O'Connor and Buckley win Offaly Cross Country titles

The Offaly Senior and Intermediate Cross Country Championships were held in Charleville Estate in Tullamore last Sunday. Following a night of heavy rain the course was very soft with pools of water in many places. However this did not deter the competitors and there was some good racing. The Senior Women's race over 5000 metres provided a great battle between Liz Cuskelly and Maire Triona O'Connor who were locked together for most of the race. Nearing the finish Liz opened up a small lead but this was to be Maire Triona's day as she came with a powerful sprint finish to pass her opponent and win by forty metres from Liz Cuskelly. Mary Daly showed no ill effects from her recent marathon to finish third. The Senior Men's race over 10000 metres consisted of five energy sapping laps and like the women's race provided a great tussle, in this case between Ferbane's Paul Buckley and Tullamore's Catch Grennan. In the early stages hot favourite Buckley was joined at the front by his Ferbane clubmate Stephen McKeigue and Catch Grennan. McKeigue soon dropped off the pace and it developed into a battle between Grennan and Buckley. As the race entered the last mile Buckley opened up a small gap and he kept the pressure up to increase his lead over Grennan and come home the winner by a margin of twenty seconds from Catch Grennan. Stephen McKeigue held on for third place from John Donegan in fourth. The Intermediate Men's race was also run over 10000 metres and resulted in an easy victory for new member Seamus O'Chonaigle from Maurice Fitzgerald in second. Una Mullen won the 5000 metres Women's Intermediate title. Results : (Tullamore Harriers unless stated) Senior Men (10000 metres): 1: Paul Buckley 36.18 (Ferbane A.C); 2 Catch Grennan 36.38; 3: Stephen McKeigue 39.27; John Donegan 39.46; 5: Johnny Feery 40.38; 6: Jody O'Reilly 41.03; 7 Pat Conlon 41.23; 8 Liam Dunne 43.23; 9 Vinny Devery (Ferbane A.C) 46.18; 10 Joe Wrafter 47.06. Team 1 Tullamore Harriers (2,4,5,6) 17 Intermediate Men (10000 metres): 1: Seamus O'Chonaighaile 45.25; 2 Maurice Fitzgerald 46.21; 3 Brendan Kennedy 55.21 Senior Women (5000 metres); 1 Maire Triona O'Connor 20.59; 2 Liz Cuskelly 21.08; 3 Mary Daly 24.23; 4 Martin a Conlon 27.46 Team 1: Tullamore Harriers (1,2,3,4) Intermediate Women (5000 metre) : 1 Una Mullen 27.54 Tullamore Host Leinster Cross Country Championships Tullamore Harriers are proud to be the hosts for the Leinster Juvenile and Intermediate Cross Country Championships which are to be held on this coming Sunday November 8th. The races are been run in the grounds of Charleville Estate which will be a hive of activity on the day. Preparations are ongoing to make this a successful day with all members helping out. Fixtures November 8th: Leinster Intermediate and Juvenile Cross Country. Tullamore. November 15th: International Masters Cross Country, Birmingham. November 22nd: National Inter Counties Cross Country in Kilbeggan, Westmeath. November 26th: Winter League round 1. 3k track and tarmac. 7pm November 29th: Winter League round 2. Cross Country in Charleville. December 6th: National Novice Cross Country. December 10th: Winter League round 3. 3k Tarmac. 7pm. December 13th: European Cross Country Championships, Santry, Dublin. Training: Tuesday and Thursday at 6.30pm, Sunday morning at 8.30am Except on a race day. Runners also meet for a run on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5pm on. New members always welcome. With the dark evenings now here it is important to be seen on the roads so reflective gear must be worn while training on the roads.