North East Runners secure team success at Leinster Cross Country Championships

This year’s Leinster Novice Cross Country championships were held in Bellurgan Park House, hosted by Louth Athletics. North East Runners AC entered two very strong teams for the men’s and ladies races, where both teams were hugely successful.

The Ladies race was held first and after all the rain and juvenile races, the course turned extremely muddy underfoot. Out from the shoots, Áine Cotter from NER went into the leading pack, with her teammate Kelly Breen not far behind.

After a gruelling 4km around the tough course Áine battled hard against St Coca’s AC’s Aoife O’Cuill and Trim AC’s Edel Gaffney and came home victorious with a bronze Leinster medal. A fantastic result for Áine after months of hard training.

Kelly Breen made great moves in the field and finished ninth in Leinster on the back of a great summer track season. Making up the NER ladies’ team, was Lisa McCabe 48th, AnnMarie Duffy 51st, Clíodhna Hyland 62nd and Pamela Shevlin 75th.

This team scored well and clinched the Bronze Club medal. To add to their great runs, Louth secured Silver medals for the Wee County with Áine Cotter and Kelly Breen from NER, Sinead McDonald from Glenmore AC and Aoife Fay from Dunleer AC.

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Onto the mens’ race, where the course was in tatters, but they still ploughed on for 6km. Out in the leading pack from NER was Donnchadh Hughes, charging forward with hopes for a top 10.

After each lap of the course the athletes were strung out and Hughes fought hard against Olympian John Fitzsimons of Kildare AC, emerging the better runner coming in 8th place ahead of Fitzsimons. Next for NER was David Redmond, who with a sprint finish came 13th overall in Leinster.

To complete the black and white team was Garry Mulligan 35th, Rory Mulholland 37th, Keith Geoghegan 39th, Paul Hyland 44th, Liam Fergus 47th, Peter McGuinness 48th, Oisin Hughes 55th, Richard Murphy 104th and Gareth McKevitt 113th. All great results from the club which resulted in club Bronze.

Waiting for the final county results, Louth emerged as winners over every county in Leinster with six scoring on the team, including Hughes, Redmond, Mulligan and Mulholland from NER who ran alongside Liam Mulligan and Colin Leonard from Drogheda and District AC.

It’s eyes onto the Louth Senior XC event now, with hopes for more success for North East Runners AC on the 27th November in Drogheda.