Ward races to victory for Royal and Prior

Ian Ward brought his good current form to bear in Belfast and was a convincing Ulster senior schools champion beating the Belfast lad Doherty into 2nd.

Ian's form has been evident in training under coach Peader Mc Granaghan around the roads and fields of Finn Valley and he was a convincing winner.

Ian's younger talented sister Rebecca also like himself a student at Royal and Prior was beaten by 1 sec by Sullivan Upper athlete Katie Kirk in the junior girls. In spite of being beatern, this was a positive run by Rebecca as she engaged from the gun; this has been a weakness at times in her approach to racing. She will return to battle in Schools finals in a few weeks time.

There were other reasonable runsfrom Pauric McLaughlin, and Mark Bonner; Mark's cross country is complete as he targets indoor events.

AAI Cross-country Championships in Belfast

This weekend we have the national AAI senior and junior cross-country at Queen's, Belfast.

Valley have women's junior and senior team interest and Ian Ward in junior men where Mulhaire, Trimble, Flynn, Murphy, Tuohy are the main contenders in addition to himself. The Liscooley lad he needs a strong performance here . Congrats to Dennis Healy and his wife Mercedes on recent birth of new baby boy.

Sympathy

And on a sad note, sympathy is extended to Pat Gallen and his young family and indeed the extended Gallen family on the sudden death of Paula, Castlederg, laid to rest on Saturday last.

Paula had been unwell for a number of years but fought so valiently indeed herself and family regularly turned out for our annual Stephens' day charity 5k.

May she rest in peace.