Sean Connolly guaranteed his place on the Irish team for the European Cross Country Championships after a fine display of running in the Inter Counties Cross Country Championships on a rain swept and blustery day in Kilbeggan last Sunday week. The National 10k Road Race Champion showed he is equally effective over the country after he posted 30.08 when finishing second behind Andrew Ledwith on the undulating course, which was made even more challenging by the many hundreds of runners who had in the preceding 11 races churned up the ground making underfoot conditions more testing, and by the heavy showers and blustery cold winds which further tested the athletes strength and courage.
Throughout the first 3 laps Sean was involved with the main contenders at the head of the large field of athletes, sharing the lead until Ledwith made his move with two laps remaining, but our recently awarded “Tallaght Senior athlete of the Year” was content to vie for the second automatic placing, staying on the shoulder of his closest rival, Clonliffe athlete Mark Kennealy, where he stayed until they met final uphill drag to the finish from which he sprinted, creating a 4 second gap over the last 150m on a gallant Keneally to take the silver medal and his worthy place on the Irish team. There’s no doubting Sean’s desire and will to be amongst the leading Irish contenders in the quest for medal honours at Santry. Give Sean and the rest of the Irish teams your support on the 13th December at Santry. An opportunity of a lifetime, not to be missed!
Also at Kilbeggan Conor Murray and Evan Flynn helped the Dublin team to Inter County team silver, after they were the second and third Dublin runners to cross the finishing line in the U14 boy’s race, whilst Sean Connolly’s younger brother Brian helped the Dublin team secure the Inter County gold medals. Tomas Fitzpatrick finished a very creditable 25th in the Senior race after he gradually made his way through the field and Roisin O’ Hanlon finished in a similar position in the U18 girls, whilst Sean Mc Cabe stepping conceding a year ran well in the U16 contest as did Jade Johnston and Kayleigh Clarke in their U14 and U12 respective contests.
Some of our juveniles and senior runners will again be challenging for National medals when they contest the Juvenile uneven age and novice Championships in Coleraine on Sunday next.
