Clean Sweep for Finn Valley at Ulster Senior Cross Country Championships

Finn Valley had a very successful Ulster Cross Country Championships on Sunday last. The Ulster Senior and Masters Championships were held at the Finn Valley Centre and there was certainly plenty to cheer about for the home club.

Catriona McGranaghan had a great run in the senior women's race pulling away in the last lap after a ding-dong battle with club-mate Noleen Porter and Letterkenny's Helena Crossan. This was an encouraging run from Catriona who had been disappointed in her last few races and she is now looking forward to the European Champions Cup on the 5th February in Mantova, Italy and to the National Senior Championships on the 19th February. Noeleen Porter 2nd, was also very happy with her first race since November after struggling with injury. Kay Byrne also to the front with a good run in 5th place and Teresa McGloin 9th was enough to secure the Ulster title once again with 17 points, Letterkenny 2nd on 22 points and Killybegs in 3rd position.

Charlie Gallagher was our leading runner in the men's championships finishing in 2nd position behind Letterkenny's Pauric McKinney with 44 year-old Dominic Bonner having yet another great run finishing 3rd. The Ulster team title was secure with great back up from Kevin Holian 6th, Pat Hegarty 8th, Frank Chaney 9th, Kieran Carlin 13th and Martin Bonner 16th. Finn Valley won on 19 points, Letterkenny 2nd on 23 points and Cranford 3rd on 36 points.

Rosemary Bogle was back in top form winning the Ulster women's masters title and indeed leading her team of Nancy McNamee, 2nd also running very well this season and Noreen Bonner who donned a pair of spikes for the first time in 14 years returning to racing and securing the 3rd individual position, to victory.

Not to be outdone Joe Brennan won the men's Ulster masters title with another 1,2,3 for Finn Valley with Gerard Bogle 2nd and Bernard McCabe 3rd. Finn Valley won the Team Title here also with great back-up from Drew Doherty in 5th position. Finn Valley 1st, Cranford 2nd and Tir Conaill 3rd.

Many thanks to Peadar McGranaghan and his team of volunteers who set up a great course.

National Indoor Masters Championships

Congratulations to Ann McGill who won the Gold medal in the National Masters Championships in Nenagh in the 1500m Walk and also to James Gibbons who won the Silver medal in the men's walk.

National Juvenile Cross-Country Relays -- County Trials

The trials for the National U12 and U14 Cross-Country Relays were also held on Sunday at the Finn Valley Centre with many of our athletes making the County teams. Mark Bonner and Ryan McNulty have been selected on the U12 boys team, Aoife Gallagher on the U12 Girls team, Daniel McLaughlin and Pauric McLaughlin on the U14 Boys team and Niamh Doherty led a 1,2,3,4 in the U14 girls with Niamh 1st, Eilish Patton 2nd, Karen Ferguson 3rd and Gemma Vance 4th. We wish them all the best of luck in Athlone this weekend.

Winter Track & Field Meet

On Saturday Finn Valley hosted the 2nd round of the Winter Track & Field meetings with great success for our athletes.

Conor Reid had a very good throw in the U13 javelin taking first place with a throw of 17.04m.

In the U15 Boys Gavin Carlin had a busy day winning the High Jump and equalling his p.b. of 1.50m, winning the shot (4K) 9.67m, also 1st in the Long Jump 4.54m, 2nd in the 60mHurdles and joint 2nd in the 60m. This will give Gavin great confidence for both the Scottish Indoors individual events on the 5th February and the Scottish Combined Events the following weekend. Aaron McMenamin who was competing out of his age group also had a very successful day and was delighted with a new p.b. of 1.38m in the High Jump to take 2nd place, 2nd also in the Long Jump 3.95m, 3rd in the Javelin. Aaron is targeting the U14 Irish Combined Events on the 29th January and he should do very well. Matthew Kelly also out of his age group is looking in good form placing 1st in the javelin 28.00m and 2nd in U15 Shot (4k) 7.70m. Cormac Gallen's hard winters training is paying off with 2nd place in the javelin (23.49m) and with a new p.b. in the shot in 3rd place with 6.61m. Christopher O'Leary had a strong run in the U15 400m taking the silver medal. Paul Doherty was 2nd in the 60m and 3rd in the 60m Hurdles where he looked particularly impressive in a very high-class race.

In the Over-15 Boys competition Stewart McClean showed his talent and versatility winning four gold medals, a silver and a bronze. Stewart won the High Jump with 1.56m, the Long Jump with 4.82m, the 60m and his strongest event the 400m in an excellent 54.2 in very bad weather conditions. Stewart was also 2nd in the Javelin (28.46m) and 3rd in the Shot (5K) 9.86m. Kieran O'Grady who had earlier in the day been part of a winning rugby team won the shot putt with an excellent 12.00m throw. Kieran was also 3rd in the Javelin with 26.97m. Shane McCool also did very well taking 2nd place in the Long Jump (4.16m) and Brendan Alexander took 2nd place in the 400m.

In the girls section our High Jumpers were very much to the fore with Aileen Brennan and Jodie Stewart both clearing 1.35m with Aileen taking 1st place on countback. Jodie and Aileen both preparing for the National Combined events competed very well throughout the day with Jodie 2nd in the shot (3K) 7.55m and Aileen 3rd (7.11), Jodie also won the Long Jump (4.24m) whilst Aileen won the Javelin (18.10m) with Jodie 2nd (17.35m). Both girls ran extremely well in the 60m hurdles with Jodie 1st and Aileen 2nd

Donna McBride held on well in the U15 400m to take 3rd place. Laura Friel won the over 15 High Jump (1.35m) with Geraldine Kelly 2nd also clearing 1.35m. Geraldine also won the 60m and the Long Jump (4.53m). Laura Feely U15 is also looking good with an excellent putt of 7.66m with a 4K shot. Laura Reid also had a very successful day winning the Over 15 Javelin (23.54m), the shot putt (4k) 5.56m and the 400m. Ciara Gallen also doing very well 2nd in the shot (5.20m), 2nd in the long jump, 2nd in the javelin (18.52m) and 3rd in the 60m.

Get Well Soon

Best wishes for a speedy and full recovery to Mark McGlinchey who is recovering from illness in Sligo Hospital.

Next Weekend

Kieran McConnell competes in the Cardiff Indoor International on the Irish Junior Team in the Shot Putt. We wish him well.

Our juvenile athletes head to Athlone to compete in the National Cross-Country Relays.

Newsletters by Bernie Alcorn, Club P.R.O.