Leinster Intermediate & Masters XC 2026 (18th Jan)
The Leinster Intermediate & Masters Cross Country was held in Fenagh, Co. Carlow on Sunday afternoon 18th January. Set in the Carlow GAA Training Grounds, Athletics Carlow laid out an excellent course around the playing pitches. Any notions that it would be flat because it skirted the pitches were soon dispelled as it had some deceptive hilly stretches up steep embankments that provided some challenges but overall it was deemed a very fair course and a good test. Early morning fog burned off and the day was calm dry and sunny with very good underfoot conditions throughout the programmes of races.
The first race was the 4,000m for Master Women & o/65 Masters Men. Mullingar had teams in both races, bolstered by some very good athletes from Athlone AC that joined Mullingar on the Westmeath teams. In the women’s race, the Mullingar women packed well, led home by Sharon O’Dowd finishing well up and winning bronze in her category. Next home and making her debut for Mullingar was Joanna Bula, followed by Claire Ross, Maura Dervin winning gold in her category, and Eva Ross in quick succession. They were followed in by Linda Cunningham, Caroline Mullen, Vera McCool fourth in her category, just missing a medal, then Ciara Dillon, Terri Greene, Brigid McCabe and Pauline Troy all running hard to the finish. When the team results were calculated, Maura, Caroline and Vera were delighted to finish 3rd o/50 Club, and Maura added another team medal as she combined with Anna Marie O’Dowd and Triona Kinane (both Athlone AC) to place 2nd o/50 County. Not done yet, Maura added a fourth medal as Maura, Vera and Terri finished an excellent 1st o/60 County.
In the o/65 men race combined with the master women, the Mullingar men were led home by Sean McMullin, followed by Nicky McCabe and Paul McCool all putting in spirited performances. Sean and Nicky combined with Charles Lawn (Athlone AC) on the Westmeath team to finish 2nd o/65 County to add to the medal haul.
The 7,000m Masters Men race was next and after a really fine race by all the Mullingar men in an extremely competitive race, they were led home by Kevin Moore to finish a brilliant third overall, but winning gold in his category. He was followed in by Dan Morris who finished fourth in his category, narrowly missing an individual medal, then James Keegan, Kedagh Geoghegan, Alan Crowley, Steven Underwood, Eddie Lynch, winning bronze in his category, with Eddie Newman right on his heels. Next came Tom McGrath, then Philip Kipremoi Kiprono making his debut for Mullingar, and Paul Ginnell completed the big Mullingar squad. In the team results, there was little surprise that Kevin, Dan, James and Kedagh finished 2nd o/35 Club and 3rd o/35 County.
Orlaith Flanagan was our sole entrant in the Intermediate Women 5,000m race, which got off to a very fast start, as expected. Orlaith kept with the leading group and battled well throughout and though unable to keep with the eventual medal winners, came home strong to finish an excellent sixth place in a fine performance.
In the final race of the day, the Intermediate Men 8,000m, Mullingar was looking to retain the team title they won last year. Jack Moran went out hard with the leaders, with the rest of the Mullingar team also starting fast and settling into their rhythm. Jack kept in contention for honours from the off, staying up with the small leading group, as Kris Foster and Ian McCormack kept in the chasing pack. As the race progressed, the lead group began to split and the eventual race winner pulled clear but Jack never let up and made a determined push in the closing stages of the final lap to move into second place and ran in hard to take the silver medal. With brilliant support running and team packing by Kris, Ian, Mark Ronan, and Conleth Mullen battling all the way to the finish, the team finished 2nd Club, not the win they hoped for, but a great result all the same and this rounded off an excellent medal-filled afternoon for Mullingar in the bright Carlow sunshine [GD].
