The rally track in Latton provided an ideal venue for the 2003 county road championships on March 30th. Credit is due to host club Cootehill AC for the initiative to use the closed road circuit for the event, providing a safe, traffic-free environment for the hundreds of athletes and spectators who turned out to support the competition. Under perfect race conditions the county’s top juvenile and senior distance runners put on a great display of competitive running with each of the county’s seven athletic clubs enjoying a measure of success across the wide range of distances and age-groups involved.
Senior Men
The first race on the card was the senior men’s 10km in which 17 athletes took to the line. The battle for the title was a close fought affair between Shercock’s Michael Muldoon and Laragh’s Martin Fulton. Fulton started the race as favourite and by the half-way stage had opened up a 30m gap on Muldoon while a group of three athletes – Bailieborough’s Briain and Noel O’Dowd and Shercock’s Noel Carroll – contested third place some distance behind. Over the last two kilometres Fulton began to tire and Muldoon closed the gap so that the two ran side by side for much of the final lap. With 100m to go Muldoon sprinted for the line, crossing just ahead of Fulton to take his first county senior title. The battle for third place also came down to a sprint finish between Briain O’Dowd and Noel Carroll, with O’Dowd reaching the line first. Shercock were comfortable winners of the team title due to the efforts of Albert Eakins, Eamonn Gargan and Noel Ruxton. Bailieborough were the surprise team silver medallists ahead of Laragh thanks largely to the efforts of the two O’Dowds who finished in the top five.
Senior Ladies
Twelve athletes lined up for the start of the ladies 2km event with county cross country champion Louise Reilly the firm favourite to take the title. O’Reilly hit her pace right from the gun and never looked troubled as she ran out a clear winner over Annalee team mate Agnes Cosgrove. Bailieborough’s Karen Donnellan and Tina Kangley battled it out for the bronze medal with Donnellan reaching the line first on this occasion. Their efforts helped secure the team title for Bailieborough with Innyvale in second place.
Juvenile Races
The programme of championship races for juveniles covered the under 11 to under 17 age groups and provided some outstanding spectacles as the county’s young athletes chased title glory. Shercock’s Celine Clerkin came from behind to overtake Innyvale’s Sinead Gaffney in the final straight and win the title in the under 11 girls event. Conor Moynagh from Cootehill never looked troubled as he led from start to finish in the boy’s race. The under 13 age group saw a commanding run by Shercock’s Derrice McPhillips who finished well clear of the chasing pack to lift the title. The boy’s race saw national indoor medallist Cian O’Reilly from Annalee come from behind to take the lead at the halfway stage and run out a convincing winner at the finish line. The under 15 girls race was dominated by Innyvale athletes with the gold medal going to Sheana Kiernan ahead of team mates Andrea McPhillips and Patrice Cahill. Bailieborough’s Shane Donnellan was a convincing winner of the boys event, holding off a late challenge from the fast-finishing Gerard O’Reilly from Shercock. Fiona Murray from Cootehill headed a large field in the girls under 17 age group and ran out a convincing winner ahead of Annalee’s Aisling Reilly. The boys’ race saw Annalee’s Fionnan O’Reilly lead for the opening kilometre before dropping out of contention on the second lap as Shercock brothers James and Peter Muldoon took the lead and saw off all challengers to lead a clean sweep of the top four positions by the Shercock club.
McCormack Cup
The overall championship was won for the sixth time in succession by Shercock athletic club. In a repeat of the 2002 result Innyvale finished in the runner-up position with newcomers Annalee third and the improving Bailieborough club fourth. Host club Cootehill finished fifth ahead of Laragh and Team P Elliott.
Results:
Senior Ladies
1. Louise Reilly Annalee
2. Agnes Cosgrove Annalee
3. Karen Donnellan Bailieborough
Teams: 1. Bailieborough 2. Innyvale
Senior Men
1. Michael Muldoon Shercock
2. Martin Fulton Laragh
3. Briain O’Dowd Bailieborough
Teams: 1. Shercock 2. Bailieborough 3. Innyvale
Girls under 11
1. Celine Clerkin Shercock
2. Sinead Gaffney Innyvale
3. Caoimhe Galligan Innyvale
Teams: 1. Innyvale 2. Shercock 3. Bailieborough
Boys under 11
1. Conor Moynagh Cootehill
2. Declan Gaffney Innyvale
3. Francis Moore Annalee
Teams: 1. Innyvale 2. Shercock 3. Annalee
Girls under 13
1. Derrice McPhillips Shercock
2. Mary Argue Bailieborough
3. Danika McIntyre Bailieborough
Teams: 1. Bailieborough 2. Shercock 3. Innyvale
Boys under 13
1. Cian O’Reilly Annalee
2. Christopher O’Reilly Annalee
3. Niall Comey Bailieborough
Teams: 1. Annalee 2. Shercock 3. Bailieborough
Girls under 15
1. Sheana Kiernan Innyvale
2. Andrea McPhillips Innyvale
3. Aileen Gaffney Innyvale
Teams: 1. Innyvale A 2. Innyvale B 3. Shercock
Boys under 15
1. Shane Donnellan Bailieborough
2. Gerard O’Reilly Shercock
3. Colm Smith Shercock
Teams: 1. Shercock 2. Innyvale 3. Annalee
Girls under 17
1. Fiona Murray Cootehill
2. Aisling O’Reilly Annalee
3. Caroline Mullen Cootehill
Teams: 1. Annalee 2. Innyvale
Boys under 17
1. James Muldoon Shercock
2. Peter Muldoon Shercock
3. Edward McDermott Shercock
Teams: 1. Shercock