Week ending Saturday 29th November
Cormac & Jack qualify for Euro Cross Country
The Senior Men 7,500m was the final race of the day at the National Senior and Juvenile Even Ages Cross Country at the Templemore Sports Complex in Derry last Sunday, expertly hosted by City of Derry Spartans AC who left no stone unturned in setting up a memorable event for everyone; if only the weather had behaved! Cormac Dalton and Jack O’Leary capped off the day for Mullingar by securing their places on the Irish team to compete at the European Cross Country in Portugal in December. On paper they were pre-race certainties to make the team, but there is nothing really sure
in cross country and it took two very strong performances to see Cormac finish third and Jack in fourth after a really thrilling race. Cormac and Jack were always to the fore from the start and negotiating the sticky muddy course with great determination, and as the laps counted down, they were part of a small leading group and it was only in the closing stages of the final lap that the medal places really began to emerge, with Cormac caught up in a furious sprint finish over the final 200m to cross the line third, followed closely by Jack in fourth to secure their places on the Irish team.
However, the action didn’t stop there and with Jamie Battle making up good ground in the closing stages to finish fast in a brilliant eleventh place, all eyes were on Mullingar’s fourth man, Vinny Connolly, who absolutely emptied the tank with a typical no-holds barred all-out effort to literally collapse over the line, ensuring that the Mullingar men placed second Club and secure their places in next year’s European Club Cross Country Championships, which was a pre-race ambition for the team. Thanks to terrific support and team packing by John Ryan, Diarmuid Fagan, Ross Killalea, Kevin Moore, Timmy Murphy, Andy Nevin, Ian McCormack and Conleth Mullen, the men finished third County too, which was a real medal bonus for the team.
However, long before the senior men took to the line, the juvenile programme started with the u/12 girls 2,000m. The Mullingar team was led home by Helen McGrath in a fine twelfth place to win an individual medal. Running in strong behind Helen came Maisie Walsh, Caitlin McCormack, Caitlin Doyle and Aoibheann Lynam but unfortunately the girls finished out of the team medal places. Helen was also the second girl to finish on the Leinster team in the Inter-Provincial competition, but unfortunately Leinster finished out of the medal places. Donagh Bourke led the Mullingar team home in the u/12 boys 2,000m. With Mel Bohan right on his heels and with good support from Olly Wright, Huw Keaveney. Senan Clinton, Killian Hardman and Emmet Walsh the boys finished 7th Club, out of the medals, but a very creditable finish in a National final. Jacob Buckley took a fall during the race, which knocked him completely off his race and he was unable to finish, so we wish him a speedy recovery. Donagh also scored on the Leinster team but that team was unlucky to finish out of the medals too.
Illness and absence absolutely destroyed any real prospect of success for the Mullingar team in the u/14 boys 3,000m but top marks for effort by Daniel Cummins, Harry Flanagan, Adam O’Donoghue, John McManus and Rian Gavin who gave it their all in rapidly deteriorating conditions of wind and rain. There was no luck for Daniel with the Leinster team either as they finished out of the medals too.
Lily Walsh was our sole representative in the u/16 girls 4,000m where the course had really begun to break up due to the heavy on and off rain giving long stretches of soft sticky mud which was very difficult to run through. Lily is made of stern stuff though and while she didn’t enjoy the muddy conditions still put in a really good performance to finish fifth, winning an individual medal, a silver medal with the Leinster team too, but the icing on the cake was a place on the Irish team to compete in the u/17 Celtic Cross Country in London next February. We knew Mullingar had a very good team in the u/16 boys 4,000m and they certainly didn’t disappoint. Keeping in contention and running hard to the finish and fifth place was Cillian Galvin. He was followed home by Oisin Clarke, who was sick all week, Daniel Horohoe, who’s improving week-on-week, Antonio Bertolo, Morgan Isdell, Cormac McGrath, Evan Nohilly and Robert Whelan all putting in the hard yards for the team, working through the tough conditions, and rewarded for their efforts with silver medals for second Club. The team also finished fourth County, just outside the medals. Cillian and Oisin also scored on the Leinster team but the team finished out of the medals. Scott Cogan had a bad fall during the race and was taken to the medical tent for a while for observation as a precaution but happily he seemed to recover alright, so we wish him well. As with Lilly Walsh after her race, a bonus for Cillian was a place on the Irish team to compete in the u/17 Celtic Cross Country in London next February too.
By the time the programme reached the u/18 and u/20 women 4,500m, the course was like a swamp in places and underfoot conditions were really difficult. Aimee Wallace (u/20) had hopes of a place on the Irish u/20 team at the European Cross Country but those hopes were cruelly dashed as she crossed the finish line in fifth place, leaving her only a very slim chance at best of selection. This was despite having a really good race and it was only in the closing stages that the gaps began to widen at the front and despite Aimee’s best efforts she just couldn’t get back on terms; a huge disappointment for such a talented athlete. Running in hard behind Aimee came Grace Byrne (u/20), Ailbhe O’Farrell (u/20), Jessica Cunningham (u/20), Blathnaid Peters (u/18), Lydia McDonnell (u/18) and Emma Lagan (u/18) to place the Mullingar women a terrific fourth u/20 Club, out of the medal places but a great team effort. Jamie Wallace (u/20) had the signal honour of leading the Mullingar team home in the u/18 and u/20 men 4,500m with a really good tenth place finish in really tough conditions. With great support from Donagh Carey (u/20), Conor Walsh (u/18), Matthew Molloy (u/18) and Oisin Kehoe (u/18) the team place a very creditable 7th u/20 Club. Unfortunately, despite entering a full team of six, with illness and absence, we hadn’t enough u/18 boys to make up a team. An upside for Conor Walsh though was that he won a silver medal with the Leinster u/18 team, so didn’t go home empty handed.
Another Mullingar athlete with European Cross Country ambitions was Claire Fagan, who contested the Senior women 7,500m. Working hard all the way, Claire just couldn’t quite get on terms with the leading group and had to settle for a ninth place finish, not what she hoped for but cross country takes no prisoners unfortunately. With Elizabeth Carr, Sinead Whitelaw and Orlaith Flanagan battling hard all the way to the finish, the Mullingar women finished a very creditable 6th Club.
This brought us finally to the senior men 7,500m race where Cormac Dalton and Jack O’Leary secured their places on the Irish team at the European Cross Country, making this Cormac’s sixth consecutive appearance in a row, his fourth as a senior, and Jack’s welcome return to Euro Cross, his last time being back in 2019. These stellar performances taken together with Club and County medals for the senior men, and qualification for the European Club Cross Country next year, top 12 finishes for Helen McGrath, Lily Walsh, Cillian Galvin, Celtic Cross Country selection for Lily Walsh and Cillian Galvin, and team silver for our u/16 boys team, the Mullingar athletes and supporters left Derry on a high for the long journey home.
We won’t forget today’s conditions too soon! It rained a lot, it was really windy, it was bitterly cold, puddles everywhere, mud where there wasn’t puddles, everything covered in muck. Well done to the athletes for racing in those conditions! [CW/GD].
50th Anniversary Celebration Gala
Continuing our 50 year celebrations, we’re holding a Celebration Gala Dinner on Saturday 29th November in the Bloomfield House Hotel where members and friends past and present will gather in celebration of 50 years since Mullingar Harriers AC was founded in December 1975. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased through the website. Don’t delay, buy your tickets now and join us in what promises to be a memorable evening of celebration.
Road Safety
The evenings are dark very early now, so all Club members must wear reflective clothing when running on the road. That includes all who use our Club grounds and who run from the Clubhouse on training nights. Remember, you might see the cars, but can the drivers see you? Safety is a must at all times.
Check the Club’s website at www.mullingarharriers.com or its Facebook page for all the latest news.
PRO
