North East Runners AC take team title as cross country action returns

Crowds descended on Bellurgan House on Sunday the 2nd of October for the Annual Louth Novice Cross Country Championships. Perfect weather conditions and picturesque sights set it up for great day of entertainment.

First on the agenda was the Ladies Novice race consisting of two laps of the course totalling 3km. At the whistle two North East Runner athletes, Chloe Finlay and Lisa McCabe, were chasing the leading pack for podium positions.

This was Chloe’s debut at XC and worked well with her teammate Lisa around the hilly course. A sprint finish from Lisa secured her a bronze medal followed right behind by Chloe in 4th place.

Ruth Kilkenny was reeling in opponents and moved up the field to fight for the team medal and finished in 9th position. But it was all down to the final spot and both Aine Murphy and Patricia Nevin were battling with Drogheda & District.

Another sprint finish came from Aine to try catch the last athlete in her sights and she finished 15th with Patricia in 16th. A strong squad performance gave the club a bronze medal for the team event.

Eyes turned to the men’s race where North East Runners named two teams in the 6km event. The start of the race was very top heavy with black and white singlets, and it was hard to tell how positions would pan out.

Keith Geoghegan led out hard with a train of athletes behind him. Watching closely behind him was David Redmond, Garry Mulligan, Peter McGuinness, Oisin Hughes and Paul Hyland, all in the top 10 leading pack.

It was only after a gruelling two laps did the competition start for podium positions and a battle begun between Dunleer’s Peter Meegan, Eseosa Omoregbe and Noel Williams against NER’s Geoghegan, Redmond and Mulligan. 

Redmond took the lead with less than 2.5km to go and looked strong and comfortable. Dunleer’s athletes were still hanging on and it was all to play for.

A calculated move by Mulligan into silver position and Hyland chasing behind him had three club runners in the top five. Crossing the line, the clear winner, David Redmond, was crowned this year’s Novice Champion, with Garry Mulligan finishing 2nd behind.

A fine performance from NER member Paul Hyland saw him placed 4th. Charging to the line to join the team next was Keith Geoghegan 7th, Peter McGuinness 9th and Oisin Hughes 10th. To complete the 2nd NER team was new member Ciaran Culligan 12th and fellow member John Tumilty 21st.

More black and white singlets crossed the line with strong runs from Mark O’Connor 22nd, Gerry Kenny 31st, Sean Carroll 36th, Ian Cosgrove 37th, Ian Clarke 38th, Garreth McKevitt 39th and Joe Hoey 40th.

Supporters and spectators waited nervously for the results, but North-East Runners emerged victorious with both 1st and 3rd place team winners.