Masters steal the show at GloHealth Cross Country spectacle

24 January 2015; A general view of competitors during the start of the Men’s Master 7000m race. The GloHealth National Master, Intermediate, Juvenile B & Juvenile Inter County Relay. Dundalk IT, Dundalk, Co. Louth. Picture credit: Tomás Greally / SPORTSFILE

Masters steal the show at GloHealth Cross Country spectacle

A big race card saw the Masters steal the show at the GloHealth Intermediate, Masters, Juvenile B and Inter County Relays in Dundalk IT today (January 24).

It was the proverbial human river in the Masters races with Declan Reed M40 (City of Derry Spartans) first across the line in the men’s and Anna Sadowska F35 (Civil Service) the first woman home ahead of evergreen Pauline Curley F45 (Tullamore Harriers).

In the intermediate races Marie Hyland (Crusaders) clawed her way back to a comfortable victory in the women’s 5km race while Cian O’Reilly (Annalee) triumphed in the men’s 8km.

Catherine Whoriskey (City of Derry Spartans) rocketed into the lead from the gun setting a blistering pace and looked set to leave the field in her wake but the fast early pace caught up with her and Hyland closed the gap before pushing on to an impressive victory in 18:56. Catherina Mullen (Shercock) paced her race perfectly to come through and usurp Whoriskey for the silver in 19:11 with the daring Derry runner having to settle for third in 19:15.

O’Reilly seizes the moment to take Intermediate crown

Cian O’Reilly (Annalee)seized the opportunity to take the men’s intermediate 8km race in 27:00 ahead of Thomas Moran (Dunshaughlin) who was second in 27:20 and Mark McKinstry (North Belfast Harriers) who got up for third in 27:22.

Juveniles get the day off to an energetic start

The Juvenile B Championships got the day off to an energetic start with U11s Eoghan McFarland (Oriel AC) and Erin Leavy (Dunleer) winning the opening races. Matthew Holland (Gowran) and Ava O’Connor (Emo/Rath AC) won the U13 races with Cormac Canning (Drogheda & District) and Ailbhe Morgan (Sligo) winning the U15s while Adam Phillips (Swinford) and Caoimhe Harvey (St John’s) wrapped up the individual titles in the U17 races.

In the Inter County Relays Cavan won the U12 boys, Meath won the U12 Girls with Donegal winning on the double in the U14s.

Morland sets national junior, U23 and senior pentathlon record

Elizabeth Morland (Cushinstown) became the first woman to surpass 4,000 points for the pentathlon when she won the junior women’s Combined Events Championships in Athlone with 4043 points.

Ciarán Ó Lionáird (Leevale) had an encouraging opener in the United States finishing fourth over 1500m in 3:41.41 on Friday night.

Results

GloHealth Intermediate Cross Country Championships, Dundalk IT

Intermediate Women 5km

1. M. Hyland (Crusaders) 2. C. Mullen (Shercock) 3. C. Whoriskey (City of Derry Spartans)

Intermediate Men 8km

1. C.O’Reilly (Annalee) 2. T. Moran (Dunshaughlin) 3. M. McKinstry (North Belfast Harriers)

Full report and results on Athletics Ireland HERE