TEAM DOWN
I must correct my mistake from last weekend's report when I inadvertently stated that the Co. Down team had finished 10th team in the All Ireland Cross Country Championships in Co. Meath. In fact the men from the Kingdom of Mourne comprising Mark Kendal and Brendan Donnelly from Newcastle AC, Dennis Scott and Francis Marsh from North Down AC and the East Down trio Brendan Teer, Barrie Atkinson and Neil McCartan, took bronze medals in the Category C clasification and only missed out on the Silver award by virtue of some lackadaisical funnel arrangements. But nevertheless a splendid return from the sodden Fields of Ratoath. Could we write a song about that?
MALCOLM CUP ACTION
Sixmilewater Park Ballyclare is proving a happy hunting ground for Brendan Teer, as just 30 minutes after being presented with his prize for his 3rd place in the McConnell Shield fixture at the same venue just 4 weeks ago, he crossed the finish line ahead of his rivals in the Malcolm Cup on Saturday. While victory looked relatively comfortable it was onlyin the last ahlf mile that he shook off the atentions of City of Derry's Noel Lagan and Ballymena and Antrim's Gareth Hill. The team was made up of Barrie Atkinson, completing his second race of the day having earlier ran in the Master's race over 3 miles, Francis Tumelty who was a revelation on his debut on the grass this season, Michael McKeown and Stephen McCartan. One more runner would have claimed an extra bonus point for the team but due to a technicality ( I can't count!) the only other Club runner present had exhausted himself shortly before in the 3 Mile Masters and was busy trying to kick start his Zimmer when the race began. Perhaps one or two more of the approximately 100 members will supplement the squad for the next round on 16 December in Derry.
EDIE STARS IN UNDER 11 RACE
Earlier Edie Carroll showed the seniors how to do it with an impressive winning run in the Girls Under 11 race and made nonsense of the transfer test excuse several of her clubmates used to avoid taking part. I hope there's a module in it on making excuses . But Well Done Edie – a star in the making?
Good performances too from the ever reliable Daniel Atkinson 7th and Owen Edwards 11th in the Under 13 Boys race with Aoife Cochrane, our only representative in the Under 13 Girls, taking a creditable 8th place in a race that was much too short for her liking.
Next weekend it is the Dromore Cross Country meeting, and Club coaches will be hoping for a better turnout from all age groups.
Joe Quinn
3 December 2012
