Cross Country 2005

November 27th - AAI Cross Country Championships, Sligo

Sligo racecourse provided an ideal venue for the national inter counties cross country championships today as the weather failed to match the predicted arctic conditions and only an occasional passing shower dampened an otherwise very enjoyable trip to the northwest for the competitors and spectators who made the journey. Shercock interest on the day centred on the junior men's event where a Cavan team made up of five Shercock juniors and Bailieborough's Briain O'Dowd featured. Sean Smith made a return to competition for the race, however it was the fast improving Noel Carroll who featured most strongly for both club and county on the day. The 6000m race got off to a flying start as Milford's James King led the race through the early stages in the company of Paul Pollock (Abbey) and Michael Clohissey from Raheny (left). In the absence of pre-race favourite Danny Darcy (SLOT) the race was more open than expected, however by the second lap of the three lap race James had dropped off the lead and Clohissey took the initiative with Pollock in close attendance while Kevin Lawler trailed a short distance behind. Clohissey produced a powerful run over the closing 2km to break clear for an emphatic victory while a tiring Pollock succumbed to a late challenge from Lawler who earned a surprising if well earned silver medal ahead of the Abbey man. Noel Carroll (right) meanwhile was having the race of his life, moving from sixteenth on the opening lap up to tenth as the race entered the final stages. With a kilometer remaining, Noel was battling for position with fellow steeplechaser Philip Conway (Ferrybank). Noel piled on the pressure as they approached the final climb to the finish and broke away from Conway,  setting off in pursuit of West Waterford's David McCarthy. In the end a strong finish saw him finish in ninth place, his best result to date in a national race. Sean Smith made a return to competition in Sligo in support of his county team however despite featuring in the top twenty during the opening stages, a lack of race fitness took its toll on the man from Muff and he dropped down the field over the final lap to finish in 43rd position. Briain O'Dowd made a strong run over the second half of the race, moving up the field to finish 40th. Also running well was Paul Fitzpatrick who battled with Neil Gibbons throughout the race, eventually finishing just behind the Donegal man in 57th place. The Cavan team was completed bay racewalker Peter Muldoon (66th) and James Muldoon (70th) which left the county in sixth place overall. The team were further rewarded with first place in grade B, in which they had finished in the runner up position in 2003 and 2004. 

In the juvenile races, Niall Clerkin impressed for Shercock in the under 11 800m, producing his trademark sprint in the run in to the finish to secure an individual medal when taking sixth place. Niall also contributed to a strong performance by the Ulster team, which secured the silver medals in the regional category. Also scoring on the Ulster team from Cavan was Tadgh McGahern from Mullahoran who finished not far behind Niall in ninth place. Conor Philip Bates (56th), Caoimhin O'Reilly (73rd), Dominic Brady (94th) and Kevin Wilson (123rd) completed the scoring for the Cavan county team which finished 7th, while Mullahoran finished in 8th place in the inter-club stakes. Shercock's Edel Kiernan (41st) led the Cavan team home in the girls under 11 800m, assisted by Orla Murphy (74th), Sarah McDonald (108th), Maria Donnery (110th), Emily Brady (121st) and Yvette Schutten (136th) for an overall county position of 12th.

Celine Clerkin (left) followed in her brothers footsteps in the girls under 13 1000m, producing a great run over the closing stages to take an individual medal when finishing in seventh place. A strong county team in this event failed to make the medals when two runners ran off the course for a temporary diversion however Cavan still managed to finish in sixth place overall with strong runs by Eadaoin O'Reilly (24th) Sheila Reilly (70th), Geraldine Sheridan (78th), Keava Galligan (84th) and Kerri Byrne (104th). 

Overall the trip to Sligo proved very successful for the athletes who traveled, producing several races which will long live in the memories of a number of individuals who reached a new level of achievement on the racecourse in the shadow of Ben Bulben.

Michael Heery, president of the AAI, congratulates Celine Clerkin (left) and Niall Clerkin (right) following their medal winning performances at the juvenile cross country championships in Sligo.

The Cavan junior men's team, pictured after their racein Sligo. Back row - Sean Smith, James Muldoon and Briain O'Dowd. Front row - Paul Fitzpatrick, Peter Muldoon and Noel Carroll.

Marathon Man

Colin Watterson was in action in the Dublin City Marathon, coming home in a time of 3 hours 45mins 22 s. Colin finished 287th out of 874 finishers in the M40 category and was 181st in the national marathon championships. Despite very difficult weather conditions on the day, Colin was on course to break the 3:30 mark at 24 miles but was slowed by cramps over the closing stages.

October 23rd - Ulster Juvenile & Novice Cross Country Championships

The Ulster cross country championships for juveniles in the uneven age groups and novice men and women were held today in Scotstown, County Monaghan. The course around the local football grounds was in perfect condition and provided spectators with a great view of the action as the province's leading young athletes battled for the honour of an Ulster title. Shercock athletes enjoyed one of the club's best championships to date, taking two individual titles in the juvenile races while Noel Carroll came home with a silver medal in the novice race following a 6km head-to-head duel with Milford's James King. Noel has continued to show improvement as the season has progressed and today provided his greatest challenge yet as he set off in pursuit of a novice medal. Setting a strong early pace, Noel and James quickly broke down the lead group to just four runners as only Derry's Conor Bradley and Glaslough Harrier Christopher McGuirk were still in touch with the lead pair at the half-way point. Noel then took the lead and applied himself to the pace, eventually dropping Bradley and McGuirk who were left to battle if out for the bronze medal, which eventually went to the Derry man. Running neck and neck through the closing stages, Noel put increasing pressure on James in an attempt to wear down the Donegal man's finishing kick. Nonetheless, with 200m to go, James broke for the front and opened up a small gap. Noel hung on, however, and started to close the gap as the pair headed for the finish line. To a growing clamour from the spectators who had stayed to see the race, they battled all the way across the line, with James holding out for the title. Both athletes were clearly at their limit, having given their all in a highly entertaining duel that could quite reasonably lay claim to the title "race-of-the-day". 

Niall Clerkin wore the Shercock vest with pride at the other end of the age spectrum as he came from fourth place with a sprint finish down the home straight to win the under 11 800m championship. In a rare double for both the club and the family, Niall's sister Celine Clerkin came away with the individual gold in the girls under 13 1000m. Celine judged her pace well and was at the head of the field from the start, lying in second place behind Eadaoin O'Reilly from Annalee AC as they turned the corner into the finish straight. In a repeat of her brother's final sprint, Celine overtook the leader and ran home strongly to win her first Ulster title. Also performing well in Scotstown was Fiona Murray, who stepped up an age group to contest the under 19 3500m. Fiona ran a strong race, settling into fifth place from the early stages, a position which she maintained all the way to the finish line. James Muldoon also made something of a return to form when he took the final qualifying place for the all-Ireland championships with a twelfth place finish in the under 19 6000m, having moved up a year from his own age group. Paul Fitzpatrick narrowly missed out on qualification when coming home in fourteenth place in the under 17 4000m. Luke O'Brien was less fortunate as he was unable to reproduce the good form he has showed of late due to recurring shoulder injury which saw him finish painfully down the field in the same race. Lisa Clerkin enjoyed a very good run when competing a year above her age group in the under 17 2000m, in which she finished in sixteenth place. Edel Kierans also ran well in her first Ulster competition, coming in a useful fourteenth in the under 11 800m.

Ulster Champion - boys under 11 winner Niall Clerkin

Ulster Champion - girls under 13 winner Celine Clerkin

Fiona Murray comes home in fifth place in the under 19 3500m.

James Muldoon finishes strongly in twelfth place in the under 19 6000m.

October 1st - Cavan Masters and Juvenile Uneven Ages Cross Country Championships in Kilnaleck.

Albert Eakins was an impressive winner of the men's masters 3000m from Laragh's Brian O'Reilly.

First time master Colin Waterson produced a great effort to take the bronze medal in Kilnaleck.

Noel Carroll leads Annalee's Fionan O'Reilly on the opening lap of the junior men's 6000m, which he went on to win by over 400m.

Luke O'Brien never appeared under pressure as he dominated the under 17 4000m from start to finish.

Paul Fitzpatrick showed good early season form when finishing second in the under 17 4000m.

Lisa Clerkin produced a great run to take the bronze medal in the under 17 girls 2000m.

Joe Dillon leads the boys under 13 team home to team gold when finishing in third place.

Celine Clerkin was in a class of her own when winning the under 13 championship.

The Shercock girls under 13 team packed well to take the team gold.

Sinead O'Neill finishes well for the Shercock team in the under 13 race.

Niall Clerkin battled hard over the final stages to earn a well deserved title in the under 11 championship.

Senan McGeever and Stephen Monaghan finishing strongly in the under 11 event.

The Shercock girls under 11 secured team bronze behind individual winner Edel Kieran.

Barbara Ward put in a great effort to finish second for Shercock in the under 13 race.

Sean Smith made a return to competition in Dungarvan when he represented Cork's North Mon school in the senior boys 6000m. Following his poor run in the inter-clubs the week  before Sean showed something of a return to form as he kept in close contact with the lead group for the opening two laps of the four lap race. At the halfway point Danny Darcy took command of the race and powered away from the field for a comprehensive win. Sean went with Darcy at first but the fast pace took a heavy toll and he dropped back down the field. Regaining his form on the final lap, Sean closed in again on the leaders but the finish line came too soon and he was unable to overtake third placed John Shine at the end, settling for fourth place. 

Clonliffe Harriers hosted the national inter-clubs cross country championships today on a well-prepared dry course in Santry Demesne. The junior women's race saw a great head-to-head battle between Linda Byrne of DSD and Roseanne Galligan from Newbridge. Byrne took the race out from the start and gradually dropped all of her pursuer's but for Galligan who drew alongside the Dublin girl on the final lap (left). With just 200m to go, Galligan dipped into her reserves of track speed to sprint away from Byrne and lift her first junior inter-club title (right). Shercock interest in Santry was centred on the junior men's race where Sean Smith led the first team from the club to compete in the competition. Sean went out strongly at the start in the company of race leader Danny Darcy, however the early pace took its toll and as the 8km race entered the second of four laps Sean dropped away from the leaders, slipped down the field and finally finished a disappointing fourteenth. Noel Carroll fought a dogged battle in the middle of the pack and finished well in 26th place as the second Shercock man home. James Muldoon kept up a steady pace throughout the race, moving from the back of the field up to 41st at the finish. Luke O'Brien, who only recently joined the club from Drumlin Harriers, put in a solid effort to finish not far behind James in 44th position. The junior team title was won by Dundrum South Dublin AC who packed strongly behind sixth-placed Brendan O'Neill to hold off the challenge of local favourites Raheny Shamrocks, who finished second. Winner Danny Darcy helped the team cause of St. Lawrence O'Toole's who secured the bronze medals while a strong team effort by Glaslough Harriers saw them take fourth place ahead of hosts Clonliffe Harriers. The Shercock team were next in line in sixth place, a solid result for the first-timers.

Michael Muldoon contested the Irish University Mountain Running Championships which were held on Djouce mountain in Wicklow at the weekend. Covering the 10.5km course in 52:27, Michael produced a great effort to finish in 6th place and combined with UCD team mates Keith Daly and Hugo Leeney to win the team title ahead of NUI Galway and NCAD. The race was organised by the Irish Mountain Running Association and was run together with an IMRA league event in which Michael finished in eleventh place overall.

At the Celtic International cross country in Cardiff today Sean Smith shared in the overall success of the Irish squad which saw them lift five out of the six available team titles. Sean was competing in the junior men's 8km event in his first competitive test since taking a training break over the Christmas holidays. Irish team mate Danny Darcy produced a characteristic determined effort to finish strongly in second place despite the effects of a recent 'flu while Michael Clohissey showed that he will be in the reckoning for the medals at the Inter-clubs in February as he came home not far behind Darcy in third place. Sean ran most of the race in the company of Welsh pairing Lee Ladd and Wynne Evans who broke away from him in the closing stages leaving him in seventh place overall at the finish. In a familiar story on the day the Irish junior men's team were comfortable winners of the Celtic team title.  There was further Cavan interest in the girls under 17 Reebok Challenge event when Ballyjamesduff native Roseanne Galligan produced another effort out of the top drawer to take the lead on the second lap and run on strongly for a comprehensive victory. 

Some of the clubs younger members were in action at the weekend at the AAI inter county relays in Athlone. Celine Clerkin (left) shared in the success of the Cavan under 12 team which finished in the bronze medal position. Celine took the baton in sixth place on the second 500m leg and produced a great run to move up into third at the change, a position which her team mates held to the finish. Kieran McDermott (below right) was the final runner for Cavan in the under 14 competition, however by the time he received the baton the team was well out of contention and had to settle for 5th place at the finish. Shercock was also represented in the AAI B cross country championships which also took place in Athlone. Fiona Murray produced a good run to finish just outside the medals in fourth place in the under 17 1500m. Kevin Ruxton had a fast finish in the under 15 2000m, overtaking ten runners in the closing stages to finish 22nd. Barbara Ward was the club's best finisher in the under 11 800m in 35th position while team mates Maria Donnery and Darina Fitzpatrick were further back. The Shercock trio of Daniel Muldoon, Colin Clerkin and Stephen Donnery enjoyed the under 13 1200m, finishing together in the eighties. Cavan Relay Teams: U12 Girls: Celine Clerkin, Orla Smith, Geraldine Sheridan, Aideen O'Reilly. U14 Boys: Cian O'Reilly, Kieran McDermott, Brian Grogan, Samuel Brady.