County Senior Cross Country

Senior County Cross Country

Once again, the Senior County event showcased high level competition, strong individual and team performances and excellent sportsmanship from all athletes who competed. Thomastown AC hosted a great morning, with a well laid out 2.5km course in castle field featuring a steep climb, fast flat sections and undulating grassy hills for the athletes to contend with. Leading up to the day Kilkenny City Harriers were just ahead of St. Joseph’s with 4 points separating the two clubs going into the last two events of the overall Cross Country Cup competition. The Ladies 6km race was the first race off at midday with 13 athletes from four clubs all competing. It was St. Senan’s Adele Walsh fresh from her Master’s International bronze medal win only a few weeks back who stormed to victory in first place in the 6000m race. Orla McPhilips of Kilkenny City Harriers was the 2^nd lady home and first scorer on the KCH winning team too. Thomastown’s Joanne Fitzparick was the 3^rd lady home in the Ladies competition. Kilkenny City Harriers won the Ladies Cross Country Cup, with Orla, Hazel Coogan, Jill Kavanagh and Oonagh Guilfoyle all scoring on the team. St. Joseph’s team of Caoimhe Barry, Elaine O’Donovan, Maria Griffin and Helen Hoyne won the silver team event.

The Senior Men’s race is one that is highly competitive in both the individual and team competition. Ger Forde of Kilkenny City Harriers had another outstanding run in the Men’s 7500m race today. Forde looked comfortable from the very start and led the whole way with great distance between him and his fellow competitors to clinch the Senior title again this year and 1^st scorer in the team event with KCH winning the Men’s Cross Country Shield also. James Kelly of Castlecomer and Joe Keohane of Gowran were the chasers of Forde with Kelly taking the lead from Keohane coming back into the lower field on the last lap to take 2^nd. Keohane finished strong for Gowran and was the 1^st scorer for Gowran who took the silver in the team event. Eamonn O’Connor, Paddy Kelly and John Behan were the scorers on the Kilkenny City Harriers team along with Forde. For Gowran Sean Morrissey, Cormac Buggy and Martin Desgrandchamps made up the silver medal winning team. Thomastown won bronze team with Michael O’Shea, Neil Shanahan, Tadhg Ryan and Paul Moran all scoring. Next up for these great athletes will be the Leinster Intermediate and Master Cross Country that is scheduled for the 17^th January next year. Congratulations to all who ran today with full list of results below:      

Senior Ladies

1^st Adele Walsh St. Senan’s

2^nd Orla McPhilips KCH

3^rd Joanne Fitzpatrick Thomastown

4^th Hazel Coogan KCH

5^th Caoimhe Barry St. Joseph’s

6^th Elaine O’Donovan Thomastown

7^th Maria Griffin St. Joseph’s

8^th Jill Kavanagh KCH

9^th AnnMarie Donoghue Nuenna

10^th Oonagh Guilfoyle KCH

11^th Rhoda Griffin KCH

12^th Niamh O’Shea Thomastown

13^th Helen Hoyne St. Joseph’s

Senior Men

1^st Ger Forde KCH

2^nd James Kelly Castlecomer

3^rd Joe Keohane Gowran

4^th Eamonn O’Connor KCH

5^th Michael O’Shea Thomastown

6^th Paddy Kelly KCH

7^th John Behan KCH

8^th Sean Morrissey Gowran

9^th Dean Rowe KCH

10^th Cormac Buggy Gowran

11^th Martin Desgrandchamps Gowran

12^th Neil Shanahan Thomastown

13^th Matthew Holland Gowran

14^th Colm Smyth KCH

15^th Tadgh Ryan Thomastown

16^th John Coady Gowran

17^th Evan Alyward St. Senan’s

18^th Padraig Ruane KCH

19^th Paddy O’Keeffe Gowran

20^th Johan Muller Gowran

21^st Paddy Aylward St. Senan’s

22^nd Graham Bourne KCH

23^rd Paul Moran Thomastown

24^th Danny Shanahan Thomastown

25^th Dale Kennedy Thomastown

26^th Peter Barry St. Joseph’s

27^th James O’Reilly Gowran

29^th Len Galvin St. Senan’s

30^th Lyndon Barcoe Gowran

31^st Stan Keyes Thomastown

32^nd Naoise Dempsey Thomastown

Men’s Team A

1^st Kilkenny City Harriers

2^nd Gowran

3^rd Thomastown

Men’s Team B

Thomastown