Munster u11-u19 & Intermediate Cross-Country championships
Date: 8/11/09
Togher athletes continued their outstanding Cross-Country season with some great individual and team performances at the Munster u11-u19 & Intermediate Cross-Country championships held at Tralee Racecourse today. The course was testing for the athletes with plenty of mud but was mainly flat.
First up was the u13 team racing over 1200m. These guys only took up the sport 8 weeks ago and what an impact they have made. Jack O Mahony led them home with a superb 5th place finish and he was ably assisted by Liam Harris 17th, Rory Casey 41st and Luke Varian 46th. The team finished a great 2nd with the Cork team 1st.
In the u15 2000m Eoin Bourke showed his class by powering his way to a 2nd place finish. This was a superb run from him as he came so close to winning. Billy Murphy continued his good form finishing 19th although he admitted afterwards to not feeling the best in the race. Behind him the team packed really well with John Durcan 21st, Alan Ring 22nd, Michael McLaughlin 27th and Gary McCarthy 28th. The team finished 2nd beaten by 6 points for the gold medals. Others to run well were Cillian Crowley, Jamie O Connell and Brendan Couch.
Ian Hartnett made his intentions clear from the gun taking out a strong pace in their 4000m race. He was accompanied by teammate Patrick Coleman and Irish Internationals Christy O Brien Thurles and Sean Tobin Clonmel. Ian who only took up running a year ago has made incredible strides and running out of his age he came a superb 3rd. Patrick, last years winner came 4th, feeling a bit unwell throughout and will no doubt bounce back in the coming weeks. Behind them the team was packing superbly with Mark Seacy having a storming run for 8th and Emmet Bracken continuing his outstanding season coming 10th racing out of his age. Cullen Lynch was 15th and other great runs came from Jamie Sullivan 24th, Ian Tobin 25th, John Dorgan 26th and Andrew O Keeffe 28th. The "A" team easily won the team title with the "B" team finishing 4th.
The boy’s u19 5000m race turned into a 3 man battle between Toghers Peter Hanrahan, Ennis Tracks Liam Markham and Dooneens Cathal O Connor. Liam and Cathal are two of Irelands finest young distance runners. Peter ran along side them throughout and finished strong to take 2nd place narrowly behind winner Cathal O Connor. Rob O Shea continued his fine progress coming 8th and with Brian Murray 10th, Alan O Brien 11th, Adam Kelleher 15th and Rob Long 17th the team easily won the team title.
Last race of the day was the intermediate mens 8000m race with the club led home by Eoin O Sullivan in a fine 2nd place. Kieran Ryan had a fine run to come 8th and the fast improving Donal Coakley a superb 13th. The team was completed with Patrick Murphy 18th and Shane Coffey 19th. Togher easily took the team gold here.
All in all a great day for the club and preparations continue for the All-Ireland championships in 2 weeks time where the club will have an u14 team, u16 team, two u18 teams and some junior & senior athletes in action.
Photos
Togher athletes continued their outstanding Cross-Country season with some great individual and team performances at the Munster u11-u19 & Intermediate Cross-Country championships held at Tralee Racecourse today. The course was testing for the athletes with plenty of mud but was mainly flat.
First up was the u13 team racing over 1200m. These guys only took up the sport 8 weeks ago and what an impact they have made. Jack O Mahony led them home with a superb 5th place finish and he was ably assisted by Liam Harris 17th, Rory Casey 41st and Luke Varian 46th. The team finished a great 2nd with the Cork team 1st.
In the u15 2000m Eoin Bourke showed his class by powering his way to a 2nd place finish. This was a superb run from him as he came so close to winning. Billy Murphy continued his good form finishing 19th although he admitted afterwards to not feeling the best in the race. Behind him the team packed really well with John Durcan 21st, Alan Ring 22nd, Michael McLaughlin 27th and Gary McCarthy 28th. The team finished 2nd beaten by 6 points for the gold medals. Others to run well were Cillian Crowley, Jamie O Connell and Brendan Couch.
Ian Hartnett made his intentions clear from the gun taking out a strong pace in their 4000m race. He was accompanied by teammate Patrick Coleman and Irish Internationals Christy O Brien Thurles and Sean Tobin Clonmel. Ian who only took up running a year ago has made incredible strides and running out of his age he came a superb 3rd. Patrick, last years winner came 4th, feeling a bit unwell throughout and will no doubt bounce back in the coming weeks. Behind them the team was packing superbly with Mark Seacy having a storming run for 8th and Emmet Bracken continuing his outstanding season coming 10th racing out of his age. Cullen Lynch was 15th and other great runs came from Jamie Sullivan 24th, Ian Tobin 25th, John Dorgan 26th and Andrew O Keeffe 28th. The "A" team easily won the team title with the "B" team finishing 4th.
The boy’s u19 5000m race turned into a 3 man battle between Toghers Peter Hanrahan, Ennis Tracks Liam Markham and Dooneens Cathal O Connor. Liam and Cathal are two of Irelands finest young distance runners. Peter ran along side them throughout and finished strong to take 2nd place narrowly behind winner Cathal O Connor. Rob O Shea continued his fine progress coming 8th and with Brian Murray 10th, Alan O Brien 11th, Adam Kelleher 15th and Rob Long 17th the team easily won the team title.
Last race of the day was the intermediate mens 8000m race with the club led home by Eoin O Sullivan in a fine 2nd place. Kieran Ryan had a fine run to come 8th and the fast improving Donal Coakley a superb 13th. The team was completed with Patrick Murphy 18th and Shane Coffey 19th. Togher easily took the team gold here.
All in all a great day for the club and preparations continue for the All-Ireland championships in 2 weeks time where the club will have an u14 team, u16 team, two u18 teams and some junior & senior athletes in action.
Photos
