National Senior Cross-Country Championships

Our Senior Women's team competed in the National Inter-Club Cross Country Championships in Santry last weekend and were very disappointed to finish out of the medals for the first time since 1989. Noeleen Porter 11th and Catriona McGranaghan 12th both ran well but Kay Byrne 25th would be disappointed with her race, running below her best and Clodagh McCool 30th just back from injury found the going tough. Their coach Neil Martin however stressed that this team still has the ability to bounce back for the National Short-Course Championships which will be held in Rathfarnham on the 6th March. Indeed he is confident that both our men's and momen's Teams will be fighting for medals.

Teresa Mc Gloin ran well in the Intermediate women's race finishing 24th and Frank Chaney ran well in the Intermediate men's race to finish 65th.

Many thanks to all the supporters who travelled.

Gary Murray

Many, many congratulations to Gary Murray for his magnificent victory in the men's senior race, this is the first time a Donegal man has won this race since Cyril O'Boyle back in 1951. Gary's victory was well deserved both by him and his parents Anthony, his mentor and motivator over the years and Margaret for her great support to Gary through good times and bad. We wish Gary well as he leads the Irish Team in the World Cross Country Championships in France on the 19th--20th March.

Ulster Schools Cross-Country Championship

The Ulster Schools Cross-Country Championships were held in Mallusk last Wednesday with many of our club athletes involved representing their various schools.

Karen Ferguson had a terrific run in the minor girls race finishing in 5th position just 2 seconds off the bronze medal in a race that had 109 finishers.

Pauric McLaughlin was a member of the St. Eunans College, Letterkenny team that won the Junior Boys Team Title with a team score of 26 points and they certainly look like contenders for medals at the Irish Schools Finals in Dungarvan on the 5th March.

Breda McGinty, competing for St. Columba's Stranorlar was in 5th place in the Intermediate girls race and led her school team of Shauna Guthrie 17th, Maeve Culhane 39th and Fionnuala Bruton 49th to 2nd place in a very tight team battle with 8 points separating the first 3 teams.

Enda Doherty, running extremely well this season, was top scorer for his school St. Eunan's College, Letterkenny in 14th position leading his team to a 2nd place finish behind St. Malachy's of Belfast.

Nikki Alcorn had her best run of the season in the Senior Girls race finishing 15th and a scoring member of the excellent Loreto Letterkenny team led by Joanne English in 1st place and Ciara Ryan 7th giving them a team total of 23 points (the lowest team score of the day) ahead of Belfast Royal Academy on 30 points and Sullivan Upper on 72 points. This team has won the Irish Schools Junior Team Title on two occasions and the Intermediate title once so hopefully they will be in the shake up for medals in Dungarvan at Senior level in March.

Alan Cavanagh continues his good form this season finishing in 5th position in the Senior Boys race and will qualify for the Irish Schools finals as an individual with his school, St. Eunan's College, Letterkenny finishing in 7th place.

The club has had many individual Ulster Schools Champions over the years particularly in the girls section namely, Margaret Gallen -- Minor Girls 1975, Geraldine Gillespie, Junior Girls 1975, Intermediate Girls 1976 & 1977, Bernie Alcorn(McLoone) -- Intermediate Girls 1975, Camilla Rushe (Harron) -- Junior Girls 1981 and Intermediate Girls 1982, Belinda McArdle Intermediate Girls 1986 and 1987, Teresa Doherty -- Junior Girls 1991, Catriona McGranaghan -- Intermediate Girls 1990 and Senior Girls 1991 and Grainne O'Dea -- Senior Girls 1996. Manus O'Donnell was our only boys Champion when he won the Minor Boys in 1976.

Get Well Soon

Best Wishes from all at the club for a speedy recovery to Joe Brennan who is ill in hospital at the moment.

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