ahead of her in the trial moves into the W45 category between that race and the November 14 International and was selected, with the fourth spot going to a wild card. Newcombe is first reserve on W35 and Tuohy second reserve W45, along with one Catherina McKiernan. Connacht will be represented also by two GCH athletes - Michael O'Connor who was Irish marathon champion in 2007 and 2008 and is in W40 team, with Martin McEvilly leading the M65s. You can see selected Irish men's and women's teams in the news section of www.irishmasterathletics.com
On Saturday last Mayo AC had two athletes competing in the Connacht Cross country first leg in Leitrim. Well done to Brendan Hession who finished finished fifth overall and first novice, and Anto Devaney sixth overall and third in the masters event.
